Singapore Whisky Monthly: August 2011

Singapore Whisky Monthly: August 2011

August is always a special month for Singapore as we celebrate our National Day on the 9th of August. This year, SGwhisky will commemorate the first National Day since its inception with a few interesting segments and events that celebrate our small but proud nation!

National Day Events/Segments

The Majulah Sessions @ B28


In conjunction with National Day, Jazz and Whisky Bar B28 will be playing host to Jeremy Monteiro and his Trio of homegrown talent in sessions called The Majulah Sessions. The sessions are held at 9:30pm every Thursday night. For those who love Jazz and want to kick back and enjoy some homegrown talent throughout the month, these sessions are for you. Entry costs $25/pax, and seating is limited so contact owner Mike Soldner at mikesoldner@me.com for more details.

1965 Craze!

For those familiar with the history of Singapore, you would know that we gained independence in 1965. With National Day round the corner (and our country getting older!) SGwhisky and The Auld Alliance will both be looking at some great whiskies from 1965. The Singapore Whisky Club will be having an exclusive tasting of 4 whiskies from 1965, including the Tullibardine Birth of a Lion expression! Those who want a dram of these great whiskies can stop by the bar anytime to try them, but be warned, you pay for the quality so don't expect them to come too cheap!

As for SGwhisky, we will be looking at 1965 Vintages in our National Day month special. SGwhisky will highlight a few 1965 expressions available in Singapore, and tell you where to get them!


New Whiskies

As always with SGwhisky, we will also be looking at new whiskies from all over Singapore that have been brought in by the local bars and retailers. Fine Spirits at La Maison Du Whisky have brought in a few interesting drams, including a 1965 Strathisla which will find itself into the 1965 Vintages for sure, and The Auld Alliance has some extremely great whiskies from The Whisky Agency. Stay tuned as SGwhisky brings you more interesting whiskies to be found here in Singapore!

Whisky of the Month August 2011: Bunnahabhain

For the Whisky of the Month for August 2011, SGwhisky will be proud to highlight the Gentle Spirit of Islay, Bunnahabhain. The lesser peated sister of the powerful Islay whiskies, Bunnahabhain has recently done a rebranding, with all their OBs bottled at a higher percentage. SGwhisky will take an interesting look into how these whiskies have turned out!

Changes Abound in SGwhisky

Last but not least, SGwhisky will be going through a major facelift this August, as we aim to make the site The site to visit for Whisky in Singapore. The new site is in its construction phase now, and it will be far more easy to navigate and much more professional (we hope!). So stay tuned!

Whisky of the Month (July 2011): Glenfarclas 15 & An Independent Glenfarclas

And so here we are at the end of another month of heavy dramming and happy blogging. This month's whisky of the month segment has been a bit lacking in structure, but we've got there in the end, and to sum end off the whisky of the month segment for July 2011, SGwhisky would like to highlight two great little drams from Glenfarclas, one being their entry level 15YO and the other being an independent bottling!

Glenfarclas has always consistently produced great whisky, and it is no surprise that regardless if you go for an entry level expression or a big old monster, more often than not you will get something good. So let's end off this July segment of whisky of the month with a really interesting pair.

Name: Glenfarclas 15YO
Distillery: Glenfarclas (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 15YO
Alc/Vol: 46%


Although Glenfarclas does have a 12YO expression, the 15YO seems to be the entry level expression of choice for most Glenfarclas retailers here. Having said that, it is not even considered an entry level malt by some, with many swearing by it. It is a highly drinkable expression, and one worth having a try of!

Nose: Fruity, winey and oaky notes on the nose with notes of grapes, ripe plums and blackcurrent pastilles. The woody notes are of dry and clean smelling wood (no varnish). Slightly nuttiness (22)


Taste/Palate: Sweet and spicy entry with honey, malty, cinnamon and muted pepper. The mid palate is buttery and creamy with notes of dark coffee, cocoa and some light cream cheese (22)


Finish: Slightly salty and quite nutty. Some burnt nut notes and an interesting burnt butter note (21)


Overall: A real understated dram. Refined and good stuff, pity it is quite pricey! (21) 86/100


Found at: Duty Free Singapore, Auld Alliance, La Maison Du Whisky, Connoisseur Emporium, Quaich Bar, Connoisseur Divan, Drinks Fellas

The Glenfarclas 40YO Official bottling by the distillery blew me away when I drank it. Even though I may have succumbed to that bit of grade inflation, it is still an amazing dram all round. Let's see how this independent bottling measures up.

Just an interesting side note though: Glenfarclas is one of the few distilleries that jealously guard their brand name when it comes to independent bottlings. This means that the name Glenfarclas cannot be printed on the labels of independent expressions of their whisky. As such, you can spot Glenfarclas whiskies under interesting names alluding to a 'Great Speyside Distillery'. In the case of this Douglas Laing expression, it is named 'Probably Speyside's Finest Distillery'. Don't mix it up with Speyside Distillery, which is a new distillery in, unsurprisingly, the Speyside region.

Name: Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask 41YO
Distllery: Unnamed (Probably Speyside's Finest Distillery: That's Glenfarclas!)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 41YO
Cask No: Ref 4191
Vintage: 1966 (326 Bottles)
Alc/Vol: 50%


Nose: Chocolate and winey, notes of red berries, cherries (fresh and preserved), citrus, banana, notes of leather and red apples as well (22)


Taste/Palate: Extremely rich and flavourful palate with notes of coffee and vanilla being the main flavours. Notes of mocha and latte, dark molasses sugar and cinnamon. Extremely pleasant (22)


Finish: Burnt coffee beans, dark sweet floral coffee (Nespresso's Onirio special edition comes to mind), cocoa and brown sugar. Superb finish that is complex, long and satisfying (23)


Overall: Brilliant stuff but it does not seem to hit the lofty heights of the 40YO in my opinion. (22) 89/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance.

So with that, SGwhisky concludes its coverage on Glenfarclas! Many thanks to everyone who has helped SGwhisky with the coverage this month. Stay tuned next month as we bring you our Whisky of the Month: August 2011, Bunnahabhain! 

The Three Silver Seal Whiskies + 1 More!

L-R: Macallan 22, Highland Park 18, Ardbeg 18

A few days back SGwhisky wrote on the interesting new Independent bottler making waves in the Singapore scene (resonating from The Auld Alliance no less), Silver Seal. The independent bottler has been garnering acclaim from the whisky world, and from the regular patrons of The Auld Alliance. But as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is always in the eating. That phrase is chronically overused in this blog, but the fact of the matter is I truly believe in it, that's why I repeat it till it gets really old.

But I digress, today is about the whiskies that were tasted at the Silver Seal tasting last week. There were 4 altogether, but as the last one was a Rum, it will be better to focus on the 3 whiskies that were tried. So without further ado, here are the 3 whiskies in the order that was tasted.

Name: Silver Seal 'Sestante Collection' Ardbeg 1991
Distillery: Ardbeg (Islay)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 18YO
Vintage: 1991
Bottler: Silver Seal
Alc/Vol: 50%


Ardbeg is considered by Max (Silver Seal's owner) as an elite malt. Sadly, due to the immense popularity of Ardbeg in recent years, they are now jealously but totally understandably guarding their best casks. This works against the independent bottlers who have lesser quality casks to choose from. This Ardbeg seems lightly peated, and is quite an interesting malt.

Nose: Loads of lemon, grass and antiseptic. Salted anchovies, and the slightest hint of peat that comes out a bit more with some water. An interesting Ardbeg (21)

Taste/Palate: Very salty but yet clean, like high quality potato chips with sea salt, along with an ashy smokiness. These then give way to some fruity notes of Blood orange, cherries and sweet lemon drops. The flavors then give way to a very mineral-ly finish, like drinking mineral water (almost metallic) (21)

Finish: Very mineral-ly again, with a slight saltiness and notes of lemon drops. (20)

Overall: This might be one of the casks Ardbeg selected for lower peating levels as it tastes lightly peated. The mineral taste is interesting, but I found it a bit intrusive. Overall a drinkable dram though (21) 83/100




Name: Silver Seal Highland Park 18YO (bottled to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Silver Seal)
Distillery: Highland Park (Islands)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 18YO
Vintage: 1992
Alc/Vol: 53.1%


Arguably my dram of the day, the Highland Park 18 is a truly unique whisky, extremely aromatic, beautifully complex on the nose and palate, it is a great Highland Park.


Nose: A real beautiful Highland Park nose. Fruity (red fruits), heather honey, unique aromatic peat of Highland park. Lavender, stewed fruits, even some banana. Beautiful (23) 

Taste/Palate: Amazingly complex. First notes of burnt sugar, kiwi, banana, lemon drops, orange sweets. Then the malt, heather honey, rich peat and lavender come in. Notes of honeycomb cake as well, and a touch of nuttiness and peanut butter. The only weakness is that it all comes too close together so its hard to make out all the flavours, but that is just nit-picking (24)


Finish: Lavender, honey, green banana and even some aldehydes in the form of leather. Trails off a bit quickly though. (21)


Overall: Despite the slightly disappointing ending, this is a truly unique and beautiful whisky. Definitely one for the big occasion. It costs quite a bit more than the standard HP 18 bottling, but it is definitely one worth trying! (23) 91/100




Name: Silver Seal Macallan 22YO 
Distillery: Macallan (Speyside)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 22YO
Vintage: 1988
Alc/Vol: 56.7%


This Macallan was given a very good 90/100 from Serge Valentin, and according to Max, a recent re-taste has led to a conclusion that some time in the bottle has made it even better. This could be the closest approximation to the 'old styled' Macallans the whisky lovers of the world rave about.

Nose: Absolutely brilliant and complex. Icing sugar, cocoa, candied orange, fresh bananas, banana cream, banana skittles, ripe papaya, honeydew, toffee, red apples, Chinese fragrant pears. This is one amazing nose. One of the few that deserve the accolade of 'Nearly flawless' in my book (25)


Taste/Palate: Vanillia cream, sweet milk chocolate (the rich Valronha sort), chocolate lava cake, green banana, sweet cream ice cream, banana chips? Interesting (22)


Finish: Icing sugar is the main note in an otherwise slightly short ending, quite disappointing actually (21)


Overall: A brilliant nose but the flavours don't seem to keep up sadly. This affects its overall balance too... (21) 89/100

And to round it off, let's have a look at one last Silver Seal Bottling, a very interesting Longmorn 22!

Name: Silver Seal Longmorn 22YO
Distillery: Longmorn (Speyside)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 22YO
Vintage: 1988
Bottle No: 116/315
Alc/Vol: 53%


A Bourbon matured Longmorn (quite different from the classically Sherried Longmorns), this is a real interesting dram.

Nose: Creamy and fruity. Banana cream (again!), icing sugar and pears. Sweet, and pleasant! (22)


Taste/Palate: Rich, sweet, but has a strong bitterness to it. Notes of sweet cream ice cream, ripe rock melons and even some ginseng (21)


Finish: More rock melon, and some sweetened milk (21)


Overall: Interesting, a great drinking dram in general, and not too complex (22) 86/100


All Whiskies Found At: The Auld Alliance

Three Tobermorys and The Most Peated Whisky

Tobermory distillery is the only distillery on the Isle of Mull, a nice little island of West of Mainland Scotland. It is also one of the distilleries that can proudly claim to be founded in the 18th century, 1798 to be exact. Interestingly, Tobermory distillery also produces a heavier, peated version of their whisky under the name Ledaig, making it one of the distilleries that boasts more than one whisky name under their belt.

But that's the little background of the distillery, how is Tobermory here in Singapore? It is distributed by Planet Spirits, and is found at the Quaich Bar and The Auld Alliance. The expressions are pretty straightforward, a 10YO, 15YO and the 32YO. Last month, Quaich had Tobermory as its whisky of the month, and SGwhisky decided it was a great time to go down and give these whiskies a shot. So here's introducing Tobermory distillery's whiskies!

Name: Tobermory 10YO

Distillery: Tobermory (Island)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 10YO

Alc/Vol: 46.3%

The entry level expression of the Tobermory range is the 10YO, which recently got a facelift and was bottled at a higher alcoholic percentage. It was a light and easy to drink whisky, but it was too light for my own liking

Nose: Very salty and creamy, almost like pure peanut butter. Slightly grassy. (20)

Taste/Palate: Quite bland, a touch of sweetness and saltiness but overall slightly more sweet. (19)

Finish: Like fruit and rose water are the more prominent notes, but overall the finish is quite flat as well (18)

Overall: The nose was interesting and promising but the taste and the finish are frankly a bit too weak and simple. (19) 76/100

Found at: Quaich Bar

Name: Tobermory 15YO

Distillery: Tobermory (Islands)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 15YO

Alc/Vol: 46.3%

Nose: A richer and more alluring saltiness with notes of red fruit and the slightest hint of sweet citrus. Very nice and pleasant (23)

Taste/Palate: Slight smokiness playing with a real rich salty sweetness at first. Carries on with a dryness of the oak. Fades a bit too quickly though (20)

Finish: Winey finish with notes of green grapes and white fruit (pear?) (20)

Overall: Much better than the 10YO but still seems to offer much more on the nose than it delivers. Nicely balanced though (21) 84/100

Found at: Quaich Bar

Name: Tobermory 32YO

Distillery: Tobermory (Islands)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 32YO

Vintage: 1972 (Bottled 2005)

Bottle No: 147/902

Alc/Vol: 50.1%

Nose: Ooohh.... peanut butter and chocolate milkshake (notes of cream, salt and rich chocolate). Raisins and brandied fruits show a real sweet sherry influence, all combining for a really beautiful nose! (24)

Taste/Palate: Salty sweet entry like the 10 and 15YO, but far more complex this time. The sweetness is reminiscent of juicy plums, licorice and sugar cane. The sweetness carries on with a light touch of pepper and anise (23)

Finish: Rich berries bring up a pure, light fruity and formal end that is very long and lingering. Extremely pleasant as well! (23)

Overall: This was definitely the stand out of the three drams, and for good reason. A beautiful all-rounder (23) 93/100

Found at: Quaich Bar, The Auld Alliance

How about this Most Peated Whisky?  You might ask.... well, to add a nice little extra to this piece, here is SGwhisky's take on the world's most peated whisky, The Octomore Orpheus.

The brainchild of Bruichladdich Master Blender Jim McEwan, the Octomore Orpheus is touted as the world's most peated whisky. The unit of measurement of the smoke (the phenols in the smoke to be exact) that is used to dry the barley and give it that smoky flavour is measured by Parts Per Million, and it is the concentration of the phenols that Bruichladdich has tried to push the boundaries of. This expression of the Octomore had a peat level of 140ppm, which at that time was the highest in any whisky (the third edition of the Octomore has since superseded this version, reaching 152ppm). Just to give everyone a sense of perspective, Ardbeg's classic 10YO whisky has a peat level of around 24ppm, and Lagavulin's peat level is believed to be around 50ppm. This makes this Octomore a behemoth in terms of peat levels. But that's not all, the Octomore is also finished in Chateau Petrus casks and bottled at a ridiculous strength of 61%. This makes it highly peated, winey and very strong on paper.

So for you peat freaks out there SGwhisky presents the Octomore Orpheus 02.2!

Name: Octomore Orpheus 02.2 (Finished in Chateau Petrus casks)

Distillery: Bruichladdich (Islay)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 5YO

Alc/Vol: 61%

Nose: Strong fruity and winey notes with a sweet ham smoke. An interesting aroma of stale fish though. After a while it develops some notes of citrus and unripe fruit (20)

Taste/Palate: Sweet, very very sweet. Syrup and some preserved fish. Powerful and rich but not very complex (21)

Finish: The sweetness transforms to reveal a richer note of Chinese dark sweet sauce (the ones used in Fried Carrot Cake) and a note of soya sauce. Sweet ashy smoke. Interesting (23)

Overall: The whisky itself is pretty one dimensional, but it is good for what it promises to be delivering. I personally enjoyed the interesting finish (21) 85/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance

Coming up soon.... The Silver Seal Tasting Notes!

Whisky of The Month: The Glenfarclas 30YO

Name: Glenfarclas 30YO
Distillery: Glenfarclas (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 30YO
Alc/Vol: 43%


My apologies one and all for the difficulties for this month's Whisky of the Month so far. It's already down to the last week of the month of July, so SGwhisky will try its utmost to get the remaining few Glenfarclas expressions out for one and all to see and appreciate! We started off the coverage for Glenfarclas with the  Glenfarclas 175, which was an interesting dram. Now we head into the Glenfarclas core range, and sample a nice oldie which is well regarded, the Glenfarclas 30!


Nose: Woah! What a nose! Creamy and reach with notes of espresso with loads of sugar. Raisins, fruit cake, coffee stained sugar, rum and raisin Ice Cream. This is a real classic Glenfarclas quality nose. (24)


Taste/Palate: Mouth coating with notes of coffee, burnt nuts and rich forest fruits (22)


Finish: Slight bitterness with a lovely dry and oaky feel. Fruity sweetness continues as well (22)


Overall: Great stuff but it falls short of the brilliance the 40YO portrays (22) 90/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance, Connoisseur Emporium, Connoisseur Divan, La Maison Du Whisky, Quaich Bar

Introducing Independent Bottler Silver Seal

Independent bottlers have always been a bit of an enigma to many. I recall my own first encounter with an Independent Bottling. It was in the U.K. and a friend had just made a trip to Edinburgh, returning with a bottle by Adelphi. I remember enjoying the bottle, but not knowing which distillery Adelphi was!

Much has changed since then, but the fact remains Independent bottlers, through no fault of their own, have a tendency to confuse. So in this exclusive piece on Italian bottler Silver Seal, SGwhisky looks closer into the world of Independent bottlers, and hopefully help everyone understand them that bit more!

Simply put, Independent bottlers are companies who buy whiskies by the casks from distilleries themselves or from brokers/traders who acquire casks from the distilleries and act as an intermediary between the two. Some independent bottlers in Scotland have the luxury of taking these casks and aging them in their own warehouses (like Gordon & Macphail), but for those who are based out of Scotland, the casks acquired stay with the distillery (or definitely within Scotland) till the time is right to bottle. Once the time is right (decided by the independent bottlers themselves), the whisky is bottled and sold. It is as simple as that, though there are smaller rules here and there.

So it is with this background that SGwhisky proudly introduces Silver Seal, an independent bottler of whiskies since its inception in 1979 (then under the name Sestante). Being based in Italy, it is one of the bottlers that has to leave their casks in Scotland and send their own bottles and labels over to Scotland for bottling (only whiskies matured and bottled in Scotland can be called Scotch by law). A premier bottler of whiskies who prides itself in the picking of only the best casks of whisky, Silver Seal has slowly gained a devoted following in The Auld Alliance, where it is exclusively available via the bar's owner, Emmanuel Dron, who is the agent of Silver Seal in Singapore.

Massimo Righi (L) with Auld Alliance Owner Emmanuel Dron

(Credits Emmanuel Dron)

On 21st July, SGwhisky was invited to The Auld Alliance by Emmanuel for an exclusive Silver Seal Tasting hosted by Massimo Righi, the owner of Silver Seal. The tasting included a sampling of 3 whiskies and a rum (the review of the whiskies will come in a later post!) by Silver Seal and Massimo himself was on hand to lead the discussions and give his unique insight into independent bottlers. After a great tasting, SGwhisky sat down with Massimo to discuss Silver Seal, Independent Bottlers and the Singapore market.
So without further ado, SGwhisky presents to everyone an exclusive interview with Massimo Righi

SGwhisky presents: An Interview with Massimo Righi

Don't let the laid back demeanor of Massimo Righi, or Max as he likes to be called, fool you. Once you get him started on Whisky, this Italian is as passionate as they come. As soon as I asked my first question, Max is off with anecdotes and about a day in his life as head of Silver Seal. Max took over the reins of the company from the current owners, one of whom still stays on as a consultant. Today, Silver Seal has established itself as a premium independent bottler, found only in Michelin Star restaurants in Italy, and growing a huge following in the mature markets like Japan. But that doesn't detract from the task at hand, and that is to find the best casks of whisky to keep the good name of Silver Seal going.

Max shares that the life of an independent bottler is far from easy. As the owner, he oversees the purchasing of the cask, and often visits the distillers and traders in Scotland to sample casks. He usually tries each sample three times a day, once in the morning when the palate is freshest, once after lunch and once after dinner. The main reason for trying after meals is to see how the flavours are affected by various types of food. Max then compares notes with the previous owner of Silver Seal, and they will only purchase the cask if they are in agreement on the quality of the casks. So far, they have only differed in opinion once.

One astute member at the tasting quipped that one should not complain if his job is to try whiskies, but the truth is such a dedication to a craft is the hallmark of a passionate man. The fact that Max only selects an average of 1% of the casks he samples says something about the stringent policies in place at Silver Seal and an unquestionable dedication to quality.

So what does make this man tick? SGwhisky asked him a few questions about Silver Seal and himself!

What is the history of Silver Seal?
Silver Seal was founded in 1979 under the name Sestante by two gentlemen. Today I am the owner and one of the founders is a consultant with me. In 2001, we renamed our brand Silver Seal, but we have retained the name Sestante for some of our products as a special collection, mainly because the name Sestante is still very prestigious.

So what exactly is the difference between Silver Seal and Sestante?
Silver Seal is the new name of the company, and Sestante is the old one. As mentioned, we keep the old name as it is a popular brand name. We also have some expressions that have fantasy names like Pluscarden Valley, and these are for whiskies from distilleries that we cannot name.
We at Silver Seal take pride in our labeling and bottling. It is 10-12 Euros more expensive, but there is a quality look to the bottles. For us Italians, the look is really important, so we invest not only in quality whisky, but in quality bottling and labeling too.

What does Silver Seal firmly believe in as a company?
We believe in finding and choosing only the best casks. We only pick 1% of the whiskies we try. We also believe in understanding the whisky brand well, and finding hidden distilleries that people don't know about.

What do you feel about the Singapore Market?
All Asian markets are emerging and are important for whisky brands, except Japan which is a mature market. It is important for Asians to know the philosophy behind independent bottlers and Single Cask whiskies bottled at full proof.
Singapore is especially important as the Standard of Living here is high, and the people appreciate the good things in life, and that includes good whisky.

What do you hope will be Silver Seal's positioning in Singapore's whisky market?
Silver Seal is a top brand for independent bottles, just like Douglas Laing and Samaroli. Our production is low, with about 10,000-20,000 bottles a year, so we focus on only the best whiskies. In Singapore, we want to position ourselves as a new but high-end bottler, meant for people looking for the best. In Italy we provide whiskies to only the best restaurants, and we too want to focus on people looking for the best here in Singapore.

What is your favorite whisky?
Whisky is all about your own mood and liking. What you like to drink changes with your mood just like music. With food, some whiskies go with some types of food, like Islay Malts go with fish. So it really is up to your own liking. The important thing is that the whisky must be of good quality.


Silver Seal whiskies are available exclusively at The Auld Alliance and its agent, Emmanuel Dron. For enquiries please contact Emmanuel at emmanuel@theauldalliance.sg.

SGwhisky would like to thank Emmanuel Dron, The Auld Alliance and Massimo Righi for the invitation to the tasting, and for taking time off to talk about whisky to us!

Where to Drink: Fabrika

The Need to Knows:

Name: Fabrika (By Chivas 18)

Address: Level 17, klapsons The Boutique Hotel, 15 Hoe Chiang Road S(089316)

Opening Hours: 5pm-12am (Mon-Thu), 5pm-1am (Fri), 8pm-1am (Sat)

Tel: 6521-9029

Email: ask@fabrika.com.sg

Website: www.fabrika.com.sg

It has really been a while since SGwhisky has highlighted a hangout for its viewers in Singapore. This time, we have something slightly different but no less interesting. After having found some of the best whisky haunts in Singapore, SGwhisky is proud to present a bar sponsored by a whisky brand, Fabrika by Chivas 18.

On the 17th floor of the extremely intriguing klapson's The Boutique Hotel lies Fabrika, a bar that has marketed itself as an Urban Oasis since its opening in August 2010. The bar itself is an interesting collaboration between the hotel and Chivas Regal, whose 18YO blend lends a real hand to the bar's cocktail and food menu. It is quite clear to see that the big boys in the Whisky industry are starting to move up the ladder and associate themselves with up-market bars as the industry grows rapidly in Singapore.

Due to its proximity to the Central Business District, one might think that the clientele is more corporate, but Fabrika is fast becoming one of the places to go to for a tipple in Singapore, and for good reason. One has to go through a slightly unattractive fireman's lift to get to the bar, but once one gets there, one is in for a treat.

A Chivas 18 Bottle designed by Christian Lacroix

lends its beauty to the decorations

In terms of decoration and layout, the bar itself is a testament to great design and ingenious use of space, with a very relaxing and almost 'beach-like' theme to the whole bar, and the bar itself being located in an empty landing between two sections of a building. Being on the 17th floor also affords Fabrika with a nice view of the nearby Port and CBD at night, and it is also very windy, an almost imperative quality in hot and humid Singapore.

In terms of what the bar has to offer, it has a healthy range of liquors, beers, wines and champagnes. It is also no surprise that Chivas Regal is one of the primary whiskies available at the bar, with the 12, 15, 21 and 25YO all available by the glass or the bottle. For those looking for a good single malt though, the bar's selection is limited to Glenlivet and Glenfarclas 15, so this isn't the place for those looking for a strong selection of whiskies. It is the cocktails, however, that take centre-stage.

But for those of you who like cocktails, Fabrika's definitely one place worth visiting. Here at SGwhisky, we believe cocktails, if made properly, have the ability to accentuate flavours of liquors (even whisky), and can be a great introduction to the world of whisky. Following that line of argument, Fabrika's whisky-based cocktails are definitely worth a try. If one could sum up their cocktail philosophy in a word, it would definitely be innovative. Not content with creating new whiskies, Fabrika have sought to re-invent the wheel, but in a good way! Let's have a closer look at their cocktails:

The Chivas Passion

The whisky cocktail range at Fabrika is also not surprisingly centered on the Chivas 18, with a set of 4 signature cocktails helming the bar's main cocktail menu. We tried 2 of the 4 cocktails, the first was The Chivas Passion ($20), a refreshing cocktail with Chivas 18, Passionfruit syrup and Fresh Lemon. This was light and definitely refreshing, but it did lack a bit of the kick I was hoping for. 

The kick that I had hoped for, however, was to be found in the Black Infinity ($20), a far more powerful cocktail with Chivas 18, Kahlua, Apple Syrup and Ginger Ale. Despite what seems like a very strong flavour combination, this cocktail was arguably one of the most complex and layered whisky cocktails I have ever tried. The apple sweetness hits first, before the clean flavors of the whisky before the coffee note comes in towards the end. The refreshing ginger ale rounds off the edges of the alcohol, making it one great cocktail! Kudos to the bar staff who invented this one!

The Berritini 

Moving away from whisky-based cocktails, Fabrika's cocktail list consists of 3 more different types of cocktails, one of the most 'fresh' being their FFF range of cocktails, which use fresh fruits as a main ingredient for their cocktails. The Berritini ($28) is a prime example of the philosophy behind these cocktails. Using fresh berries, Cognac, Cointreau and Vodka, this Martini is refreshing and definitely one that is made up of real fruits, and not stuff out of a can or concentrate. This freshness naturally translates to the cocktail, which has a really pleasant and natural feel to it.

The Bellini Luxury

Fruity Bubbles is the second of the three other cocktail ranges, and it also leverages on fresh fruits, but the main alcoholic ingredient in these cocktails is Champagne. Light and refreshing, they are slightly more for those who do not want the strong alcoholic kick in the cocktails. All the cocktails in the Fruity Bubbles range are $28.

The Cosmopolitan (reinvented!)

But the most intriguing range of cocktails would most definitely have to be the Ice Sphere range. Freezing the non-alcoholic liquids into little spheres, and then serving it with a shot of the alcoholic ingredients (which you pour over the spheres and enjoy as they slowly melt), this is a testament to the reinvention that goes on at Fabrika. The Cosmopolitan ($22) was really interesting and the whole spectacle itself was interesting as well. Flashy? Of course, but hey, if it's good and it's flashy, I really don't have anything to say!

But this blog is all about whisky, and to wrap up this little piece of Fabrika, we return to our whisky roots and have a look at Fabrika's interesting food menu. Yes, you got that right, there is whisky in their food!

To supplement its drinks menu, Fabrika has come up with a wee list of bites that have some real quality to it. The Rooftop Basket ($25) is a nice basket of deep fried bites, but for those who want some booze in their bites, look no further than their whisky infused items. First up is their Chivas Infused Beef Skewers ($25). Marinated with Chivas 18, these skewers have a great sweetness associated with whisky to them, and are a convenient way to kill those hunger pangs.

However, if you are willing to get your hands dirty, give the Chivas Infused Pork Ribs ($28) a try. With a sauce containing Chivas 18, the influences of the whisky are far more pronounced. Mix that with a good set of Pork Ribs and that calls for a party in the mouth in my humble little opinion!

For those looking for a good deal, Fabrika also has monthly offers for its customers. For the month of July, those who love Chivas can get 40% off Chivas bottles every Thursday, and for the upcoming month of August, Chivas 18 is going for 1-for-1 @$280 a bottle everyday.  Happy hours are from 5-8pm from Monday to Friday, where it is 1-for-1 for all beers, Chivas Cocktails, Champagne Cocktails, Wines and Champagnes (by the glass) and house pour spirits. 

In essence, Fabrika is one of the places to go if one is looking for a great place to relax after a long day's work and hang out. Admittedly, it does not have the strong whisky focus that the other bars on this website have, but they have a different focus and reach out to a different crowd. The important thing is, they do it well. A clearly thought out focus and approach pays dividends in this night spot. So the next time you feel you want to give some good cocktails a whirl, drop by Fabrika and have a tipple!

SGwhisky would like to thank Belda Chen, Mabel Tay and the staff of Fabrika for their wonderful hospitality during our visit.

Great for: Cocktails, Food, Chilling Out

Whisky of the Month July 2011 (Glenfarclas): The Glenfarclas 175

A quick apology for the lack of exposure to the Whisky of the Month for the first week as Korea came calling. Now back in the comfort of Singapore, it is definitely time to give our whisky of the month, Glenfarclas, some airtime with a look at the Glenfarclas expressions available in Singapore. And where better to start than with the expression that spawned Marketing Executive Ian McWilliam's visit to Singapore, and the expression that has been bottled to celebrate Glenfarclas' 175th Anniversary, the Glenfarclas 175.


Name: Glenfarclas 175
Distillery: Glenfarclas (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: No Age Statement
Alc/Vol: 43%


The story behind the 175 is one that is highly interesting and also lends to the grandeur of the expression and the occasion it is commemorating. A vatting of casks from 6 different decades (1 cask from each decade from the 1950s-2000s), the expression speaks of a rich history of the distillery, and comes in a smartly design tube with prints of the labels used by the distillery through the years. It is a great story and a well-designed bottle, but how does the taste hold up? Let's have a look!

Nose: Notes indicative of both age and youth can be detected. Coffee, rich spices and mellow sherry. Milk chocolate, and hints of creamy young barley. Nicely balanced stuff (23)


Taste/Palate: Spicy and young with an interesting cereal note and dry cocoa before notes of red fruit come in. The young notes dominate (21)


Finish: A nice pleasant fruity finish is the main star in a slightly light ending in my opinon (21)


Overall: In general, the story behind this whisky really helps it alot. Not as emphatic as I had expected, but it is an otherwise good dram. A real collector's item though! (21) 86/100


Found at: The Connoisseur Emporium


Bottled this year to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Glenfarclas

Whisky Cocktails: The Glen-Orangie by Jake Kim

It is not everyday that one gets to sample a signature whisky cocktail from an award-winning bartender from another country, and so SGwhisky couldn't help but get the recipe for this special cocktail by Jake Kim of the Off Bar. A refreshing beverage perfect for the hot climate of Singapore, this cocktail is easy to make and is an extremely accessible cocktail. It is also a perfect way to break somebody into the world of whisky as it does accentuate some flavours of the whisky without being too overpowering. Without further ado, here's the Glen-Orangie by Jake Kim.

Ingredients:
Juice of at least 1 orange
1 wedges of orange
Ginger Ale
1 1/4 Shot Glenmorangie 10YO (Kept in freezer till very very chilled)
Ice

Instructions
Pour juice of orange into a high-ball glass
Place 1/2 wedge of orange into glass with juice
Top up with ice
Pour 1 shot of Glenmorangie 10YO
Using other 1/2 wedge of orange, juice it into glass to coat the ice and then use it to rim the glass.
Top up with Ginger Ale
Pour remaining 1/4 shot of Glenmorangie 10 on top to allow for the scent of the whisky to be apparent

(One can put as much orange juice as one wants, but remember that the more non-alcoholic liquids that are put in, the less apparent the light Glenmorangie whisky becomes)

Try this one, it's definitely fit for a summer's day!

Where to Drink (Seoul): Off Bar

Following on from SGwhisky's visit to Seoul, Korea, it is only right that the local whisky scene is checked out and given a bit of a mention. Yes this deviates a bit from SGwhisky's usual focus point, but considering how Korean culture is building an entire empire in Singapore (think K Dramas, K-Pop and Korean food), I think Korea strikes a chord in many a Singaporean. So now that we're off the beaten track, let's take a look at the 1st ever purpose-built Single Malt Whisky Bar in Seoul, Off Bar.

The I-Wanna-Knows:

Name: Off Bar

Address: 9-7 Samseong-dong, Gangnam-Gu (For address in Hangul look up CNNgo's report on the bar along with 2 others here

Tel: +82-2-516-6201

Getting There: Get off at Gangnam-Gu Station and take Exit 1. Take the road on the left of KFC till you reach the Brownstone Building (There is a Lotte there, but it is a decently big building with shops around it), turn right after the building, cross the road and walk along the side opposite the building till you reach a left turn at a smaller road, Off is in that smaller road.

Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 7pm-3am

If one thinks SGwhisky exploring Seoul's whisky scene is considered off the beaten track, Off Bar definitely will re-define that phrase. Located in an absolutely unremarkable part of town, away from the commercial district of Gang-nam and in a fairly discreet alley (I had missed it twice whilst searching for it), it is definitely not the easiest bar to find. The fact that it is also rather small doesn't help, and one wonders if this is actually by design, and that it is located in such a place in order to keep it a secret. 

Walk into the bar though, and any veil of secrecy is removed as the staff is open and friendly. A decent selection of 150 whiskies is complemented by a small selection of other liquors, nuts, fruits and homemade Nama chocolate. Limited as the number of whiskies may be, some real gems can be found in this place that one would not find in Singapore. Port Ellen's 9th and 10th Release by Diageo are available by the shot (though they cost a sobering 90,000+ won and 100,000+ won respectively) and also a selection from the SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society).

Unfortunately for Singapore, there is no SMWS chapter and hence no such whiskies here (at least to SGwhisky's knowledge), so these are definitely worth having a try. I tried a whisky from the Caperdonich distillery, and it was really good stuff! Grassy on the nose and very pleasantly nutty on the palate, it was a great dram to help me forget the trouble I had finding this place!

Helming the bar is Master Bartender Jake Kim. A passionate whisky drinker himself (Talisker being his favourite whisky), he was one of the top 10 bartenders in Korea in Diageo's World Class this year. In a drinking crazy country like Korea, that is quite a feat! 

Jake's bartending skills are not put to waste in Off, with a 'secret' menu dedicated to a few signature cocktails he has created for the bar. The whisky based cocktail is his own creation, composed of Orange juice, Ginger Ale and Frozen Glenmorangie 10YO, and is affectionately called the Glen-Orangie. The recipe for the cocktail will be placed in the 'Whisky Cocktail' segment of SGwhisky soon, but overall this was an extremely light and refreshing cocktail perfect for a hot day.

Jake's versatility is also present in the handmade chocolate available at the bar, which he himself made using whisky flavours. Glenmorangie 10 with orange peel and Yamazaki Nama chocolates are two such flavours which incorporate whisky into some pretty good chocolate. 

All in all, Off Bar is definitely a well-kept secret in Seoul, and is definitely a place run by really passionate whisky folk. The next time one finds himself in Seoul, pay it a visit, and experience some great whisky in a great atmosphere.

SGwhisky hits Korea!

Greetings to all SGwhisky readers from the land of Kimchi, Bibimbap, and K-pop! It's a short break to recharge the senses, and from a whisky perspective it is also a great time to check out the whisky scene in Korea. Whilst this blog definitely still focuses on Singapore, it's good to have a break and look away for a while. In recent years, Korean giants Lotte have taken to looking into liquors for their duty free market so a look at the Lotte Duty Free world if the chance allows for it would be a great form of insight to how the market is growing here. This year also marks the landmark agreement between Korea and the Scotch Whisky Association to phase out the 20% import tariffs on scotch (if I'm not mistaken!), so it that would lead to some interesting developments in the near future! So in many ways, there is cause to believe that whisky has a bright future in Korea!

But before we get to the Korean whisky scene, it is most definitely worth detouring for one specific Korean beverage. As they say, when in Rome, do what Romans do, so when in Korea, drink what Koreans drink!

That bottle above of course, is one of Korea's native spirits, Soju. Traditionally made using rice, other items like potatoes, wheat and barley have been used by enterprising producers to make soju as well.

But a quick history lesson first. Soju was believed to be brought in by the Mongols when they invaded Korea in the 13th century. The Mongols in turn got distilling from none other than the Persians, who are believed to be one of the earliest civilisations to discover the art of distillation. As a drink, it is usually bottled within a wide range of alcoholic percentages, though it is usually around 20%. It, of course, differs from whisky as it is a white spirit and is not matured in any way, but it is a staple beverage amongst the Korean people, who usually drink it with the BBQ beef pictured right on the top of this post.

So how does this taste? Let's see!

Name: Soju
Brand: Jinro (Can't tell the expression though!)
Alc/Vol: 19.5%


Nose: Very grassy and sweet (sugar is added as a flavouring to soju during the production process). Notes of fermented rice vinegar (though not to sour), some light citrus...

Taste/Palate: Sweet, very rice-based sweetness, some grassy notes. Interestingly fruity with notes of fruit candy, maybe lemon candy?

Finish: Lightly sweet, but a bit artificial... Interesting though!

Do the notes change with MEAT?


Now that is one thing to ponder. As this is usually eaten with the Korean Barbequed meats, does it change the flavour to match it with meat? I think it's a bit easier to drink as it is refreshing and sweet, cutting through the richness of the beef I was eating, but not significantly better.. Though I think Soju with beef is not a good way to identify notes in soju...

Overall: Of course no scores for this one! It's a bit light and quite interesting, but overall it is quite a rough white spirit. Neverthless, it's always good to have a try...

Will be back with more information on whisky here, hopefully something more substantial for everyone!

Whiskies of the World: Scotland and the Islay-gator!

It's always nice to return back to Scotland during a tour of whiskies around the world, and where better to highlight than one of the most celebrated whisky brands in the modern whisky world. It goes without saying that Ardbeg distillery has gained what can only be seen as Superstar status in recent years off the back of some stellar releases. This has spawned the start of what is known as the Ardbeg Committee and its Committee releases. Highly sought after and holding significant investment value, the Ardbeg Committee releases are one of the highlights of Ardbeg's yearly releases. This year, the Committee's release has been named the Alligator.

Its name is spawned from the level of charring in the cask before it is used to hold maturing whisky. The Charring or toasting of the inside of the cask releases flavours locked within the wood (vanillin for example is a common flavour found in wood) and the highest level of char, the Level 4 char, is called the 'Alligator' as the wood post-charring has a consistency and look that resembles the scaly hide of the Alligator. The whisky in the Ardbeg Alligator, hence, have gone through a period of maturation in these heavily charred barrels.

Now that is all to it, but the folks at Ardbeg have managed to spin a very attractive PR tale about Alligators on the Isle of Islay, as well as run a very attractive looking advertising campaign to sell the product. The Alligator also comes with a nice little mini booklet that is replete with a poem on the whisky (Biding time and scarcely seen, quiet it waits, encased in green...) and a very entertaining set of tasting notes with very oriental allusions... Personally as a Singaporean I never really had my bak choi smoked, but I can imagine what it will taste like...

I personally am a bit afraid of over-hyping, it potentially leads to disappointment, or in other cases, it becomes a case of using marketing to cover up a product's flaws. However, Ardbeg has been hitting it out of the ball park more often than not in recent years so I still had high hopes for this dram. Let's see how it goes.

Name: Ardbeg Alligator Committee Release
Distillery: Ardbeg (Islay)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: No Age Statement
Alc/Vol: 51.2%


Nose: Loads of BBQ and tomato sauce, leather, citrus and vanilla. Smells alot like the pizza base of a certain cafe in Singapore that I frequent that makes a base out of tomato paste, Hoisin and BBQ sauce. Sweet, smoky, citric all at once. Hints of some strong tea as well. Interestingly the smoke is very faint (23)


Taste/Palate: Sweet entry before a real pungent smoke hits with notes of more leather, strong black or red tea and some espresso. The smoke is sweet with slight notes of seaweed and a bit of vegetables (is this the smoked bak choi?) and some BBQ sauce and spice as well. (22)


Finish: The smokiness lingers for a long time with a nice sweetness and notes of vanilla. Interesting that the leathery notes continue on as well, but the sweet smoke dominates through the finish (22)


Overall: For a while I had this whisky at around 88/100, but its overall balance, richness and flavour shows that Ardbeg has not lost its magic. A resounding whisky that lives up to all the advertising hype! (23) 90/100


Found at: The Auld Alliance (and my place!)

Whisky of the World: One Canadian!

It's always a cause for celebration when we are able to taste a whisky from a totally different country, and today, SGwhisky is lucky to be able to try one from the northern neighbours of the USA, Canada! Though it may be a tendency to see these two territories as one and the same, that is definitely not the case. This is especially so for whisky (or as they spell it in the Americas, whiskey) as both the American and Canadian regulatory bodies for whiskey have very different sets of rules governing what a whiskey must have before it can be called whiskey. The result is interesting, some whiskeys produced in Canada in accordance with Canadian law cannot be called whiskey as they don't meet the American criterion for being called whiskey, and of course vice versa.

I would go into the details of this but as this is about the whiskey, I will try not to get too technical. The whiskey at hand this time is not a rye whiskey (which Canada is famous for), but a single malt whiskey. Before we go any further, it is good to note that Canadian whiskeys are definitely making headway in the world of whisk(e)y. Leading experts in the field like Davin De Kergommeaux wax lyrical about Canadian whiskey, and with good reason. The quality is going up, but sadly due to strict laws governing Canadian whiskey, most of the beautiful stuff don't go beyond their shores. As such, the brands that the world is exposed to are the more commercialized brands like Crown Royal and Canadian Club. Bummer actually!

So how can one pass up a chance to try a more unique Canadian whiskey. The Glen Breton Ice (the name got the distillery into trouble with the Scotch Whisky Association, but that too is another story for another day) single malt whisky is a whisky that is aged in ice-wine barriques. The age statement says 10 years, but I am inclined to believe they were finished in these barriques and not fully matured in it. Nevertheless, this interesting choice of cask means that the Glen Breton Ice 10 lays claim to be the first ever whiskey to spend time in Ice Wine barrels. So let's give it a whirl!

Name: Glen Breton Ice 10
Distillery: Glenora (Canada)
Type: Single Malt Canadian Whiskey
Age Statement: 10YO
Alc/Vol: 62.2%


Nose: (Neat) Notes of icing sugar and some faint fruits, maybe a light sweet winey note. A curious earthy note that is reminiscent of fried mushrooms. (Water) With some water the whisky becomes more fruity with notes of fruits with icing sugar on it, but the earthy note comes out stronger too (20)


Taste/Palate: (Neat) Very sweet with the ice wine having a huge say, before a strong creaminess and butteriness comes in. Very aggressive and cloying. (Water) With water notes of faint apple wood smoke appear, with a light spiciness of ginger and a little pepper. Very drying mouthfeel at the end (21)


Finish: (Neat) Somemore icing sugar, this time with the cooling sensation on the tongue (maybe it's a mint note that causes this but I'm not too sure!), Strong burn continues though (Water) More sweet notes and some fruit (21)


Overall: It's an interesting whiskey, strong and uncompromising, and does showcase the character of the ice wine. Sadly it is a bit too unbalanced and also very aggressive. The earthy notes also seem slightly out of the place to me (20) 82/100


Found at: Drinks Fellas

Speaking of which, SGwhisky will be taking a trip overseas for a few days to rest the bones and refresh the mind! We'll be visiting the East Asian country of South Korea!

During the time there, SGwhisky will be sure to visit the whisky bars there and also take a look at the Travel Retail industry in Singapore's Changi Airport and Seoul's Incheon Airport. Till then, take care and 감사합니다 (kamsahamnida)(that's thank you Korean by the way!)