Chivas Regal is a blended Scotch whisky founded by the Chivas Brothers in Aberdeen in 1801. The Chinese name
芝华士 was chosen for sound —
芝 (zhī, lingzhi mushroom),
华 (huá, splendor),
士 (shì, gentleman) — but it also reads pleasantly as 'splendid gentleman'. In Chinese clubs and KTVs,
芝华士 (especially the 12-year and 18-year bottles) was the dominant imported spirit through the 2000s-2010s, often mixed with green tea (
芝华士兑绿茶), a uniquely Chinese pairing.
