Events

Media Event: Quaich Bar launched Deanston 14 Years and Bunnahabhain 12 Years

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Quiach Bar and Distell invited WhiskyGeeks for a media launch of Quaich Bar’s Deanston 14 Years old and Bunnahabhain 12 Years old Single Cask on 4 October.

Mr Steve Campbell, the retired Managing Director of Distell’s Asia Pacific invited us to taste 4 different whiskies. They were Deanston 12 years old, Deanston 14 years old (Quaich Bar’s special), Bunnahabhain 12 years old and Bunnahabhain 12 years old Single Cask (Quaich Bar’s special).

Deanston 14 Years Old (Quaich Bar special)

Deanston 14 years old matured in refill whisky casks for 9 years before it was finished in Spanish brandy butts for 5 years. As a Highland whisky, it is an easy dram to drink with pleasant honeyed notes even at a high abv of 57.9%. Deanston 14 years old is usually only available at the distillery. The first batch sold out quickly five years old. The current expression at Quaich Bar is the second batch. 1664 bottles are produced in this batch. 200 bottles are available at Quaich Bar with a bespoke label just for its 10th anniversary while the rest are available only at Deanston distillery. With a history such as this, it is no wonder that this bottle is definitely going to be precious to every whisky lover in Singapore.

Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old Single Cask (Quaich Bar special)

Bunnahabhain is an interesting distillery. Located in the northern part of Islay, it is the only distillery in the region to produce mostly unpeated whisky. The 12 years old Single Cask is bottled at cask strength of 55.5%. The expression matured in an ex-oloroso sherry cask for 12 years before getting bottled for Quaich Bar. The single cask yields only 332 bottles of this precious malt. The uniqueness of this liquid gold coupled with its status as the only Bunnahabhain bottled for Singapore makes it extra special.

Quaich Bar X Distell

Quaich Bar is Singapore’s first whisky bar and has won awards internationally. In the past 10 years, Distell and Quaich Bar has forged a strong friendship. Distell’s full malt profile is available at the bar. Deanston, Bunnahabhain, Tobermory, Ledaig, as well as South African whisky Three Ships and Bains Cape Mountain Whisky, are all part of the profile.

Event: The Single Cask X Whisky Butler Masterclass

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WhiskyGeeks was invited to the event jointly organised by The Single Cask (TSC) and Whisky Butler on 30 September 2017. We have previously spoken about this masterclass and since we were invited, we are here to tell you more about what you have missed!

Introducing Whisky Butler

This event is possibly the last celebratory event for TSC’s 2nd anniversary and one which is endorsed by Whisky Butler. In case you are not familiar with Whisky Butler, it is a whisky subscription platform that allows members to try 4 different whiskies every month. You can see it as a kind of whisky flight that you can get at a bar, but at much lower cost. In addition, Whisky Butler will deliver the box to your doorstep to provide the ultimate convenience.

The Single Cask X Whisky Butler Masterclass

This event showcased 5 different spirits (we say spirits because one of them isn’t a whisky). They are
1. Guyanan Diamond Rum 12 Years Old
2. Balmenach 12 Years Old
3. Tobermory 22 Years Old
4. Glen Garioch 19 Years Old
5. Bowmore 14 Years Old

Each expression is bottled by TSC and all of them are from a single cask. You will find the tasting notes of all 5 spirits in the links provided above.

Why Rum and Whiskies?

Both sessions started very informally introducing TSC and Whisky Butler before Brendan, the bar manager and resident whisky expert of TSC, dived into the reason for including a rum in the selection. It is a fact that Singapore is growing rapidly in the alcohol industry. Look at all the bars that are popping up everywhere. People are learning to appreciate gin, brandy, cognac, rum and whisky. No matter whether they drink it neat, with ice, with soda, with water or with a mixer, these different spirits are gaining popularity in Singapore. The vibrant but relatively young community in Singapore makes it very important to have masterclasses like this to help beginners to better appreciate what they are drinking.

We appreciated the way that Brendan ran both sessions – informal and interactive. He encouraged participants to share what they thought about the spirits and encouraged each attendee to describe what they find in each of the spirits served. In the first session, Brendan also spoke of the way to drink whisky after one participant asked.

The Best Way to Drink Whisky according to Brendan

The best way to drink whisky according to Brendan is this: “Take a sip of whisky, swirl it in your mouth to coat the sides before holding it in your mouth for a little while. Swallow it and hold your breath for 5 seconds before breathing out from your mouth”. We tried it, and guess what, we could literally feel the whisky leaving the mouth and smelling the finish! That’s one amazing way of drinking whisky! Nonetheless, there is no correct way to drink whisky, so, if you don’t agree with that, drink it the way you do, because whisky has to be enjoyable above all. In fact, what we do to get the finish is to move our lips repeatedly instead. That works too, by the way!

The interactive sessions ran smoothly with active participation from all the “students” who attended. We could see the impact of the interaction – engagement was high and people were just so involved with tasting the spirits that they appeared to forget everything else. We enjoyed ourselves as well, with jokes along the way.

Willing Buyers, Unwilling Seller

Both sessions ended with participants gaining a greater understanding of what they were drinking. Some of them were so excited about the whiskies that they wanted to buy a bottle home! This was especially so for the last whisky – The Bowmore 14 Years Old – Cask 31931. Brendan had to disappoint everyone because he only has 3 bottles left in the bar and he is not selling them because he wants to keep it at the bar for communal drinking. If you like what you read from our tasting notes, head over to The Single Cask and try out the amazing Bowmore 14 Years Old – Cask 31931. Do remember to mention WhiskyGeeks to Brendan!

If you are keen to join future masterclasses from The Single Cask, do like our Facebook page and stay tuned for the next one! There should be another one coming up soon!

In the meanwhile, stay hydrated with whisky! Slàinte!

 

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    Exciting New Event: The Single Cask x Whisky Butler Tasting Session

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    The Single Cask Singapore (TSC) and Whisky Butler are collaborating once again to showcase exquisite spirits! This exciting event is, of course, hosted by our friendly neighbour – TSC and is happening on 30 September 2017!

    What Can You Expect?

    You will be taken on an exciting journey through 4 regions in Scotland before taking a flight to South America in this tasting session. TSC sourced and hand-picked every expression from a single barrel, so, each of them promised to be full of characters and flavours. Imagine the treat you will be in for!

    What Should You Look Forward to?

    You can look forward to taste the following whiskies:

    1. Highlands – TSC Glen Garioch 1995 (19 Years Old)
    2. Speyside – TSC Balmenach 2003 (12 Years Old)
    3. Islands – TSC Tobermory 1994 (22 Years Old)
    4. Islay – TSC Bowmore 2001 (14 Years Old)
    5. South America – TSC Diamond Rum 2004 (12 Years Old)

    The Important Dates and Times:

    When: 30 September 2017, Saturday
    Where: The Single Cask, 30 Victoria Street, CHIJMES, #01-25
    Time: First Session: 4pm to 6pm; Second Session: 7pm to 9pm

    Tickets can be bought from TSC Website or Whisky Butler! Alternatively, you can try your luck by doing a walk-in. We encourage you to buy your tickets first to avoid disappointment!

    How to Get to The Single Cask

    We know that some patrons find it difficult to locate The Single Cask within CHIJMES. To help everyone find this cosy bar easily, we have come up with the directions below.

    1. From Carlton Hotel: Cross the road and locate the entrance to CHIJMES. Walk down the stairs, turn right and you will be at the door of TSC.
    2. From City Hall MRT: Locate Brotzeit and cross the road from there to CHIJMES. Once you reach CHIJMES, walk straight pass Toast Box and go all the way to the end. TSC will be right there.
    3. By Taxi/Grab/Uber: At the entrance of CHIJMES (near the church), walk straight from Caldwell House and turn left (follow the pavement). You will see Gyu Kaku at the end. TSC is just opposite the restaurant.

     

    Exclusive Invite to The Dalmore X Amex Whisky Tasting Session

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    An exclusive whisky tasting session held by The Dalmore in collaboration with American Express was hosted by Singapore’s luxury airport terminal JetQuay on the evening of 24th August 17. As this event was meant to be cosy and intimate, only 20 participants were invited.

    This was the second event that The Dalmore had held in Singapore in the recent months. The previous one was the special 50th-anniversary celebration of their Master Distiller, Mr Richard Paterson.

    The evening started off with a dram of The Dalmore 12 years old as fellow whisky geek, Mr Benjamin Tan from Whisky Butler, waxed lyrical on the history of The Dalmore. The esteemed guests thoroughly enjoyed the story of how the 12-pointed Royal Stag came about.

    Benjamin also initiated the guests into the process of whisky-making. Whisky is made using only 3 ingredients – barley, water and yeast. There are 5 steps to the whisky-making process.

    1. Barley is malted by soaking it with water and drying them either with hot air or with a peat fire.
    2. The malted barley is milled and then mixed with hot water in a process called mashing to extract the sugar content into a sugary liquid called wort.
    3. The wort is then fermented by adding yeast in a large vessel called a washback. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol, known as a wash, which is around 8% abv.
    4. The wash is then distilled in different heated pot stills. The heart of the spirt from distillation is then collected for use.
    5. The new spirit is filled into oak casks – for The Dalmore, they use American white oak bourbon casks and exclusively aged sherry casks. The spirit is then left in the casks for maturation.

    The guests were treated to a tasting of The Dalmore 15 Years Old after the short introduction. In this segment, Benjamin taught the guest how to taste a whisky. While there is no “correct way” to drink a whisky, it is a good learning journey to find out how we can find out more about a particular whisky by following the few steps below.

    1. Hold the whisky up to the light and observe its colours.
    2. Swish the whisky lightly to open the nose and palate of the whisky
    3. Hold it to the nose and sniff it
    4. Nose it again, this time with the mouth slightly open
    5. Sip the whisky; coat it around your palate and chew on it
    6. Take a bigger sip; hold it in the mouth for a while before swallowing
    7. Observe the aftertaste of the whisky in your mouth

    It takes some practice to decipher the flavours and characteristics of the whiskies, but practise it regularly and you will soon get the idea!

    The guests had a great time trying the steps above and some of them began to get some tasting profiles by the time The Dalmore 18 Years Old was served. A healthy debate began between some participants with regards to the various flavours they got.

    Benjamin took the chance to explain the complexity of whisky and how a dram of whisky could change according to the way a person drink it. He informed the fascinated crowd how water, ice and soda water change the aroma and palate of a whisky. He also shared how the simple act of aeration could change the experience of drinking whisky. Benjamin taught the guests how to differentiate a balanced whisky from an unbalanced one as well.

    The crown jewel of the night – King Alexander III was served right after the short but insightful information about the complexity of whisky. Guests were eager to try their new-found skills on the last dram of the night.

    King Alexander III is the pride of The Dalmore’s Master Distiller, Mr Richard Paterson. Nicknamed as “The Nose”, it was said that he could smell anything in a dram of whisky! An interesting fact was “announced” by Benjamin – Mr Richard Paterson’s nose is insured for £2.6 million!

    As Benjamin introduced Mr Richard Paterson to the guests, he also mentioned about his 50th-anniversary celebration in Singapore and the exclusive Dalmore 50 Years Old. The guests got so excited that they requested for a taste of this exquisite liquid. Alas for them, the beautiful liquid was not available that evening. Nevertheless, they were not disappointed with King Alexander III as Benjamin put them through the tasting process again.

    A group photo was taken right after the tasting session ended, and guests were invited to mingle with Benjamin and the rest of the staff.

    WhiskyGeeks had the chance to mingle and speak with the guests as they lingered around in JetQuay after the event. We spoke to several guests, all of whom said it was a wonderful evening.

    One particular enthusiastic guest, Mr Joel, commented, “Please tell The Dalmore that this was the best whisky tasting session that I had ever been to! Most of the other tasting sessions were conducted in uncomfortable chairs and freezing conditions. Tonight’s session was conducted with comfortable armchairs, food and wonderful whisky! I also liked the way Benjamin presented the history of The Dalmore. There was so much information that I could take away.”

    Another participant, Mr Steven, said that he is not a whisky drinker. However, his son is an avid supporter of whisky, so he helped his son to collect some of them. He mentioned that he had never heard about The Dalmore before, but now that he has, he would be trying more. Mr Steven bought 4 bottles that evening – the 12 YO, 15 YO, 18 YO and King Alexander III.

    We also spoke to Mr Larry, who is an avid fan of The Glenlivet. He prefers older aged whiskies and dislikes peaty ones. He has not tried The Dalmore before, as he prefers to stick with what he likes. However, he likes the King Alexander III and showed his support by buying a bottle home. He also said, “The Dalmore is pretty sweet and is something that I like. I will be trying The Dalmore more often in the future!”

    Before the guests left for the evening, WhiskyGeeks managed to catch hold of Dr Jimmy just as he was filling in his purchase form. He is a regular Dalmore drinker, having tried not just the 4 bottles offered that evening, but also The Dalmore Cigar Malt. Dr Jimmy was delighted as he said that the presentation helped him to understand The Dalmore better as a brand and also as a drink. He bought a bottle of the 18 YO. “It is my favourite expression. I am buying yet another bottle even though I already have more than one at home.” He quipped, laughing as he filled in his credit card details for the purchase.

    It was indeed a wonderful evening filled with laughter, enjoyment and a transfer of knowledge from Benjamin to the invited guests. We certainly hope that The Dalmore will host more events in the future to share their wonderful liquid gold with more whisky drinkers in Singapore.

    More About The Dalmore

    The Dalmore is founded by Sir Alexander Matheson in 1839, in the Scottish Highlands. A restless entrepreneur and international businessman, Sir Alexander Matheson wanted The Dalmore to go above and beyond in creating luxurious single malt whisky.

    For over 100 years, The Dalmore has continued to realise Sir Alexander’s dream by creating an unbroken chain of exceptional whisky through their whisky makers. Mr Richard Paterson, their current Master Distiller, is one of them. For nearly 50 years, he is the Master Distiller at The Dalmore, creating luxurious and much-coveted whiskies for the community. He is the man who, together with The Dalmore, created a category of super luxury single malt, that continues to impress the world up till today.

     

     

    Whisky Events in Singapore: Quaich Bar 10th Anniversary Celebration

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    Quaich Bar 10th Anniversary Celebrations

    Quaich Bar Singapore is celebrating their 10th Year Anniversary this September! To celebrate this awesome milestone, Quaich Bar partnered various whisky distilleries to bottle special expressions for the Singapore market.

    From this week until the end of the year, a total of 6 new bottles from 5 different distilleries and 1 independent bottler will be showcased. All of them are selected single cask bottlings that are only made available here. Each expression is a limited edition.

    The 6 bottles are as follows:

    1. Tomatin 1983
    2. Springbank 17 Years Old
    3. Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old
    4. Deanston 14 Years Old Spanish Oak
    5. Tomintoul 1977 (Details to be announced)
    6. Cadenhead (Details to be announced)

    All 6 bottles will have their own individual tasting sessions as a way to introduce them to Singapore whisky drinkers. An exciting lineup including master classes and chit-chat sessions with the distillery representatives are arranged to make the most out of the 3 months long celebration.

    Details for the various Tasting Sessions and the Anniversary party:

    1. 13 Sept 2017 – Tasting Session for Tomatin 1983

      Graham Eunson, Tomatin’s distillery General Manager will grace the event to officially introduce this special expression. He will be hosting a master class at Quaich Bar South Beach from 7-8pm before going to Quaich Bar Waterfront Plaza (at Hotel Grand Copthorne) for an intimate chit-chat session with the guests.

    2. 18 – 19 Sept 2017 – Tasting Session for Springbank 17 Years Old

      The tasting sessions are held over 2 days for Springbank 17 Years Old. Quaich Bar South Beach is hosting the session on 18 Sept 2017 while Quaich Bar Waterfront Plaza takes its turn on 19 Sept 2017. An interesting detail for the Springbank is the fact that the cask belongs to an investor of Springbank and Quaich Bar’s owner, Mr Khoon Hui, persuaded the investor to sell him half of the cask. Therefore, this expression is especially precious!

    3. 25 – 26 Sept 2017 – Anniversary Party

      We look forward to the Anniversary party on 25 – 26 Sept 2017 as Quaich Bar opens its doors to welcome all its members and supporters from the public. They are keeping a little secret here over what is going to happen at their party. We heard it is going to be pretty awesome, so keep the dates free and head down to Quaich Bar for a great time! The party is hosted at Quaich Bar South Beach on 25th Sept 2017 and Quaich Bar Waterfront Plaza on 26th Sept 2017.

    4. 2 – 3 Oct 2017 – Tasting Session for Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old

      After the party, there are more tasting sessions to attend! Bunnahabhain 12 Years Old will be introduced to the public over 2 days as well. Steve Campbell, the managing director of Burns Stewart (who owns Bunnahabhain) is gracing both sessions. Again, the tasting sessions are split with 3 Oct 2017 at Quaich Bar South Beach and 4 Oct 2017 at Quaich Bar Waterfront Plaza.

    5. 5 Oct 2017 – Dinner with Steve Campbell and Tasting Session for Deanston 14 Years Old Spanish Oak

      This event is especially interesting because you get to eat and drink with Steve Campbell. The event is held at Pimpan by FOC in Orchard. Deanston 14 Years Old Spanish Oak will be introduced to the guests during the dinner. More details will be announced by Quaich Bar and WhiskyGeeks once the details are firmed up. Keep checking back for more!

    6. Tasting Sessions for Tomintoul 1977 and Cadenhead

      As the details for both tasting sessions are still in progress, we are unable to post the exact dates. What we know is that both expressions will be released sometime at the end of the year. Once we get the details, we will announce the dates on WhiskyGeeks!

    All the events listed above are priced at $30/pax for non-members. For Quaich Bar members, entry is free.

    Quaich Bar Membership

    If you are wondering how you can become a member of Quaich Bar and enjoy all the wonderful events for free, here’s how.

    Spend a total of $800 and above with a maximum purchase of 2 bottles and you can become a member! It is that easy! Not only do you get to taste 2 exceptional bottles, you get access to members benefits too! You can keep the bottles at the bar so that you don’t have to carry them home. Interested parties can head down to Quaich Bar for more inquiries!

    New Whisky Event: WhiskyLive Singapore 2017

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    Credits: www.whiskylive.com

    Great news to all whisky lovers in Singapore! Finally there is a whisky fair we can go without taking the airplane! WhiskyLive is an international whisky tasting and sampling event that is held around the world. Happening almost every weekend in a different city, it is a prominent event that brings on excellent exhibitors and sell-out crowds.

    WhiskyLive Singapore – What it is

    WhiskyLive is not new to Singapore. It was held since 2010 and it was always concluded with great praise and fanfare. 2017 marks the 8th year that WhiskyLive is in Singapore and it is the first time to run over a 2 days period at 2 different (but nearby) venues. That’s why we are excited to announce WhiskyLive 2017 to our readers!

    Organised by Maison Du Whisky, this year event showcase not just whisky, but also various other spirits such as gin and tequila. Cocktails are also not forgotten as there will be a cocktail street. For keen learners, there will be masterclasses where experts will teach you what they know. Currently, masterclass details are not out yet, but we will update when they are out! For the serious whisky connoisseurs, there is the VIP lounge and the Collectors’ Box where rare whiskies will be available for tasting! Doesn’t that sound truly awesome? So, what are we expecting from WhiskyLive this year? It’s simple. We expect rare, interesting whiskies, gin and tequila, interesting cocktails, learning opportunities and lots of fun!

    When is this happening?

    The event is happening on 25 to 26 Novemeber 2017 from 1.30pm to 8.30pm at TheatreWorks and STPI over at Mohamed Sultan Road.

    Credits: www.whiskylive.sg

    Here’s how it works. The exhibitors booths are on the ground floor on TheatreWorks, while the VIP bar and the Collector’s Room will take the upper floor. STPI is hosting the masterclasses, a special event (we don’t know what) and an exhibition. Food and cocktails are available on Caseen Street.

    Ticketing Matters

    Tickets are open for sale from 18 August. For the Super Early Bird, tickets are going at $79 for Standard, $159 for VIP and $700 for a group pass of 10 pax Standard. Super Early Bird ends on 18 September, so hurry to get your tickets at Peatix.

    How to Go

    Singapore is a friendly transport city and there are simply so many ways to get there.

    By Bus
    (River Valley Road) 32, 54, 139, 195
    (Clemenceau Avenue) 64, 123, 143
    (Havelock Road) 51, 64, 123, 186

    By MRT
    Clarke Quay MRT (15 minutes walk)
    Chinatown MRT (15 mintues walk)
    Dhoby Ghaut MRT (21 minutues walk) – seriously, please do not walk from Dhoby Ghaut unless you want to exercise before drinking back the calories!

    By Car (Available Parking)
    Mohamed Sultan Road
    Robertson Quay Hotel
    Robertson Walk
    Sultan Link Car Park

    If all of the above do not suit you, there is still Grab and Uber!

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      The Single Cask Masterclass 12 August 2017

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      Whiskygeeks was invited by our friends – The Single Cask (TSC) for a masterclass that they held on 12 Aug 2017 at their bar located at Chijmes. TSC were introducing 5 new bottlings that they had completed early in January this year. The interesting thing about this masterclass is the fact that not all of them are whiskies as we know them. Some of them are spirits from another world. Nonetheless, all of them are limited edition and each bottle has its own number. Once these bottles are sold, there will be no more.

      This is the guy behind TSC Masterclass yesterday. Brendan has been a friend of the whiskygeeks and he is one knowledgeable whisky geek himself! His role in TSC is varied but we can be sure that he is one great guy to talk whisky!

      Now, let’s get on with the Masterclass!

      First up was the Diamond Rum 12 Years Old. As its name suggested, this is a rum from the Diamond Distillery in America and TSC bought the cask for bottling under their own independent brand. A sweety acidic drink, the rum is probably an acquired taste. However, the geeks found it reasonably pleasant. A “can try” spirit if you are interested to explore rum.

      Next up, we have the Macduff 19 years old. This whisky comes from a long history in Speyside. Distilled in 1997 and matured in bourbon cask, this whisky has a good character and a great finish. Macduff has been known as an unfashionable distillery but the geeks found that they packed a damn good whisky! This is a whisky that should be drank by everyone in our opinions!

      The next one is Tobermory 22 Years Old. Found on the Scottish Island of Mor, this is quite a fierce whisky with all its spices. Tobermory is from an ex-sherry butt, but you will never think this is so if you look at its light golden colour. The speciality of this whisky is the fact that it is a second-fill whisky cask! The ex-sherry cask was recharred and filled with a white sherry before the new-make spirit of Tobermory was poured into the cask for maturation. That is the reason for its light colour and strong flavours.

      This is the American Sour Mash 5 Years Old. It is a Tennessee whisky that is matured only for 5 years, but it looks like it has been sitting inside a cask for a much longer time. The sour mash is made by mixing some left-over wort from a previous fermentation with a new batch of barley and yeast, creating the “sourish” taste to the new make. It is extremely sweet and definitely an acquired taste.

      The last bottle is the Glenrothes 19 Years Old. Completely dark red in colour, this is the king of the batch of spirits tasted in the Masterclass. Before you decide to buy a bottle, let us disappoint you by letting you know that this bottle is not for sale, but will be kept at the bar for the enjoyment for everyone who wants a taste of this exquisite whisky. Distilled in 1997, it is another Speyside whisky. This expression only has 86 bottles that was made out of 60 litres of one particular sherry butt released by the Glenrothes back in late 2016. It is also the darkest whisky that was ever bottled in TSC.

      We will be talking more about the individual whiskies mentioned here in separate tasting notes, so stay tuned for more!

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        Upcoming Event: Whisky Fair 2018 in Limburg, Germany

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        Picture taken from www.whiskyfair.com

        Exciting times ahead in 2018! This is yet another whisky fair that will be held in 2018. It has the reputation of being the biggest whisky fair that you can ever find in Europe, and generally, hosts exhibitors of various brands, independent bottlers, retailers, importers and rarities retailers. For most whisky lovers in Europe, this annual whisky fair is a must-go event because of the sheer number of exhibitors and rare bottling that one can find over there.

        For us in Asia, it is much harder to go for every single event held in Europe, so we tend to pick and choose. As this is one of the biggest whisky fair ever, we would say that if you only have budget for one trip, make it this trip!

        Here are 5 things why we think this is a trip worth going.

         

        WhiskyFair 2018 has a good reputation for hosting well-organised events

        There will be a lot of people thronging through tight and small alleyways in an event of this scale, so it is important to know if the organisers are able to host well-organised events. The organisers behind WhiskyFair have been doing this for the past 16 years, gathering tons of experiences in handling huge crowds to make every event better than the last one.

        The distilleries that are heading to WhiskyFair 2018 are awesome

        We are just so excited when we see the list of distilleries that will be exhibiting in WhiskyFair 2018. Up till today (8 Aug), there is a total of 39 distilleries (42 brands) that will be heading to Limburg in April next year! Out of this impressive list, we spy big names such as The Dalmore, Glengoyne, The Amrut, Arran, amongst others. You can find the whole list here.

        There are also a lot of independent bottlers heading to WhiskyFair 2018

        Wow, the list is probably more impressive here! We see big names here too, like Cadenheads and Maltbarn, both of which were featured previously in Whisky Butler’s curation. Douglas Laing, the creator of the famous Big Peat, will also be making an appearance in Limburg.

        There are rare whiskies to be found

        If you are a collector of whiskies and interested to find more, you should really head to Limburg next April. There are a bunch of rare whiskies retailers who will be more than happy to share their loots with you! Giovanni Giuliani, a famous Italian collector will be there to share his experience. He would probably be selling some of his rare collections too. There are other rare whisky sellers such as Lion’s Whisky and Whiskey Antique that will be sharing their loots. Check out the whole list here.

        It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience

        As whisky lovers, this event is one which we must experience at least once in our lifetime so that we can fulfil our thirst for great whiskies. The expected crowd, the jolly atmosphere and the headiness of drinking will definitely put you in a great mood for exploration. There are so many things to see and do in Limburg, and travellers can explore the rest of Germany too. Oh, and we cannot miss pointing out the friendships that will be forge and the memories that will last forever!

        If you are interested to find out more, you can visit the official website here. There is one cautionary note though – the hotels might be fully booked! So book now if you are really keen to go!

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          Upcoming Event – Spirits of Speyside Whisky Festival 2018

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          If you are planning to attend whisky events in 2018, here’s one which you can start making plans for. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is going to be held from 3 to 7 May 2018 in Speyside, Scotland. This iconic whisky festival is one of its kind where the distilleries in Speyside will be open to visitors through special booking tours. The difficult to reach distilleries will also be accessible during this period as buses will be deployed to ply two different routes to the various distilleries located along the river Spey.

          Speyside Distilleries

          Speyside plays host to more than half of all distilleries in Scotland. With the highest concentration of malt whisky producers located in Speyside, you can expect a wide variety of whiskies in the region. We can broadly classify Speyside whiskies into two camps – the light, grassy “lunchtime” whiskies such as Glenlivet, and the rich and flavourful sherry whiskies of Macallan. While not all whiskies in Speyside fall into either one of the categories, most of the whiskies produced in this region can be loosely classified as such.

          Distilleries in Speyside

          The map above shows all the whisky distilleries in Speyside and where each of them are located. The map has also marked out the key routes that you can take if you are driving, as well as the route that the buses will be plying if you intend to make use of the buses. On top of that, the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival will also be engaging local taxi companies to fetch visitors to distilleries that are not on the bus routes. If you have budget to spare and want to have a customised whisky distillery tour to your favourite distilleries, you can even engage local private hire companies to bring you for a first class experience!

          Accommodation in Speyside

          Accommodation in Speyside is not a problem due to its large number of accommodations. You can choose to stay in quaint little cottages, historic hotels, beautiful castles turned hotels, quirky DIY hotels, B&Bs or even camp in the great outdoors. A world class experience awaits you regardless of the type of accommodation you choose.

          Dining Choices in Speyside

          Food is just as important as the whiskies in Speyside, and visitors can expect a great variety of cuisines made with the best ingredients that are home-grown in Scotland. You can choose from fine-dining to rustic bites from the list here but we will recommend that you do your own research for more food options.

          What to do in Speyside after the whisky festival is over

          Well, visitors from Singapore and Asia in general are not going to travel all the way to Speyside and stay for just that few days, aren’t we? There are more to explore in Speyside besides first-class whiskies. For the nature lovers, there are beautiful beaches, hiking, kayaking down the River Spey and mountain biking on famous trails. For the shopaholics, Speyside has a great shopping culture that involves exploring beautiful towns and quaint little villages for the best buys in Scotland.

          How to travel to Speyside

          The easiest way for Singaporeans and people living in Asia is to fly to either Glasgow Airport or Edinburgh Airport before making your way to Speyside. Access to Speyside can be by air – flying to Inverness Airport or Aberdeen International Airport. Once there, you can easily navigate by taxi, bus or private hire car as mentioned above.

          If you are keen to take in the beauty of the countryside, the best way to travel to Speyside is to by rail, bus or car from Edinburgh or Glasgow. You can check out ScotRail, Scotland’s National Railway, for the time table and prices. Citylink bus service provides safe passage from Edinburgh or Glasgow to Inverness and Aberdeen as well. If you prefer to travel in style, rent a car from Edinburgh or Glasgow and drive down to Speyside in your own leisure.

          We hope that this article have given you enough information to start planning your trip to Scotland! The research has certainly pip our curiosity to head down to Scotland next May! Happy planning!

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            Exclusive Whisky Pairing Event: House of Hazelwood

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            WhiskyGeeks is very honoured to be invited to an exclusive whisky pairing event by William Grant and Sons on 3 July 2017. Held at Violet Oon at the National Gallery, this is a media-only event that introduced their vivacious new blended Scotch whisky inspired by the family luminary Ms Janet Sheed Roberts.

            This new range of whisky is named the House of Hazelwood. Composed of three exquisite expressions, each of them is blended to perfection, with its own inspiring story to tell. While all three whiskies are inspired by the 1920s, each whisky lives to tell a story of a different country. The most distinguished 25 years old is a representation of 1920s Shanghai, and a source of pride for its creator, Master Blender Brian Kinsman. It is followed by the 21 years old variant, which is a representation of 1920s Mumbai and the 18 years old variant, which is a representation of 1920s Paris.

            This event is a whisky pairing session, which means food is served. As the event is held in Singapore, the organisers proudly paired the whiskies with Peranakan food.

            While the whiskies are not paired with every serving of the food, WhiskyGeek enjoyed the selection of Peranakan food that was paired with the whiskies. Having attended many different whisky pairing sessions, it is in our opinion that blended whiskies are best paired with spicy food because the rich flavours of spicy food brings out the taste and flavours of blended whiskies, and vice versa.

            Food aside, let’s talk a little bit more about the whiskies. WhiskyGeeks’ opinion is that all three expressions have their own distinct characters but their similarity lies in their light but luxurious feel. From the packaging to the decanter to the whisky itself, all three expression exude luxury and exclusiveness. Personally, we prefer the 21 years old expression as compared to the other two variants as we find the bolder, spicer taste more robust and balanced. You can find the detailed tasting notes of the three expressions in our tasting notes section – The Liquid Gold.  Blended whiskies have their characters too, and can be better than some of the single malts that we have in the market right now.

            The packaging themselves are inspirations from the three mesmeric cities that are forerunners of the Art Deco movement – Paris, Mumbai and Shanghai. The designs are focused on creating a unique visual leitmotif which is associated with each city.

            The House of Hazelwood was launched exclusively in the Global Travel Retail in February last year. With an ABV of 40%, all three variants are available in a 50cl art-deco decanter style bottle and you can find them only at the exclusive retailers in Singapore Changi Airport. Remember to grab them if you are travelling anytime soon or they will soon be gone!

            More about William Grant and Sons, Ltd and Janet Sheed Roberts

            William Grant and Sons, Ltd is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. The oldest family-owned luxury spirit company of Scotland is run by the fifth generation of his family today and distills some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s most awarded single malt Glenfiddich, The Balvenie  range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s along with iconic premium spirits brands Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky, Drambuie and Milagro Tequila.

            The House of Hazelwood is created  by William Grant and Sons, Ltd, inspired by both their ancestor Ms Janet Sheed Roberts and the Hazelwood House, a sturdy house that was bought by the Gordon family back in the early 1020s.. Janet Sheed Roberts united  the Grants and Gordon families, and became the undisputed matriarch of William Grants and Sons. She found her love for whisky from her grandfather while living in the Hazelwood House, travelled extensively and became the epitome of the progressive era-defining attitude of women in the 1920s and 30s.

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