Amrut Fusion: A Taj Mahal-like Beauty

Name: Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Amrut
Origin: India
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age Statement: None
Alc/Vol: 50%


Here at Singapore Whisky, as mentioned many times before, I personally try my best to bring forward whiskies from the world that have admittedly lived under the shadow of the giants of Scotland and to some extent, the USA and Japan. It is also great to be able to pick up a great glass of whisky from a place very near to home. In this case, the whisky at hand was distilled in India, by the Amrut Distillery. Indian whisky is by no means a powerhouse in the world of whisky, but Amrut has gotten the whisky world smacking their lips in excitement as they have released numerous top-notch whiskies in the past few years. It is also a testament to Indian skill and technique that they have been able to create such great whisky in a very humid environment as well!

I got the chance to try this Amrut at Fine Spirts At La Maison Du Whisky, the Singapore branch of the famous French whisky chain. I will have a review of the newly renovated La Maison Du Whisky up on the blog soon.

Back to the whisky, the Amrut I tried has been garnering many an accolade in the past years, the Amrut Fusion. Named due to the fact that the barley used in this whisky is a mix of barley from Scotland and India, the Amrut Fusion was indeed a delight and, in my humble opinion, certainly deserves the plaudits that have come its way.

Nose: Salted caramel with lovely notes of butter, but it is the malty sweetness that is unmistakable. With water, a more caramel-like sweetness seems to come to the fore.

Taste/Palate: This is where the barley takes centrestage with the mouth-watering sweetness coating the mouth, leaving a really pleasant mouthfeel. Hints of spice and peat mingle with a light saltiness of butter and salted nuts, with a touch of oak at the back. With a little water, one can taste a hint of dried figs as well.

Finish: The sweetness of barley, both malted and fresh, coat the mouth in a very pleasant finish indeed.

Overall: Do not expect a fruity, floral whisky from this one. This is a masterpiece of malt, wood and salty influences. Exceedingly good at what it portrays 91/100


Found at: La Maison Du Whisky

The Bowmore 12: The First (Of Many!) Islay Malts

Name: Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch 12 Years Old
Distillery: Bowmore
Region: Islay
Age Statement: 12 Years Old
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 40%

I was given the chance to try the Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 002 not too long ago, and the tasting notes on that would be up soon, but on the subject of Islay whiskies I decided that I would do a review on one of the Islay bottling that has been around my place (my brother's place to be exact) for a while now.

I have been trying to make my way around the various different types of whisky available around the world, but on the subject of Scotch, the Islay whiskies can lay claim to a very prestigious spot. Recognised as a whisky producing region on its own, the whiskies from the Isle of Islay are often revered as the most smoky and salty of the lot (due to the use of peat, the nature of the peat, the water sources and the maritime characteristics of the air etc.) without compromising on the lovely fruit and floral flavours. What follows, then, from a good Islay whisky is an extremely balanced and flavourful whisky. But don't be deceived, the distilleries on Islay have their own unique signatures (some may be more smoky, others with more flavours of the brine) and they can be very different despite such commonalities.

The Bowmore brand is perhaps one of the most globally recognized of the Islay whiskies. Interestingly, it is owned by Suntory, a Japanese company. This 12 year old expression seems to be classically Bowmore, with a nice mix of fruity sweetness and smokiness.

Nose: The distinctive smokiness mixes with the honied sweetness, creating an aroma reminiscent of honey baked ham. This is matched with the candied, citrus-filled sweetness of lemon drops.

Taste/Palate: Honied sweetness gives way to a pungent smokiness that has an ash-like flavour, almost like eating something slightly burnt. But throughout this the lemon-drop sweetness never ceases, mixed nicely with what seems like brown sugar

Finish: More fruity than smoky, notes of canned fruits.

Overall: This is a decent enough introduction to the Islay malts, but it seems to lack the flavour intensity and complexity to make it a clear winner. 82/100


Found at: Quaich Bar, La Maison Du Whisky, Highlander Bar, The Auld Alliance

Whisky Tastings: Arran Malt's Cask Finish Series

L-R: Arran Port Cask finish, Amarone Cask Finish and Sauternes Cask Finish

This is a long overdue post to highlight one of the Whisky Tasting events that I went to earlier this month. One good thing about Singapore is that the whisky bars here do schedule regular tasting sessions to showcase new products, offering a great chance to try some great new whiskies. Many thanks to The Highlander Bar Asia for the invite to this tasting of the Isle of Arran Single Malt Cask Finish series tasting. I will seek to do a write up on the Highlander Bar soon.

The Isle of Arran Malt Whisky is considered an Island whisky, but as mentioned in the previous post on the Talisker 18, the differing conditions on the islands of Scotland mean differing characteristics for the whiskies that come out of them. Arran Malt is a relatively new company, founded in 1995, but it has established itself as one of the dynamic new forces in the world of Scotch whiskies, and one of the ways they have done so is by experimenting intensively with different cask finishes. What this means is that after maturation in standard barrels (this differs for different distillery), the whiskies are transferred to a separate set of casks to 'finish' for anything from a few months to a year. These casks almost definitely used to contain some other beverage, mostly different types of wine, and hence the flavours of the wine that were contained in the barrel are infused into the whisky during this final period of maturation.

In the case of the Arran Malt, the experimentation culminated in an official release of 3 cask finishes, namely the Amarone, Port and Sauternes finishes. These were the whiskies that were offered during the tasting.

Name: The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish
Distillery: Arran
Region: Island (Isle of Arran)
Age Statement: 8 Years Old
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 50%

The Amarone Cask Finish, as it suggests, uses casks that used to contain Amarone, a sweet dry wine from Italy. This was the biggest and strongest of the lot that we tasted

Nose: Nice and open for a relatively high alcoholic percentage. Salted cashews, melted milk chocolate and faint floral notes

Taste/Palate: Salted butter with thick flavours of pears and strawberries, mixed with cocoa

Finish: Oaky dryness with lovely lingering flavours of fragrant pears

Overall: The Amarone Cask Finish was pretty powerful but nicely balanced with fruity flavours. I personally felt it was pleasant, but not something to really write home about. 82/100


Name: The Arran Malt Port Wood Finish
Distillery: Arran

Region: Island (Isle of Arran)
Age Statement: 8 Years Old

Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 50%

Port Cask finishes are getting more and more popular these days, with companies like The Balvenie, Glenmorangie and BenRiach releasing their own expressions of such finishes. This one was a lot gentler than the Amarone, and was actually really good in my honest opinion.

Nose: Very fruity with hints of berries on a salted butter crust, balanced nicely with the aromas of honey.

Taste/Palate: The influence of the Port is very much apparent with fruity and floral notes along with the butter and caramel. Berry gum drops. The port sweetness coats the mouth, leaving a pleasant mouthfeel.

Finish: The port sweetness comes to the fore with a hint of spice and oakiness from the wood. Sweet and lingering.

Overall: My personal favourite of the night. It was nice and balanced and very pleasant to drink. But I agree that the sweetness may not be everyone's cup of tea. 87/100

Name: The Arran Malt Sauternes Finish

Distillery: Arran
Region: Island (Isle of Arran)
Age Statement: 8 Years Old

Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 50%

This expression was finished in Sauternes casks which used to hold the famous French dessert wine. Mostly Sauternes finishes have a strong sweet finish to it, and this one was no different.

Nose: Fruity notes of cherries mixed with vanilla. Notes of caramel and butter also apparent.

Taste/Palate: Spicy with a nice honey sweetness with the influence of the wine bring up the rear.

Finish: Extremely sweet finish thanks to the wine, with a slight hint of watermelon.

Overall: The Sauternes Cask Finish is very much an example of how the wine can influence the whisky. The sweetness of the Sauternes is well and truly prevalent here. Sadly I found it a tad too sweet for my liking. 81/100

Where to Find: Altimate Spirits, The Highlander Bar

Where to Drink: The Auld Alliance

The Need to Knows:

Name: The Auld Alliance

Address: CHIJMES, 30 Victoria Street, #01-08 S(187996)
Tel: 6337-2201
Email: info@theauldalliance.sg
Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat: 5pm-2am

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/TheAuldAlliance

(Note: (6th July 2011) In SGwhisky's efforts to keep updated, this post has been edited to be more comprehensive)

As mentioned, this blog is all about Singapore and the Whisky scene here, so SGwhisky is kicking off this permanent segment on bars and retailers to get your Whisky fix here in Singapore with a review of one of the newest bars on the scene, The Auld Alliance.

Opened in late January 2011, The Auld Alliance is a purpose-built Whisky Bar located at CHIJMES, a historical landmark in the heart of Singapore's city area. CHIJMES was previously a convent and school for girls, but has since been transformed into one of the most vibrant nightspots in Singapore with restaurants and bars. It is in this vibrant area that The Auld Alliance has chosen to situate itself.

The main bar area of The Auld Alliance

The Auld Alliance is the culmination of a dream of Frenchman Emmanuel Dron, the owner, who has been working in Singapore's whisky industry for 15 years.  It is fitting that The Auld Alliance actually refers to the ancient historical alliance between Scotland and France, reflecting this 'alliance' between a Frenchman and his passion for the revered drink of Scotland. The bar itself has limited seating, with about 15 seats around the bar area and a sitting areas in two connecting rooms that sit about another 20-30 more (one of the two rooms are private though).

If the seating in The Auld Alliance is limited, the selection of whiskies certainly isn't. Boasting over 1000 whiskies sold by the glass and/or bottle, the Auld Alliance stakes a claim to have one of the most comprehensive selections of whiskies here in Singapore. With a wide array of Scottish Single Malts, Japanese  and American whiskies, as well as whiskies from India, Wales and Ireland, one will be able to find most of the drams one is looking for here. 

For the Scotch Lover, the Scotch Whisky selection in The Auld Alliance is one of the most comprehensive selections in the region. With standard Official bottlings from almost all the Scottish single malt distilleries, it is a great place to get introduced to the world of scotch whisky. For those who are really into scotch, The Auld Alliance has a collection of some of the world's oldest and most revered whiskies. Some examples include the Samaroli Bowmore Bouquet 1966, Macallans from the 1930s through to the present day, Ardbegs from the 1970s and the famed Diageo releases (1st-10th) from Port Ellen.

Outside from the world of Scottish whisky, The Auld Alliance has an extensive range of whiskies from around the world, the largest of which being Japanese whiskies, which number around 200. Aside from the official bottlings (single malt and blends) from Japan's major distilleries, The Auld Alliance also has a extensive collection of the Ichiro Malt Card series, as well as whiskies from the famed Karuizawa distillery. The Auld Alliance also has the 1987 Yoichi and the 1967 Karuizawa, both award winning whiskies. In addition to the Japanese whisky collection, there are whiskies from India, England, Wales, Ireland and the Americas. Check out the George T. Stagg Sazerac Rye, a bourbon whiskey bottled at 70.7% alcoholic content!

 The Japanese Whisky Shelf

For those non-whisky lovers, there is also a selection of champagnes and other liquors like Absinthe, Rum, Armagnac and Cognac available for consumption. One example of a non-whisky classic is their brandy made with grapes from the famed Romanee-Conti region in France, which produces one of the most famous wines in the world. However, there is no food served at this bar, as it is purpose-built only for whiskies and other liquors. Upon clarification though, the staff at The Auld Alliance informed me that they have menus from a few of the restaurants in CHIJMES and one can order food from these restaurants through the bar staff.

All in all, The Auld Alliance is definitely a Whisky Bar worth visiting. It's wide selection alone is a huge selling point, and its central location is also a plus point.

Good for: Quiet ambiance, wide whisky selection, rare and collectible whiskies

A Whisky Three-Peat! Karuizawa Noh 1995, Yoichi 15, Talisker 18

From L-R: Karuizawa Noh 1995,
Yoichi 15, Talisker 18

As a budding whisky writer, if luck serves I do get to try a good dram once every week or a few days, but I do feel on some special day, one should spoil one's self. So yesterday, I went with my Whisky buddy and companion to The Auld Alliance, a new whisky bar in CHIJMES, which I will soon be doing a write up on along with the other places to get a good dram in Singapore. The owner of the bar recommended 3 decently priced drams which we see on top: The Karuizawa Noh 1995, Yoichi 15 and the Talisker 18. Without much further ado, let's stop-a-talking and start-a-tasting!

Name: Talisker 18 Single Malt
Distillery: Talisker
Region: Island (Isle of Skye)
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 45.8%

This was also my first time trying a Talisker, which seems to have garnered very good reviews for their balanced and peppery whiskies. Talisker is classified as an Island whisky, which is the region that is used to describe whiskies produced on the various islands surrounding Scotland, exlcuding the revered whiskies on the Isle of Islay. Island whiskies are typically very well balanced but due to the differing conditions on these various islands, I would personally say it is pretty hard to pin down a certain set of characteristics!

All in all, this dram was pretty good. I enjoyed it, and it did have a good balance. Many thanks to the owner of The Auld Alliance for introducing it to me.

Nose: A nice balanced and opened nose is detected here. Caramel and light fruit notes are complemented by the smell of cracked white pepper and a touch of smoke.

Palate/Taste: This is where the balance and poise of a good whisky (Island dram) is seen. Honied sweetness and fruity notes are balanced well with lovely white pepper spiciness and the slight smokiness and sea salt that reflect the maritime characteristics of the whisky

Finish: Lingering fruit finish that is reminiscent of apples cooked in a sugary syrup. The fruit and sugar notes really leave a pleasant mouthfeel!

Overall: This is indeed a balanced dram, but in some ways, it does seem to lack a bit of the punch in terms of richness of flavours. Nevertheless, it is still a darn good one in my opinion simply by virtue of the elegant balance it has. 88/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance, La Maison Du Whisky

Name: Karuizawa Noh 1995 (13 Years Old, bottled 2008)
Distillery: Karuizawa
Origin: Japan
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 63.0%


So here's the deal. Japan has, as seen in the inaugural review, put itself well on truly on the world map of whiskies. The two bigwigs of the Japanese whisky industry, Suntory and Nikka, have constantly produced amazing drams that have captured the attention of the whisky-loving world. And in this writer's humble opinion, knowing the industrious qualities of the Japanese, one can see them continuing to produce more gems. Lesser is known about the other distilleries in Japan, but as one continues to learn more, one would realise that some of these distilleries have attained an almost cult-like status. Karuizawa is one of these distilleries.

According to the menu in the bar, Karuizawa closed in 2001, but over the years, it has continued to gain acclaim with a string of stellar cask-strength releases. Just a short bit on the idea of cask-strength whiskies: When whiskies come out of the cask, they are usually at extremely high alcoholic percentages, hence there is a need to dilute them with water. Whisky out of the cask may also have some cloudiness or lack of clarity so companies choose to filter their whiskies (a process called chill-filtering) and add colouring and caramel so the product looks clear of any such cloudiness.

Hence, in the case of Karuizawa, their whiskies are all bottled at cask-strength, meaning they are bottled straight from the cask without any of the processes listed above, hence the extremely high alcoholic percentage. Due to the high percentage, this whisky is big-boned and extremely strong. Not for the faint of heart! But don't let this deceive you, this is one amazing whisky. Perhaps one of the best I have had the joy of tasting in the relatively short period of time I've had tasting whisky so far.

Nose: 
Neat: A closed nose, with not many flavours clearly apparent but one immediately can detect the influence of the sherry casks used. The spiciness and caramel notes play backup to the amazing dark chocolately aromas so often associated with sherry casks.

With Water: With a drop of water, the nose opens up a lot more. The aroma of brandy soaked raisins and cherries now come out and compliment the chocolate. This smells a lot like a black-forest cake! Strong caramel notes also come up. Amazing stuff.

Taste/Palate:
Neat: The nose here doesn't lie as the strong spice hits one before the notes of cocoa, caramel and the woodiness of the oak come along.

With Water: With water, one can detect a coffee-like acidity, with a slight sweetness of cocoa and some slight liquorice

Finish: 
Neat: Dark Cocoa with a liquorice like finish, with the influence of the wood spiciness taking over. Amazingly no hint of burn at all.

With Water: The liquorice is much stronger with water, and nice rich sweet notes of fruit bringing up the rear.

Overall: I confess I'm new to this world of whisky. Compared to the experts in the scene who have been in this industry longer than I've been alive, I am still very much an amateur finding his way around. But I do believe that at a personal level, I know a good whisky when I taste one. It may be very early in the game to give the first 90 and above rating, but I have a sneaking suspicion this one is here to stay. This is an immense whisky, a pure gem, and I recommend it to anyone lucky enough to find a bottle! Be warned though, this beast isn't easily tamed! 92/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance

Name: Yoichi 15 Single Malt Whisky
Distillery Nikka Yoichi
Origin: Japan
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 45%

The Nikka Yoichi 15 has been hailed by whisky experts all over the world as a standard bearer for the Yoichi brand. Unfortunately for the viewers, I have no tasting notes for this as this was my partner's drink of choice. What I can say from the little I tried that the nose is rich in vanilla and toffee notes, and the palate is a lovely mix of smoke and rich sweetness. I can also safely say that this is next on my 'to-buy' whisky list. Stay tuned for more!

So this wraps up my piece on the whisky three-peat. Hope this has helped everyone! Cheers.

Springbank 15 Year Old: The Campbeltown Malt

Name: Springbank 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
Distillery: Springbank
Region: Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 46%

I've been holding on to this miniature bottle of Springbank 15 Year old for a while now, and in conjunction with the start of Singaporewhisky, I have decided to give it a try. Campbeltown, historically, was one of the most vibrant centres of whisky production in Scotland during it's hey-day. Unfortunately today only 3 are running. Springbank is one of this three. I've heard good things about Springbank, and since the characteristics of Campbeltown whiskies are towards the honied and fruity side, I figured that it would be a pretty drinkable dram. Indeed I wasn't disappointed!

Nose: Nice and open with really sweet notes. Full-on honied sweetness, caramel and vanilla infuse with light hints of smokiness. Aromas dried raisins and boiled red dates that have been halved can be detected too

Palate/Taste: Nice and smooth mouthfeel with loads of flavour. Full on thick and rich honey coats the mouth, with slight pepperiness before a huge wave of red date and ginseng tea just hits you. Nice stuff!

Finish: Slightly bitter after taste (is this that infamous sulphur that many speak of?), nice sweet floral notes. Pleasant finish save for that slight bitterness.

Overall: For the first Campbeltown I've ever tasted, this is not a disappointment. The slightly oriental notes could be just me equating familiar flavours to what I felt, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless! 86/100

Where to Find: Quaich Bar Singapore, The Auld Alliance

The BenRiach 12: A Curious Speysider

Name: The BenRiach Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old
Distillery: BenRiach
Region: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 40%

This was the first tasting I ever had from BenRiach, and is their standard 12 year old Single Malt. Scotland is, as many know it, the home of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. BenRiach distillery comes from the Speyside region, a region more commonly known for its honied and spicy whiskies. This, however, is very much a general set of characteristics, and even within the Speyside group you will find whiskies with different characteristics. One thing that is rare in Speyside is the presence of significant amounts of peat and BenRiach is one that bucks the trend. Opting to peat their whiskies (which usually means using peat, which is essentially decomposing plant matter, in the drying process of the malted barley, resulting in a smoky characteristic to the whisky), BenRiach whisky has a distinctive smokey/salty flavour infused with all the 'standard' Speyside characteristics.

A relatively new kid on the block to Single Malt whiskies, BenRiach is now a dynamic new brand that is releasing many a bottling in recent years. This Single Malt 12 years old Whisky that was tasted does show that there is much potential indeed in my humble opinion!

Nose: Very much an opened nose that is indeed balanced. I personally pick up honey and hints of spice, preserved orange peel and even a hint of salted caramel. This is balanced very well with the smokiness and malted barley notes, with no aroma overpowering the other.

Palate/Taste: The layers of tastes here are pretty clean and very balanced. Sweet honey, then a hint of spice before the sweet smokiness and saltiness kick in with a hint of dark cocoa.

Finish: Sweet barley notes bring up a very pleasant finish with a bit of liquorice, and an oaky bitterness in the end.

Overall: This is a pretty good whisky, which I personally feel is very enjoyable indeed. I am not a personal fan of peated whiskies, but the smoke and saltiness in this one is nicely balanced with sweetness. Worth a try!

85/100

Found at: Drinksfellas Retailers, The Auld Alliance, La Maison Du Whisky

The First Review: Hakushu 12 Year Old Single Malt: The Gentle One

Hakushu 12 Years Old Single Malt Whisky

Name: Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 12 Years
Distillery: Suntory Hakushu
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 43%
Capacity: 700ml

Alright! Here's goes nothing! The inaugural review. It may come as a surprise to many, but I've chosen to kick start Singaporewhisky with a review not on a Scottish whisky, but a Japanese one. Despite still being relatively unknown to most, the whisky from Japan is starting to gain popularity and praise from critics and aficionados worldwide. This particularly whisky is a Single Malt from the Hakushu distillery, one of the two distilleries owned by Suntory, the largest whisky company in Japan (who also own Scottish brands Bowmore, Auchentoshen and Glen Garioch). 

The whiskies from Hakushu are known for their light, fruity and complex notes, which is a style very unique in the world of whisky. This Hakushu 12 is no exception:

Nose: Open nose with many different aromas detectable: Fruity with plums and dried raisins, and a nice waft of caramel makes it very inviting indeed

Taste/Palate: Complex yet clean layers of flavour. The sweet fruity flavours of the plum and raisins start, followed by a hint of spiciness, then sweet flavours of the malted barley come in

Finish: Medium length of finish. Very sweet and pleasant, with a hint of woody dryness.

Overall: This whisky is a pleasant introduction to the world of Japanese whiskies. It is light, fruity and very drinkable in my opinion. Very good for sipping and enjoying after a meal.

Great for: Those who like a nice sweet, malty and fruity whisky which doesn't stinge on complexity, this one's for you. It is also great as a first whisky to people who want to know more about the drink, especially Japanese whisky.
89/100


Where to Find: La Maison Du Whisky, The Auld Alliance, Meidi-Ya Supermarket

The Inaugural Post

Credits to my great friend and fabulous photographer: Shane Koh

Hello there everyone! Here's the inaugural post of Singapore Whisky, a blog started by a Singaporean, for Singaporeans, to help everyone on this sunny island understand more about the world of whisky here! If one looks around, one will be surprised to see just how much the industry for this drink is increasing not only worldwide, but here as well. This blog, hence, will concentrate on everything Singaporean in the whisky world. It will try and cover the places in Singapore to get whisky, whisky events and of course reviews of whiskies that can be found here. In short, it hopes to be a one-stop place for people seeking to find out more about the world of whisky here!

So why Singapore? Well first and foremost, it's the place I call home. I'm proud to be a Singaporean born and bred, and hence when starting this blog, it was only natural that I started from home.

Secondly, as stated earlier, the whisky industry in Singapore is growing, with more brands being brought in, more bars selling various whiskies, and recently, many specialty bars focusing on whisky opening up. All in all, the scene is vibrant, and one can say it will continue to grow for many years to come! Hence, it would be great to have a blog dedicated specifically to Singapore's market, and I hope this humble little blog will play it's small role in helping people in Singapore find out more about whiskies here.

Lastly, I, quite simply, love whisky. I'm still a beginner, but I am intrigued by this amazing drink, which is filled with passion, science and finesse. I'm even more amazed at just how varied the world of whiskies is! For anyone starting out on this journey (me included) it'll be good to have a blog to guide you, and I hope this blog will be able to help you navigate your way around the Singapore whisky world.

To end off this blog, I'd like to highlight that the reviews and comments on this blog are my own personal opinions, and are by no means authoritative. I'm a beginner, and have much more to learn about this world, so this blog will also reflect my growth as a Whisky lover. More importantly though, whisky appreciation is very much a subjective matter. Everyone has different preferences, and this blog will try to cater to all potential tastes. So please feel free to have your own opinions and don't take mine as the law!

That's it for now! Will start my first whisky review soon! Till then, Take care!

Cheers,
Ben