My First Port Ellen:)

In celebration of having an article published on the Malt Maniacs, I felt it would be a good idea to try a I have always wanted to try. The distillery of Port Ellen has a sense of mystique and legend about it. An almost tragic history with long periods of closure (a near 40 year period that started in 1929 and that final closure in 1983) is mixed with what is undoubtedly great whisky has made Port Ellen expressions extremely sought after now.

As mentioned, Port Ellen distillery closed its doors in 1983 and it has not opened again since. The maltings are used to malt barley for some of the Islay distilleries but the stills are no longer firing, and it is seems that it wouldn't be anytime soon, if at all. The fact that it is on Islay does add to the aura of this distillery (and of course the accompanying sadness that it is now closed) as well. But as I am always quick to say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and Port Ellen is one hell of a pudding. Great review sites/publications like the Malt Maniacs and Jim Murray's Bible are in full agreement that Port Ellen is responsible for whiskies of a consistently high quality. Yes of course there are bottlings that turn out pretty bad, but in general Port Ellen's whiskies are of a high standard. For an example, check out Port Ellen expressions from the late 1960s, Diageo's Rare and Auld Malts Series and the 10 different releases of Port Ellen that Diageo has released over the years.

The expression I chose to try is from Independent Bottler Douglas Laing, who to my knowledge seems to have a ton of Port Ellen stocks left. Their numerous Old Malt Cask expressions have ensured that at the very least, there is still enough Port Ellen to go around, though a simple case of Demand and Supply shows that sadly, this supply will only continue dwindling. So how did it taste? Let's have a look

Name: Port Ellen 26YO
Distillery: Port Ellen (Islay)
Bottler: Douglas Laing (Old Malt Cask Series)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 26YO
Vintage: 1982
Cask Ref: 5389 
Alc/Vol: 50%


Nose: Extremely creamy, salty and smoky. It smells almost like a cream base pizza that has come out of a really hot wood oven. The smoke is mellow, and so is the whole nose in general (21)


Taste/Palate: Ahh... so this is the classic Port Ellen. Extremely rich, with a sweet ashiness, a nice rich fruitiness and powerful white pepper. The smokiness is sweet, akin to a nice rich honey glaze on a piece of meat. Great stuff (23)


Finish: Sweet sooty notes of honey but the ashy mouthfeel dominates (22)


Overall: Rounded and nice, this is a great way to discover Port Ellen. The only sad thing for me was that I knew that each sip of this dram I took meant one less sip of Port Ellen left for the world to savour. (21) 87/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance

I was also given a small sample of single cask whisky from the Miyagikou distillery in Japan from bar owner Emmanuel Dron. It is great stuff, and is only available at the distillery, I hope to go there soon! Overall though, this was a great dram. No notes though! Sometimes what matters is that you savour it without over thinking:)

Slainte!

SGwhisky's First Ever Malt Maniacs E-pistle!

It is with great pride today that SGwhisky announces that its article has been accepted by the Malt Maniacs as an E-pistle. The Malt Maniacs are an international collective of renowned whisky writers, correspondents, bloggers and connoisseurs, all of whom have significant standing in the whisky world. The 'Certified' Malt Maniacs, who are the senior members of the group, consist of some of the most well known whisky personalities like:


Serge Valentin, who runs the highly successful whiskyfun.com
Johannes van den Heuvel, who runs maltmadness.com and also founded the Malt Maniacs
Davin de Kergommeaux, a trained sommelier and leading expert on Canadian Whisky
Mark Gillespie, the voice and brains behind Whiskycast, a weekly whisky-related Podcast
Chris Bunting, writer and the authoritative English-language voice on Japanese Whisky

And of course many many more!

The E-pistle that has been contributed is called Whisky in Singapore: Drams in the Lion City, and it focuses on an overview of the current state of the whisky industry in Singapore. It is SGwhisky's humble hope that this article raises awareness and understanding of the ever-growing whisky culture in Singapore, and that it helps put Singapore on the world whisky map.

Enjoy everyone!

A Look at Bourbon: Kentucky Gentleman

With a few sherried whiskies under our belt, it would be nice to have a bit of a look at whiskies from across the 'pond', in the wonderful country that is the USA. As much as Scots are tied to their Scotch whiskies, Americans are fiercely proud of their Bourbon, and it has been the whiskey of choice for many an Americans (at the risk of sounding stereotypical though I must admit).

SGwhisky has had a few bourbons up on the site before, with a bit on bourbon, its heritage and how its made, but it has been a while, so it is high time to get back on the Bourbon saddle and try a few new ones.

This week, SGwhisky had the chance to sample Kentucky Gentleman Bourbon, a more entry level bourbon made in Bardstown, Kentucky. A highly traditional company, it is a familiar face in the world of bourbon, and it would be a great idea to have a taste to see what it is all about!

Nose: Sweet, grassy, citrus and apple notes mingle with a nice rye sweetness. This is interesting and is really fresh! (21)

Taste/Palate: Sweet, spicy with the rye sweetness and a nice oakiness. Hints of apple but it is certainly the rye I taste (Or am I just unfamiliar with what rye tastes like and I'm mistaking it!) (20)

Finish: A little oakiness in an otherwise short and light finish (18)

Overall: I do think this is a decent bourbon and I think it would be good to give it a shot, however I think I do prefer Blanton's. (20) 79/100

Found at: Drinks Fellas

Note: I am no expert in Bourbon so I would appreciate it if anyone has any comments on this drink, and any mistakes I may have in identifying flavour markers in a bourbon.

A Sherried Journey (Extras): A Macallan 8YO from the 1970s

It's funny how things turn out the way they do sometimes. Last week, SGwhisky had a quick look at Sherried whiskies and even had a taste of 4 such whiskies, and lo and behold, another Sherried marvel comes knocking! Last week, I paid a visit to The Auld Alliance, and owner Emmanuel Dron brought in front of me a Macallan 8 YO bottled for Renaldi (Circa 1975). Yes, a Macallan from the late 1960s-70s. Perhaps not the best of the best, but definitely from the era which shot Macallan to sherry (and whisky) super-stardom.

Naturally, chances like this don't come everyday, so I took it with both hands! So as a nice little extra for SGwhisky's Sherried Journey, here is the Macallan 8YO (circa 1975)

Name: Macallan 8YO
Distillery: Macallan (Speyside/Highland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 8YO
Bottled for: Rinaldi (circa 1975)
Alc/Vol: 43%

Nose: Rich, creamy and sweet sherry, notes of toffee, chocolate, rich fruits like black berries (and red apples?) and some barley. This really is a classic sherry nose! (23)


Taste/Palate: Dark chocolate, dusted cocoa and red fruit bring up the entry, with sweet caramel, light fragrant pear and even a hint of ginger. Rich, creamy and extremely sophisticated and brilliant for an 8YO! (23)


Finish: Rich sweetness and creaminess continue with a slight estery note (21)


Overall: Brilliant stuff. Bar owner Emmanuel Dron reckons he can drink such a whisky all night, and I'm not inclined to disagree with that. Balanced, easy drinking yet extremely sophisticated (23) 90/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance (won't be surprised if it is gone by now though!)

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): The Final Duo!

Time really flies and its time to wrap up SGwhisky's first ever whisky of the month! During the past month, BenRiach has been highlighted as our whisky of the month and it was great to see people expressing interest in some of the interesting expressions that this distillery has to offer. In many ways, it is a truly progressive distillery that deserves immense praise.

To end of this month's segment, SGwhisky would like to highlight two special expressions from BenRiach, in hopes that we end the inaugural whisky of the month in style. So here's the final two expressions, the BenRiach Solstice and the BenRiach Authenticus 21YO. 

Name: BenRiach Solstice
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 15YO
Alc/Vol: 50%


The BenRiach Solstice was one of the two latest special releases from BenRiach that have recently hit the market, the other being the BenRiach Horizons. Whilst the Horizons is a Triple Distilled expression, emphasizing the smoothness and flavours, the Solstice is a real power house of flavour that shows some of the impressive experimentation that is ongoing at this distillery.

The Solstice is a combination of Heavily Peated and Port Finished experimentation, not unlike the Port Wood expressions they have released. This however, is supposed even more peated and aged in Tawny Port Pipes, before being bottled without filtration or colouring. It is also bottled at a whopping 50%, making it a much stronger dram.

Nose: Wine and peat mingle in an extremely balanced way. Notes of sweetened grapefruits, crushed grapes, and rose bring up the strong winey characteristics, with an alluring dash of peatiness as well. (22.5)

Taste: Sweet winey and fruity entry with notes of honey, rich berries that have been stewed. This is followed by a real spicy and peaty kick before both blend into a nice sweet smokiness with a hint of salted fish and capers! Nice and complex (23)


Finish: Very fruity with the wine lingering on with notes of lavender, rose, sweet pears and strawberries (21)


Overall: Maybe a tad too wine influenced, but to me this is almost like Beauty and the Beast dancing a Tango, with neither really stepping out of line. (23) 89.5/100


Found At: The Auld Alliance, Drinks Fellas

Name: BenRiach Authenticus 21YO
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 21YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


The BenRiach Authenticus has always been one of the most well renowned expressions of BenRiach. Peated and matured for a long period of time, it is known for its rich flavours and the mellow smokiness.

Nose: Warm peat mingling with ginger and warm spices. Slightly fruity with some orange and malty sweetness (21)


Taste: Thick, oily and malty. The oak hits with a real warmth and the notes of ginger continue on the palate. The orange note seems to come out as well, but the oak really does dominate (20)


Finish: Very mouthwatering, with the notes of malt and fruity sweetness taking control. (21)


Overall: Nice but perhaps too much oak for it to be a real rounded malt (21) 83/100


Found at: Drinks Fellas

A Sherried Journey 2: Aberlour A'bunadh Batch #34 and Ichiro's Card Series 7 of Hearts

(Note: I changed the scores for the Aberlour slightly after a second and third taste. I did feel it was a tad aggressive so I marked it down a wee bit. Nevertheless this is still a great dram)

To continue on from yesterday's foray into the world of sherried wonders, SGwhisky presents to its readers a second 'head to head' review of a Sherried monster from Scotland, and another from Japan! I have to admit, the first one wasn't so much of a head to head as the Dailuaine was more of a proficient almost introductory sherry malt that is great, but the Yamazaki is a totally different monster altogether. Today's head-to-head however is on more equal ground! Presenting to one and all the Aberlour A'bunadh and Hanyu's Ichiro 7 of Hearts!

Name: Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch #34

Distillery: Aberlour (Speyside)

Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: Nil

Alc/Vol: 59.5%

Working quietly in the shadows of much larger and more visible distilleries, Aberlour has slowly started to make its mark in the world of whisky. Boasting an impressive portfolio and not to mention a great distillery tour, Aberlour certainly has all the makings of a great distillery. But it is the whisky that is making the real waves that have made this brand one to watch. In fact, in recent years, connoisseurs have turned to Aberlour as the go-to distillery for a great sherry whisky, especially since Macallan is starting to release more Bourbon matured whisky (possibly pointing to a lack of supply of good sherry casks for maturation). 

Leading the charge towards sherried whisky immortality for Aberlour is undoubtedly the Aberlour A'Bunadh. A single cask, cask strength expression released by batches by the distillery, its original release received rave reviews and has never looked back since. At roughly 35-40 pounds (S$80) a bottle, it is also a real steal, but unfortunately tax and lack of availability in Singapore means the price is a bit higher than a straightforward conversion. Nevertheless, the whisky has been so well received it has gone on to release numerous batches, with the newest being #35. This whisky is from batch #34.

Nose: A real fruit farm. Some fresh, some unripe, some stewed. Apples, grape, lemon, pineapple, mango, unripe banana, fresh fragrant pears. Dark chocolate. This is simply amazing. Close your eyes and inhale this medley of clean and clear flavours... (23)

Taste/Palate: Cinnamon, liquorice and pepper lead a real spicy kick, followed by a fresh fruit and creamy middle (almost like a nice fruit tart!) with notes of thick caramel. A tad aggressive though (21)

Finish: Mouthwatering and rich with notes of fresh barley (not too sure here but is very long lasting the sweetness), sweet cream and cooked apples. (22)

Overall: Beautiful stuff. Great in every way, but sadly the palate is a tad aggressive, the only negative in what is an otherwise fantastic dram. (22) 88/100

Found at: Quaich Bar

Name: Hanyu's Ichiro's Malt Card Series: 7 of Hearts

Distillery: Hanyu (Closed) (Japan)

Type: Single Cask Single Malt

Age Statement: Nil (But it is 17YO)

Vintage: 1990

Bottle No: 500/656

Alc/Vol: 54%

The Ichiro's Malt card series is released by the now closed Hanyu distillery. Using poker cards to differentiate each whisky, it has grown an almost cult status amongst followers and it is now a real collectors item. Some expressions (like the Ace of Spades) are now legendary, and are extremely hard to find!

Nose: Vanilla, toffee, and an amazing rich caramel of the highest quality. Raisins, berries, walnuts, chocolate cake. Amazing rich, clean and brilliant nose! (24)

Taste/Palate: Buttery and salty, oak and lovely rich malt and honey. With water more fruit and influences come to the fore with a note of bitter cocoa (21)

Finish: Tasty sweetness, slightly cerealy and sweet caramel. Ends a bit too quickly though (20)

Overall: Great nose but the rest seems to trail off a bit! Nevertheless one worth trying simply for the experience! (21) 86/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance

A Sherried Journey 1: Dailuaine 16YO and Cask of Yamazaki 1990

Sherried whiskies always seem to have the capability to wow many a person. It also definitely commands a real cult following around the world. For Singapore, sweet sherried whiskies are also seeing a real uptrend in followers, making it one of the whiskies of choice for Singaporeans. Hence SGwhisky thought it would be a good idea to dedicate a post or two to some great sherried whiskies that were tried recently.

This post, however, takes one into the relative unknown with two lesser known sherried whiskies, in the hopes that it gets the name out a bit more. One of the two is slightly more popular (Yamazaki), the other however is a workhorse distillery for Diageo and hence most of its single malt doesn't really see the light of day as single malt expression. So here's two great Sherry marvels for one to sink their teeth into!

Name: Dailuaine 16YO Flora & Fauna
Distillery: Dailuaine (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 16YO
Alc/Vol: 43%


As mentioned, Dailuaine is essentially a workhorse distillery that focuses on producing single malt for blends. According to trusted whisky site maltmadness.com, most of its production goes to Johnnie Walker blends, with only 2% going to single malt production. Most of the single malt expressions found end up in the Flora & Fauna series, a series of single malt expressions by Diageo to showcase the individual character of their distilleries. Dailuaine as a distillery, is considered one of the few unlucky ones that have good stuff about them but did not make the cut for Diageo's Classic Malts Selection, hence the F&F (along with some independent bottlings) are the closest one can get to trying the single malts from this distillery.

Nose: Nicely sherried and mellow. Creamy milk chocolate, warm pepper and cinnamon spice mixed with dusted cocoa. Slight saltiness as well as some fruitiness in the shape of orange and some red apples (not too sure about this one) (22)


Taste/Palate: Sweet and fruity with loads of spice like ginger and pepper that has been used to cook soup (hence it is more mellow). Light hints of wood smoke (19)


Finish: Berries and a nice estery sweetness and some rose syrup (21)


Overall: A great little sherried dram which is very affordable and good to try. The taste was complex but slightly unbalanced. (21) 83/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance, Quaich Bar

Name: The Cask of Yamazaki 1990
Distillery: Yamazaki (Suntory, Japan)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt
Vintage: 1990 (Bottled 2008)
Age Statement: None (But it is 18YO)
Cask Number: ON70645
Bottle Number: 5/471
Alc/Vol: 60%


Woah now that is a long list of descriptions! The Japanese are highlight meticulous and hence every detail is not spared in this whisky. It also isn't for the faint of heart, with a whopping 60% percentage of alcohol. This baby though, is a real class act, showcasing the real sherried masterpieces that this distillery is famed for producing!

See, 60%, I kid you not! This is a real full-flavoured and powerful monster. Beware!

Nose: Rich dark chocolate, dark chocolate coated oranges, rich sweet cream. Very strong earthy and grassy notes as well. With water, fruit notes come out with notes of strawberries (23)


Taste/Palate: Rich & Oily with notes of vanilla, chocolate and fresh red fruits and oranges. Notes of brandied fruits as well, with an almost syrupy feel reminiscent of liquor filled chocolates. Slight notes of rose syrup can be detected with water (22)


Finish: Amazingly sweet and long with notes of rich berries, liquorice and wood (23)


Overall: A real monster that has many sides to it. Overall a great dram (22) 90/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance (though sadly I have been told the remaining bottles have already been purchased

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): The Pedro Ximenez Twins

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): BenRiach


Apologies for being a day late, but here is the third segment of the BenRiach series of tastings for the Month of June 2011!

This week, the pair highlighted are the peated and unpeated expressions of BenRiach finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry. Pedro Ximenez (or PX), actually refers to a type of grape that is used in the production of Sherry, this type of PX grapes being indigenous to Spain. Recently, PX sherry has no grown into a popular choice of wine casks to finish whisky in. Some people also go on to stress the challenge of finishing whisky in PX due to the strong flavours of the sherry, which have a tendency to overpower the whisky that is maturing in it. This leads to the belief that it is indeed a challenge to mature whisky in PX butts properly, retaining the character of the whisky whilst infusing the subtle influences of the PX.

For this expression of BenRiach, the PX is sourced from the famous Jerez de la Fontera region found in the south of Spain near the port city of Cadiz. So without further ado, presenting the BenRiach PX Twins!

Name: BenRiach 15YO PX Sherry Finish
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 15YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


This version of BenRiach was very well received by whisky writer Jim Murray, who gave it a whopping 94.5/100, praising its subtle PX influences. I personally felt it was good, but did not give it that high a score.

Nose: Rich and honied, lovely notes of raisins, malt and cocoa. A sharp wine note shows that the PX is definitely present (21)


Taste/Palate: Great stuff! Lovely and creamy with sweet notes of honey, raisins, wolfberries (almost Ginseng like again!). Refreshing notes of Eucalyptus, ripe papayas with a slight note of the PX sherry (24)


Finish: Sweet and oaky with some more Papaya, but a slight sour note hampers it. Trails off too quickly as well (21)


Overall: Great flavour, but the nose and finish lag behind a little (22) 88/100

Name: BenRiach 12YO Heredotus Fumosus (Peated with PX Finish)
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 12YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


The peated sister of the BenRiach PX finishes is good stuff, but in general, there is a feeling that the Peat dominates the Sherry in this case

Nose: Sweet smokiness reminiscent of honey glazed ham mix nicely with notes of honey and malt. The PX influence fights hard, but is left behind sadly (22)


Taste/Palate: Nice and oily with a real sweet sherry kick before the gentle peat comes in. Notes of salted capers, smoked ham, basically the rich saltiness one gets with preserved food. (22)


Finish: Rich and smoky with floral notes (21)


Overall: It is a great whisky, but unfortunately I don't feel it balances that well, especially with the PX influences (19) 84/100


Found at: Drinks Fellas

The Birth of a Lion

It is a great day for SGwhisky when a whisky with a strong claim to fame. It is even better when the claim to fame is unique to the Singaporean context! A while back, SGwhisky was lucky enough to get such a whisky from Tullibardine, the Birth of A Lion 1965 expression for Singapore..

As mentioned many a time before, SGwhisky prides itself on all things Singaporean, and I have been lucky enough to try both the 1990 and 1988 BenRiachs that were bottled for the Singapore market. The elusive one however has been the much more exclusive 1965 Tullibardine Birth of A Lion whisky that was bottled in 2010 to commemorate Singapore's 45th year of independence. Well the time has now come and here is the review for that particular whisky! To the readers of this blog, SGwhisky proudly presents to you the 1965 Birth of a Lion!

As mentioned earlier, the 1965 Tullibardine was a single cask whisky bottled in 2010 to commemorate Singapore's 45th birthday. It is of course all the better that the whisky was a 1965 vintage, adding to the historical feel of the whisky, as Singapore itself gained its independence in 1965. It is, hence, quite a spiritual experience when the history embodied in this cask parallels the history of our beautiful young nation!

At the back of the bottle, Tullibardine states how this whisky is specially bottled for Singapore, and the name Birth of a Lion is shown as well. For those who aren't too sure why such a phrase is used, Singapore is known as the 'Lion City', with the image of a Lion synonymous with the historical fabric of the state. It is on our Coat of Arms, it is nickname for our Soccer team, and yes, our Singapore icon is of course:

Credit: newvisitarea.com

That of course is our beloved Merlion, a mythical creature, half fish, half lion, and it is one of the national icons. Another of course is the Durian, which is commonly embodied by the Esplanade (our National Performing Arts Theatre and Concert Hall), which oddly enough is in the background of the photograph with the Merlion.

But we digress, weren't we supposed to be talking about the whisky! So here it is, the 1965 Birth of a Lion!

Name: Tullibardine 1965 (Birth of A Lion)

Distillery: Tullibardine (Highland)

Type: Single Malt Scotch (Single Cask)

Age Statement: 45YO

Serial No: 104/208

Alc/Vol: 47.9%

Nose: Loads of unripe fruits: plums, peaches and fresh red apples. Citrus and a faintest hint of smoke come in as well. Very fruity and refreshing! (23)

Taste/Palate: Malty, oaky and rich with the notes of fruits playing a major role again. Orange peel, unripe tannic notes, cinnamon and ginger spice. Still has quite a bit of bite to it despite the prolong period in the barrel. (22)

Finish: Red fruits and Wolfberry (Goji) and some dried longans. Taste a bit like the Chinese dessert soup (Cheng Tng, Qing Tang) Interesting... (22)

Overall: The whisky is good for what it is, but does not really hit the highest of heights. Nevertheless, the story behind it really does push it to prominence, at least to this true blue Singaporean here. If I had the chance, I'll definitely buy one of these and keep it for my future generations! (23) 90/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance, Drinks Fellas

A Classic Laphroaig and A Gentle Ardbeg

The Islay malts have always been revered and loved by fanatics the world over. Indeed for the longest time, the names Laphroaig and Ardbeg can arguably be synonymous with quality drams that people swear by. SGwhisky has had the opportunity to try a few of these beauties from Islay, but interestingly it is true that they are not mentioned very often in this blog! So it's high time we gave them some air time. Introducing a Classic Laphroaig and a Gentle Ardbeg!

Name: Laphroaig 15YO

Distillery: Laphroaig (Islay)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 15YO

Alc/Vol: 43%

This expression of Laphroaig is a real classic, and has, to the disappointment of many a Laphroaig fan, been discontinued in favour of the new 18YO official expression. An expression with much more sherry influence than the 10YO, Quarter Cask and 10YO Cask Strength expressions, the 15YO showcases the more classic and more refined side of Laphroaig!

Nose: Rich fruits (berries, cherries), with a hint of acidity akin to slightly unripe fruit. The peat smoke is well hidden, only giving out the gentlest hints of smokiness (21)

Taste/Palate: Fruity entry that is typified by grapes. The medicine and smoke then come in with notes of dry smokiness and Chinese cough medicine. Well balanced and not overpowering (23)

Finish: Pleasant finish with notes of medicine and a hint of fruit (21)

Overall: Pleasant and nice, but in my own opinion, it is a younger and growing version of the spectacular 30YO. It is an unfair comparison of course, and ultimately, this is good stuff for its age! (21) 86/100

Found at: La Maison Du Whisky, The Auld Alliance

Aside from Laphroaig, another Islay brand that can boast a cult like following is the distillery of Ardbeg. Powerful yet balanced, connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike have plenty of good things to say about the whiskies that roll out Ardbeg's doors (it is also worth noting that Ardbeg is my drinking buddy's single malt of choice!). However, the Ardbegs I have tried are what can arguably be termed 'classic' Ardbeg, full-bodied, extremely smoky with notes of citrus and fruit. This Ardbeg was totally different, yet it excelled in its own special way!

Nose: An extremely refreshing nose with notes of Ice Cream Soda, toffee, ripe plums and bananas, and powdered sugar (icing sugar?). No peat? You bet there isn't! Not even a hint! With water though, the peat comes rushing out with a clean citrus note of lemon and lime (23)

Taste/Palate: Sweet and smooth with vanilla and toffee notes coating the mouth. The smoke then comes out and takes over with an ashy sweetness. The flavours then mingle to form a more mellow smoky sweetness with honey ham. A really complex and well developed set of flavours on the palate! (22)

Finish: Fruity and malty sweetness, syrupy mouthfeel, with the sweet smoke trailing on. (22)

Overall: Ardbeg on a leash! I was intrigued at this but further conversations with some of the more knowledgeable members of the Singapore whisky scene led me to understand that Ardbeg has experimented with lightly peated expressions (the Blasda of course comes to mind), perhaps this was a cask from a similarly lowly-peated run (22) 89/100

Found at: B28

SGwhisky on Facebook: 25 and Counting!

We've hit the magic number 25!


This means SGwhisky can have its own Facebook Username. Thank you to one and all for liking the page:)

From today onwards, SGwhisky's FB page is as follows: www.facebook.com/SGwhiskyblog

A silly error on our part meant we now cannot use SGwhisky as the user name, hence the added -blog behind. So sorry people!

But it doesn't stop there, do keep the 'Likes' coming as SGwhisky continues to cover the lovely world of whisky here in our beloved Singapore!

Thank you once again everyone!

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): Tawny Port Twins

SGwhisky Whisky of the Month (June 2011): BenRiach Tawny Port Twins


As part of SGwhisky's continuing coverage of BenRiach as its whisky of the month, we proudly present to you the first set of the BenRiach Twins, unpeated and peated expressions of BenRiach that have been finished in barrels that contained Tawny Port.

A subset of Port Wines that are native to Portugal, Tawny Port is aged in wooden barrels using a process that exposes them to slow and prolonged oxidation and evaporation called the Solera process. The result is a sweet and medium dry wine.

Name: BenRiach Tawny Port Finish
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 15YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


The non-peated version of the Tawny Port BenRiach is a 15YO expression that is known for its sweetness. It was pretty good stuff!

Nose: The Tawny Port sweetness dominates the nose with notes of burnt sugar, vanilla and citrus. Light hints of malt and smokiness (Phenolic?) (21)


Taste/Palate: Rich with a salty and creamy note, with strong hints of maltiness and winey sweetness before the smoke comes in (it's quite prominent for a non-peated expression) (21.5)


Finish: Slightly smoky and sweet with a mouthwatering barley maltiness (22)


Overall: A dram that is balanced in terms of the quality of the offering, but the sweetness of the port may be a bit too overpowering (22) 86.5/100

Name: BenRiach Importanticus Fumosus Tawny Port
Distillery: BenRiach (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 12YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


The peated version of the Tawny Port is slightly younger, but the peat really does add an extra level of powerful influences that really bump it up beyond its unpeated twin. Definitely SGwhisky's personal favourite amongst the twins

Nose: Rich notes of seaweed are paired with a very very smoky sweetness that seems almost like a great marriage of sweet smoke and port influences. Slight notes of alluring saltiness too (22)


Taste/Palate: Rich and malty with note of vanilla before the seaweed and honey baked ham kick in. The sweetness of the port then comes in with notes of berries and some citrus. Balanced, not over intruding (23.5)


Finish: Sweet and smoky with a hint of dry ash. Almost like enjoying a good cut of ham with a glass of fine port (ok that was a bit too... obvious). Hints of light vanilla too! (22)


Overall: Great stuff all round! (23) 90.5/100


Stay tuned next week as we do the Pedro Ximeniez twins for BenRiach!

Found at: Drinks Fellas

Whisky in the News: Whisky hits Singapore's Mainstream Media!

Here at SGwhisky, we make no secret of our love for Singapore and its whisky scene. Anything and everything that contributes in a positive manner to the good name of Singapore’s whisky scene is something we cherish and are proud of! This week, SGwhisky was proud to see that whisky’s good name has hit the news, both on television and radio!

Cents & Sensibilities

One Monday (6^th June 2011), Channel NewsAsia’s weekly investment documentary, Cents & Sensibilities, ran a special on whisky investment and how whiskies are worth investing in. Khoon Hui, the co-owner of Quaich Bar and Emmanuel Dron, owner of The Auld Alliance were both interviewed in this segment, and they shared their expertise in selecting whiskies and looking after whiskies. 

Brands recommended for whisky investment were Macallan, Bowmore, Springbank and Ardbeg, and Emmanuel did a small segment where he showed how to preserve a bottle of whisky. This segment definitely raised awareness amongst individuals that whisky is something that can be used as an investment tool, rather than just a beverage for consumption!

If SGwhisky may be so bold as to throw up a suggestion for whiskies to invest in, perhaps good releases from closed distilleries like Port Ellen and Rosebank would be worth a shot. You might want to consider whiskies from Japanese distilleries, especially those that have since closed. Karuizawa and the Ichiro Card Series from Hanyu would be good ideas too. You got to be careful though, not all the whiskies from 

these brands have an investment value, so be careful when committing big bucks just based on a brand.

For those who wish to watch this episode again, there is a repeat telecast on Friday, 10th June at 9:31pm on Channel NewsAsia.

Need To Know On 93.8 LIVE

On the same day (what are the odds!) at 3pm, Mike Soldner, owner of ‘Basement 28’, also appeared on radio to talk whisky on 93.8 LIVE’s segment ‘Need to Know’ with DJ Joel Chua. During the hour long segment, Mike spoke with Joel regarding several whisky related topics like how whisky is made, the different types of whisky (grain, malt, blended malt and blended), whisky pairings and how to appreciate whisky. The duo even had the chance to have a taste of a Single Cask whisky from Bunnahabhain.

During this session, Mike also unveiled the name of his bar, which is now no longer ‘Basement 28’, but simplified to just ‘B28’.

It’s great to know the good word of whisky is making its way into the mainstream media of Singapore! Well done to all involved in these segments and thanks for helping make Singapore’s whisky scene better known to all!

Whisky Education: Nosing Whisky (Featuring The Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit)

Whisky Education: The Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit


When browsing through the plethora of tasting notes of whisky that have been released by whisky lovers the world over, be it casual drinkers or expert tasters, one of the major components that are ever-present, is the nose. How a whisky smells contributes immensely to a person's perception of what is in the whisky, and what he/she should expect, and it is in many ways a crucial skill should anyone want to embark on the road of whisky appreciation.


However, this aspect of whisky appreciation is one that seems daunting, and people do feel that it is somewhat inaccessible. For one, Scotch whisky has a minimum alcoholic percentage of 40% by law, and that  means that one of the main aromas that is present in any whisky is the aggressive hit of alcohol. That alone is enough to scare people off. Secondly, the aromas that are picked up by Whisky experts sound almost impossible to decipher, let alone detect! Here are some of the tasting notes from the world's experts:


Serge Valentin: One of the leading Whisky writers today, he is able to spot notes of soot, tar, medicine, ash, wet dog, camphor, graphite oil, hessian and plain sea water all in one whisky.


Jim Murray: Describes the nose of a whisky as 'medium roast, un-ground Blue Mountain coffee beans merging blissfully with a super-rich Dundee cake maagnificently beyond its sell by date and all topped with... nutty oloroso of the highest order'


With an almost insurmountable lexicon of aromas and such daunting acts to follow, one can be forgiven for being scared off. However, the truth is, flavour and smell are inextricably linked, and it is imperative that one's sense of smell work in tandem with one's taste buds in order to discover the fullest joys of whisky.


So why do we need to nose a whisky?

The answer is pretty scientific. The senses of nose and taste are interconnected, and in many ways, they depend on each other for the recognition of flavours. In fact, studies have shown it is the nose that is the main receptor of flavours and aromas, making a strong case for the nose being the dominant sense when it comes to flavours. 

The human tongue is only capable of experience the four basic flavours of sweet, sour, bitter and salty (a fifth being umami, which is stimulated by MSG). This basically means that almost everything else is detected by the nose. When consuming food and drinks, we simultaneously inhale its vapours through our nasal passages and these in turn are recognized as part of the flavour of the food by our brains. This pretty much explains why when we have a blocked nose, food basically tastes of nothing!

This applies as well to whisky and its appreciation and consumption. Flavour profiles of whiskies are largely dependent on our sense of smell. Just try tasting a whisky with a blocked nose. I remember attending a Glenmorangie and Ardbeg tasting where my nose gradually started getting blocked and by the end of it, the Glenmorangie 10YO had actually more flavour than the 10YO Ardbeg simply because my nose was not blocked when I drank the Glenmorangie, but was totally blocked by the time I got to the Ardbeg.

The Nosing Kit

So how does one start on a journey towards whisky aroma appreciation? There are several ways but if one wants to find a kit that specifically trains a person step by step, such resources are quite limited. It is here that The Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit comes in. Designed by Alan Gordon (one of the bigwigs in scotchwhisky.net) and George Dodd (An Aroma Science expert), this kit is aimed at fulfilling its main goal, to make whoever uses it a whisky aroma expert, because such experts are not born, they are made. In essence, it is a whisky appreciation tool designed to help anyone discover the joys of whisky.

The Aroma Kit is also intuitive as it is effective. It comprises of 24 bottles of liquid that have distinct notes of 24 common aromas you get in whiskies. From the classic fruity, malty and smoky to the slightly rarer decay and ethereal, these aromas have been isolated and infused with alcohol much like a perfume. The result is a comprehensive 'living dictionary' of how common aromas actually smell like on their own. One interesting thing is that the aromas peaty, phenolic and smoky are all separated, and this shows that whilst there is a tendency to use these descriptors interchangeably, there are subtle differences to their actual aromas.

Coming along with the kit is a comprehensive booklet on how to use this kit, be it for one's own use or for others, and how to properly leverage on it to improve one's sense of smell. A detailed explanation for each aroma also gives valuable insight into what may be the cause of such aromas as well as what people usually refer such aromas to. The book also ends with a guide on how to properly nose whiskies, making it very much a one stop kit for most whisky appreciation needs. The kit also comes with a small record sheet to record one’s own notes for whiskies tasted based on the 24 aromas in the kit.

Of course this is far from the only way to train one’s nose to recognise aromas, but when it comes to a kit that is designed for this sole purpose, this is a really valuable and well thought out resource. Be it for your own personal enjoyment or for trainings for staff or just a bit of fun with your mates, SGwhisky does feel this Nosing Kit is a pretty handy aroma tool! So if you want to start your personal journey or kick start someone else’s journey towards whisky appreciation, why not give this a shot? You might find yourself being a whisky aroma expert in no time!

Found At: The Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit can be purchased from Stewart’s Whisky Consultancy at $250 a kit. For more details contact Stewart’s Whisky at enquiries@stewartswhisky.com. 

Time to Get Up on Facebook!

Dear readers,

First of all, thank you so much for reading SGwhisky. I must say that it has been really great seeing that more and more people starting to view this humble site, and I hope you all have found the information useful!

Now, I'd like to call upon all of you to help SGwhisky in its push for its very own Facebook page!

According to Facebook, each page needs at least 25 likes to qualify for its own username so if you like what you see, please do like the Facebook page, which will be the location for updates on new blog posts, any new pieces of interesting information, and loads of other whisky related news!

The url to the FB page is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SGwhisky/165638356833802

Alternatively, one can like the page using the Like On Facebook section on the right side bar of the blog.

Am looking forward to spreading the good word of Singapore's Whisky scene on the gigantic social network that is Facebook!

Cheers!

Shackleton's Whisky: Liquid History

Name: Mackinlay's Rare and Old Highland Malt Whisky (Shackleton's Whisky)

(Re)created by: Whyte & Mackay's Master Blender Richard Paterson

Type: Blended Malt

Age Statement: Nil

Alc/Vol: 47.3%

It's not everyday that a story as rich as the Shackleton's Whisky comes around in the whisky world. To be honest, one can say that the story itself is as much the reason to try it as the whisky itself! Two weeks ago, The Auld Alliance was proud to receive stock of Whyte & Mackay's special recreation of Mackinlay's Rare and Old Highland Malt Whisky, which was recovered from the South Pole and brought back to Scotland for the purpose of re-creating the whisky that was drunk more than a century ago.

The story of this special Mackinlay's whisky starts with this man: 

Credit: clichegt.blogspot.com

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was one of leading figures in what history terms the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration'. An Anglo-Irish by descent, he was part of several expeditions that aimed at reaching the geographical South Pole of the globe. One of his most famous expeditions was the 1907 Nimrod Expedition where he and three companions established a then record by getting within 190km from the geographical South Pole. It was also during this famous expedition that our Shackleton's Whisky comes in. Well aware of the need for anything that will keep them warm in the frigid temperatures of the Antarctic, Shackleton brought quite a bit of liquor there, including a few crates of the Mackinlay's Old and Rare Whisky. When the expedition left the South Pole a few years later, these crates were left behind in the hut that the members of the expedition stayed in during their time there.

Fast forward to the present and in 2010, researchers at the South Pole managed to uncover these crates of whisky. More impressively though, these whiskies were still intact, with liquid heard sloshing around, always a good sign! The Antarctic Heritage Trust, who manages these invaluable pieces of heritage in the South Pole, allowed for the whisky to leave its Antarctic home and be brought up to Scotland where Richard Paterson of Whyte & Mackay (who now owns the Mackinlay brand) set about the painstaking task of re-creating this piece of liquid history. In 2011, Whyte & Mackay were proud to announce that they had successfully re-created the whisky, affectionately called Shackleton's Whisky, and it would be produced for the mass market!

And there you have it, a whisky over 100 years in the making, and it has finally made its way from Scotland to the South Pole, back to Scotland, and now to Sunny Singapore, where its re-creation is available for all to see and, of course, taste! So let's go on and taste this beauty!

Nose: Teasingly rich and salty. Notes of rich sea salt and that sweet saltiness that comes from egg yolks in a mooncake! Notes of barley and cream with the softest note of smoke. Great nose! (24)

Taste: Creamy, salty and sweet with a lovely ashy smokiness at the back. Strong maltiness with the sweet flavour of the egg yolk in lotus paste coming forward again! Light hints of honey and smoky sweetness as well (22)

Finish: Dry and slightly woody with the ashy feel again. Slight notes of fruit (21)

Overall: A great nose with an interesting flavour. It is great to try just to know what whisky tasted like all those years ago. In many ways, this is a must try simply for the curiosity and novelty value, but the fact that it is a decent whisky by any standards says something! (22) 89/100

Found At: The Auld Alliance 

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): Tasting Two BenRiachs

Whisky of the Month (June 2011): BenRiach


The BenRiach 16YO and BenRiach Curiositas


For the first installment of the Whisky of the Month tasting series for June, SGwhisky would like to highlight two 'standard' expressions from BenRiach (though as the introductory post on BenRiach might suggest, when it comes to BenRiach, there is nothing really 'standard' about them seeing as to how innovation is one of the buzzwords for them). Nonethless, it would make sense that the first two would be standard, non-finished whiskies that showcase the 'house style' of BenRiach. So here's presenting to you a peated and unpeated expression of BenRiach, The BenRiach Curiositas 10YO and the BenRiach 16YO.

Name: BenRiach Curiositas 10YO
Distillery: BenRiach
Region: Speyside
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 10YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


The 10YO Curiositas is the peated version of BenRiach's malt that I can only guess is the base that goes into their peated wood finishes. It's a great way to find out more about what BenRiach's peated whiskies taste like without any additional influences of wood.


Nose: The nose is fairly simple with notes of saltiness and some peat, with some citrus and a touch of red fruit, and a little bit of ginger orange (21)


Taste/Palate: Malty and sweet entry before the peat kicks in with a sweet smokiness. Oakiness then comes in with a slight honied note, with a little bit of sweet citrus (20)


Finish: Rich and malty with notes of fruit (21)


Overall: Simple and clean, but nothing really exciting. The 46% strength does add a bit of a strength to it that plays to its advantage (21) 82/100

Name: BenRiach 16YO

Distillery: BenRiach

Region: Speyside

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 16YO

Alc/Vol: 46%

The slightly older version of the BenRiach standard bottlings offer a bit more complexity and depth than the 12YO. It is also another great way to see how the BenRiach single malt tastes like in its pure, unaltered self!

Nose: Rich in malt, spicey and honey with a note of citrs and a hint of sweet smoke. Rich and vibrant! (22)


Taste/Palate: Rich honey and malt again come in with a clean cinnamon spice note and liquorice. The oakiness comes in at the end (21)


Finish: Oaky with notes of liquorice continuing on with some light fruit (20)


Overall: The extra years in the barrels have afforded the whisky an added complexity, but it seems the wood finishes are starting to become the star of the show for BenRiach. Stay tuned to SGwhisky to see reviews on these wood finishes! (21) 84/100


Whiskies available at: Drinks Fellas, La Maison Du Whisky, Quaich Bar, Auld Alliance, Basement 28 (for the 10YO Curiositas)

Whisky Cocktails: The Manhattan by Tron Young

Cocktail: The Manhattan
Bartender: Tron Young
Bar: Fine Spirits @ La Maison Du Whisky


As a continuation of this new series, Whisky Cocktails, SGwhisky is proud to present another classic cocktail made by the bartender of one of Singapore's newest Whisky bars: The Manhattan by Tron Young. As mentioned, Tron helms the bar at Fine Spirits @ La Maison Du Whisky, and his whisky cocktails are a mainstay in the bar.

Ingredients:
45ml Rye Whisky (Rittenhouse Rye in this case)
2 Drops Angostura Bitters
A Dash of Sweet Vermouth
1 Strip Orange Zest

How to Make:
Place bitters into tumbler with ice
Add sweet vermouth
Add Rye
Stir till chilled
Strain and pour in Martini Glass
Coat rim with Orange zest
Place orange zest into glass and serve

Credit: La Maison Du Whisky

SGwhisky also caught up with Tron after trying the cocktail, and asked him a few questions:

What is your personal favourite cocktail?

I do not have a favourite as drinking is all about one's mood, and that is bound to change. 

What is your favourite whisky?

I have about twenty! But I prefer American whiskies because they are sweeter.

What other whisky cocktails do you have at the bar?

We have the Rusty Nail, Whisky Sours, the Old-Fashioned and the Rob Royce.

What do you feel is the most important skill a bartender must have?

A bartender must be able to drink alcohol. If you don't drink you won't be able to know what a drink should taste like.

Fine Spirits at La Maison Du Whisky opened this year, and is a composite bar and retail outlet. Besides the whisky cocktails, Fine Spirits has an interesting weekly event on Mondays called Cocktail Monday. Bring any ingredient of your choice and have the bartender make a cocktail for you at $15!