The Rube Golberg Machine
by Chivas 18
There has always been sense of occasion when sharing a glass of whisky among friends, family and nomads. In a society where by most elements require an instantaneous action, we rarely get the time to take note. Encouraging this theory and enabling us to enjoy these moments are Chivas 18, alongside their unique machine curated simply for pouring.
The Rube Golberg machine is the name given to any machine that is created to perform a simple task in an overcomplicated fashion. In the case of Chivas the ultimate task is to end up with two glasses of Chivas 18. While metaphorically creating the idea that people should slow down the machine aims to represent the many notions of whiskey making.
Carved out of solid wood it breaks down the fermenting, distilling, maturation and blending. After dropping the metallic ball into the machine, it takes a journey through lifts, spirals and levers until it reaches its goal of pouring two perfect glasses. Simple in theory yet the process is everything but. Notably though the machine also takes a mere 85 seconds – a nod to the 85 flavour notes found within the unique blend.
There is sense of fascination in the process but also it seeks to remind us that time is not necessarily a bad thing. It enables us to build a sense of anticipation and intrigue while allowing us to enjoy the outcome, and in the case of Chivas 18— it is a just reward.