Tomatin, A Pretty Good Dram Indeed (No Myths, No Legends, No Fluff. Just Tomatin)

I always love the idea of afternoon drinks, cos it makes me feel like I'm on holiday.  So needless to say I seized the opportunity to attend the Tomatin tasting at 61 Monarchy, one of THE speakeasies I've been wanting to try.

Privileged we were to  have with us the Global Brand Ambassador, Scott Adamson, from Scotland, to introduce this fine drop to us.

Tomatin is actually a very old brand, founded in the late 1800s, and is situated at an altitude of 315 meteres above sea level, fed by the waters of the Alt-na-Frith burn.  Interestingly, the name Tomatin means "the hill of the Juniper bush" in Gaelic (talk about lost in translation),.  The Alt-na-Frith (Free Burn) runs through the Monadhliath Mountains (somehow images of Lord of the Rings and middle earth spring to mind), to help create a rich and mellow Highland Malt.

We start with the Legacy, a NAS I think, which was Highballed, as a welcome drink, but we also got to taste it on its own.  43% ABV, a bourbon and virign oak.  This for the layman would be a fabulous easy drinking whisky.  85% full maturation 1st fill ex bourbon and 15% full maturation Virgin Oak.

It has a lovely fragrance about it, almost makes one happy sniffing it.  And on the palate, slightly sweetish, easy to drink.

The 12 year old is a winner of several awards, and is matured in traditional Scotch Whisky, ex Bourbon and ex Spanish Sherry casks.  On the nose, the aroma is fruity, and a bit nutty.
34% Ex Bourbon, 34% Ex Sherry and 32% refill casks.  43% ABV



On a separate note, it's interesting to hear that 80% of the staff of the distillery live ON SITE.  It has evolved into a community by itself, with people committed to the whisky, which provides more than a job, but a way of life.  I find this nugget of information particularly heartwarming, and something unique.

The 14 year old, which is my personal favourite, spends its life in Tawny Port casks which have held port for around 50 years.  The result, the aromas of berries, toffee, and on the palate light fruits.  46% ABV.

I need to get myself a set of these whisky glasses.

The piece de resistance for the day, the 18 Year old.  Matured in traditional oak casks, and first fill Oloroso Sherry butts, this makes for a world class and elegant whisky.  There is a distinct sherry refrain that resonates through out, and some would say this is the highlight.  It is also non chill filtered, so it might cloud up a bit with ice. 

A myriad of aromas and titillation of the palate occurs. 

That amber hue of happiness.

Alas, one can only dream about how the 30 and 40 year old must taste like. 

Dirstibuted by Drinks Connexion, Tomatin is now available here, and also at 61 Monarchy . 

Ancnoc Single Malt Tasting by Single & Available

It's always interesting to see what latest tipple the good people at Single and Available are bringing in to our sunny shores. Privileged to have with us the Master Distiller all the way from the distillery,  at a very elegant evening tasting soiree at the spanking new WHISKY COVE in the Pavilion Hotel.

AnCnoc (pronounced ANNOCK, the capital C being caps for a reason, ie, it's silent), is made from the purest spring water in Knock Hill (I guess that's where the "NOC" comes in), and their two copper pot stills are made to the same design as they were in 1984, with their wide bases and high necks (somehow images of swans come to mind) give anCnoc the fresh light flavour.

It is indeed very drinkable, the 12 year old glides down the throat effortlessly, is easy on the nose with hints of lemon and maybe caramel, almost sweet in taste.

12

12

The 18 year old is one classy dame..ooops, dram.....more complex than the 12, because it is matured in Spanish Oak Ex Sherry casks, and American oak ex bourbon casks, and not chill filtered.  We didn't get to try it with ice, but presumably it will turn a bit cloudy since it's not chill filtered.  The colour is a darker amber from the 12, with a dried fruity nose, and caramel, spicy taste.

From the rich peaty soils of Scottish uplands, the peat is used as a fuel resource to fire the stills and drying the barley, hence imparting that peaty taste that is actually very mild compared to the Islay ones, making it a perfect dram for those venturing into peat but not quite ready to go all the way.

An impressive ABV of 46%, I personally enjoyed this bottle the most, as it was different, and also I love the dramatic name that sounds like a Scottish medieval war movie.

For more information and pricing, contact the good people at SINGLE AND AVAILABLE.

Single Malt Sdn Bhd
Co number: 507468-W
D-0-3 & D-1-3, Block D, Plaza Damas.
60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 6203 2151
Fax: 03 6203 1972

Single & Available, G111A, Ground Floor, Bangsar shopping Centre,
285, Jalan Maarof Bukit Bandar Raya, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel / Fax: 03 2287 2151

Single & Available, Mercato Lot 1.01, Level 1, Pavillion K.L
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Email: info@singlemalt.com.my

Phone: +60 3 6203 2151

Fax: +60 3 6203 1972

Or click HERE

Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt

I love the way the Scottish people speak, and I am intrigued by the phonetics of the language.  Some words seem to have too many redundant letters, some have too many vowels, and it's never pronounced quite the way it's spelt.  Take for example Bunnahabhain.  It needs to be said with a throaty almost spitting out the words way, and the BH is actually a V sound, so it's actually ˌbuːnəˈhævɪn/ BOO-nə-HAV-in (for those of you who know phonetic letterings).

We were most privileged, under the auspices of Single and Available, to have met Kirstie McCallum, the master blender herself from the Bunnahabhain distillery in Scotland, who only leaves Scotland twice a year...

(I have to say, based on these pics below, it looks like a rather melancholic place)...

Considering she had just arrived that morning in KL, from the UK, the good people at Single and Available certainly made her earn her keep, as the session we attended was the second session for the day, so one does wonder where she gets the energy and ebullience from.  I can only think of one answer.  The whisky.  What a dream job, a master blender.

In addition to Bunnahabhain, we also got to sample the Deanston 12 years.

We were introduced to the Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair (so many vowels) pronounced STOO REE DAH, which means Helmsman, after the logo on the bottle.

To create Stiùireadair Kirstie had selected first and second fill sherry casks with spirit of varying ages and warehouse locations to construct a dram that truly exposes the coastal nature of the Bunnahabhain single malt whisky.

Colour-Amber Gold
Nose-Dried fruit and creamy caramel with hints of
brine, vanilla, nuts and a touch of spice
Palate-Creamy mouth feel with a dried fruit
influence, sea salt, creamy caramel with
hints of nuts and a gentle spice
Finish-Long and lingering with hints of dried fruit
Un-chillfiltered46.3% ABV natural colour

We were also privileged to try the Limited Release PX (Pedro Ximinez)


From the Notes:
Finished in the PX casks since 2014, following eleven years in 2nd fill sherry butt’s, this limited edition release owes its distinctive flavour to a perfect marriage of the  unique Bunnahabhain malts and the sweet, syrupy notes drawn from the very wood of the casks themselves.

This is a process that cant be rushed and we only bottle when Kirstie says the time is right.

PX
Nose : Toffee, sweet dried fruit, nuts and chocolate.
Palate : Syrupy and smooth, mouth filling Pedro Ximénez influence,
notes of sweetraisins and sultanas, honeyed nuts, rich toffee, and subtle creamy chocolate.
Finish: Sweet dried fruit, long and lingering finish.
54.3 % Vol

On a side note, it might seem odd that the AVB is 54.3% and 46.3% for the other one.  Why the point 3? Apparently its due to some EU regulation that only allows a 0.3% degree of error, ssomething like that.

As an added bonus to the faithful friends of Single and Available, we were also given a nip of these glorious dram, of 18 years.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE DISTILLERY

Established in 1881 and built close to the Mouth of the Margadaleriver, Bunnahabhain means Mouth of The River in Gaelic. Bunnahabhain is the only distillery on Islay to produce whisky using pure spring water.
Most northerly of the Islay Distilleries –situated on the north east tip of the island. Overlooking the Sound of Islay, a vast stretch of sea travelled by many a seafarer, as illustrated by the helmsman on the pack, Bunnahabhain’swonderfully remote location makes it an idyllic place for whisky distillation.
The welcoming and complex taste of Islay –unpeatedIslay, produced using unpeatedmalted barley and spring water.


FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PURCHASE,
Ms. Abigail Chua
Brand Executive
Single Malt Sdn Bhd
Office: (03) 62032151
Fax: (03) 62031972
Mobile:(+60) 012 6985755

An Intriguing Night At the Launch of the New Mystery Glenlivet Cipher

Everyone loves a good mystery, and this particular invitation from the Glenlivet Guardians organisers was simply too intriguing to resist.

With great anticipation, I roll up at the mystery location...

"Shrouded in mystery, the secret bottle beckons
Unknown are its aromas, flavours, and tastes
Not all who desires shall be given entry
For only those with the key may take the next step.

Will you be the one to unlock this enigma?

Date: 20 Sept 2016
Time: 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Venue: Solve the mystery to get here:

1. Park at/near Jalan Medan Setia 1 or 2
2. Look for the bank in yellow
3. At the alley behind the bank, there is a mysterious old wooden door
4. Knock 3 times, and answer the riddle:

As the ultimate custodian of The Glenlivet, it is his job to ensure the century-long legacy continues, and the whisky is always of supreme quality.

He is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _"

Ashamed that despite being a Guardian for several years now, I still had to google the answer, which was the password for entry into the mystery speakeasy, ...SKULLDUGGERY,,  Incidentally, the answer to the riddle is Alan Winchester.  (remember that Winchester edition that sold for like RM94,000)...which you can read about HERE.

Upon arrival, we were ushered to a darkened room, blindfolded and given three items to identify, with our sense of smell, which I identified as Caramel, Oak, and Tobacco.  (answer to be revealed later, but suffice to say, I got a smacking score of ZERO/THREE)  All of these three items were obviously part of the elements of the mystery bottle.

I took this photo blindfolded, so excuse me if it looks blur.....

The usual trio all lined up and filler until the mystery was revealed...

And lo and behold, as the "Patriarch" of the Malaysian Glenlivet Guardians, Lionel Lau (actually the Malaysian Brand Ambassador for Glenlivet)  introduced the mystery bottle with no cask information, tasting notes, nor age statement.

The Glenlivet Cipher challenges whisky enthusiasts to use all their senses to decode the flavour profile of this mysterious single malt, hence the sensory game.  It was then revealed the three elements were Vanilla, Honey and Raisin.  How the heck does one smell raisins, but yet there were several winners.  Harumph, must have peeked through the blindfold, or must have had noses like canines.  #soreloser

But of course the greatest honor was the fact that “The Guardians of The Glenlivet will be the very first people to taste the Cipher in Malaysia,” said Brand Manager Benedict Yong of Pernod Ricard Malaysia. “It is one of the privileges of being one of The Guardians. We also made it a challenge right from the beginning as a tribute to this unique limited edition single malt."

Note the gorgeous bottle, and the cipher codes on the label.  I have to say I was sold on the bottle and label design alone!!!

(Photo courtesy of press release)

Benedict Yong (left), Brand Manager of Pernod Ricard Malaysia, unveils The Glenlivet Cipher with Lionel Lau (right), Brand Ambassador of The Glenlivet

(Photo courtesy of press release)

The venue as I mentioned, was SKULLDUGGERY.... though honestly, that night, between the dark lighting and the buzz from the booze, I never noticed any of these gorgeous looking skulls.

(Photos courtesy of the press release)

So what did I think of the Cipher?  Well, it certainly is mysterious, and is also stronger than usual with 48 ABV, or 96 Proof.

The Glenlivet Cipher will retail for RM780 per bottle, inclusive 6% GST. As this is a limited edition whisky, the Cipher will first be made available to The Glenlivet Guardians, before being released for retail purchase at selected outlets.

The rise in popularity of single malt whiskies over the past 10 years is an indication that more people are actively nosing, tasting, and discussing single malt whisky. The Cipher will encourage whisky enthusiasts to sharpen the use of their senses and have a deeper appreciation of the whisky’s complex flavour profiles.

Those interested can head to The Glenlivet Cipher microsite to test their nose and palate at https://cipher.theglenlivet.com. There, a video with clues to help decode the whisky will be provided. They will then have to select six aromas for the nose and six flavours for the palate, thus creating the flavour wheel out of over 10,000 possible combinations. On completion, a percentage score will reveal how close they have come to cracking The Glenlivet Cipher taste profile. Their score can be shared on social media, and the challenge can be repeated as many times as they want.

Hobnobbing with the media and Lead Guardians.... after a few swigs of Glenlivet, everyone is a friend.

Also, I believe this sweet lass is taking a break and we might not see her at future Guardian Events, so special thanks to Nicole for all the years of Guardian-ing!!!

The Guardians programme is a whisky community for the fans of The Glenlivet, with regular tasting events for both whisky connoisseurs and newbies alike. There are now close to 800 Guardians in Malaysia and is currently one of the country’s most active whisky communities.

The exclusive Facebook Group for The Guardians in Malaysia is https://www.facebook.com/groups/glenlivetguardians.

To be a Guardian, please email theguardians@millennium.net.my.

For more information, check out The Glenlivet Malaysia Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/TheGlenlivetMY.

Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Did you know there's a difference between whisky without an E (whiskey), and Scotch refers to whisky produced from Scotland? Well, yeah, I knew the latter, common sense dictated that, but I didn't know a whiskey from a whisky.

When I got an invite to attend a single malt tasting, I was a bit apprehensive at first, coz if it was ANYTHING like WINE tasting, where people swirl the glasses, sniff the wine, gargle it in their throats, and rattle off a verbose list of unpronouncable french terms, like buckay, vintayje, etc. And since I am a pleb, who knocks back anything alcoholic (not those alcohol flavoured stuff like Watsons gin) basically (except tequila & gin, cos I o/d-ed on those in my youth), I thought, hmmm, would a single malt tasting be wasted on me? But I DO LOVE SINGLE MALTS, so I agreed, and in any case, it was a very small crowd of food bloggers that were invited. (before any of yall ask why I didn't invite you, it basically wasn't within my powers to do so, ....alas). Oh, did I mention we were told we'd get to taste a 30 year single malt???? Weep, people, weep.

The venue, Carcosa Seri Negara, no less. Fit for Kings and Queens, and who did I get to escort me? The QUEEN herself. Queen of the DSLR Realm, AWhiffofLemongrass aka Thamby. The woman was riddled with a flu bug, (not the swine variety I hope), and argh, riding in a aircond car with her was as good as sending out a gilded invite to the swarm of bacteria, "You are cordially invited to take up residence in my body"...

We were the first of 4 bloggers to arrive, and met our host, Marian Eu Hooi Khaw. We see her name in the papers all the time, so it's nice to finally put a face to the name. She's such a sweetie, and so very friendly.

Dinner was a buffet spread, ....as our main purpose there was to write about the Single Malt, I didn't really take note of the foods. It was decent enough, the duck confit wrapped in cabbage leaf was delicious, and so were the prawns at the salad bar.


Although the dining room was all decked out, like a bride, we weren't allowed to eat there as they wanted the table settings untouched (like a bride) for the whisky tasting.


The bottles were priced at a special price....


.......which I still cannot afford anyway.



These stairs have had the privilege of being walked upon by Queen Elizabeth II herself...I think.


Her Majesty, Queen of the DSLR





David Mair, Balvenie Brand Ambassador


Our wonderful organiser, Marian Eu Hooi Khaw


According to David, the distillery is somewhere here. (look at arrow)


The 12, 15, 21 and 30 years, waiting to tantalize my palate.


The only distillery to have their own inhouse coppersmith...


The miniature parts, exact replica, of the whisky stills....


The hands of friendship meet over whisky...





Wonder if its to suck in or blow out? Anyway, he's Chummy with Ciki...(get it?)


Famous Blogger, KY Speaks....nice meeting you KY!!!! It was an honor!



Ah, the sweet caress of a 15 year old....


My wife's away in Alor Setar, he tells the 15 year old...



Lyrical Lemongrass has always prided herself on her tongue, which apparently can detect the taste of nearly anything...

Anyway, the 30 year old one, which costs in excess of RM2 k a bottle, is indeed fine stuff. Smooth, and oh so very palatable. It has a wonderful fragrance, mellow okay tones and hints of candied orange peel.

The 21 year old is also great, and to quote their words, refined with remarkable character, it is creamy and silky with fruit, honey and spice notes.

The 15 yr is actually better with water, apparently, but this was the least favourite one, perhaps because I gulped it down BEFORE David said to add some water.

The 12 year is a fine drink, and very drinkable. Funny, someone said that although when you taste the whiskies, obviously it gets better with age, but after you've tried the 30 yr, surprisingly when you go back to the 12, it is PERFECTLY drinkable.

It was a great night out. Thanks Marian, and you know who you are, for organising this!