Whisky Appreciation

Interview: The Guys Behind The Malt Affair

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We shared the upcoming TMA Vol. 2 with everyone previously and now let us tell you more about The Malt Affair (TMA) and the guys behind the screen. TMA is an online marketplace which allows you to both buy and sell whiskies. It is also hoped to foster a community where whisky lovers can get to know one another and share a dram privately should they wish to do so. The guys behind TMA has one vision – to provide a platform where anyone can share fine whiskies with strangers, acquaintances, and friends alike. Such a community and marketplace is essential for Singapore’s growing whisky drinkers, and WhiskyGeeks decided to talk to the “headmaster” of TMA – Lucas.

The Story behind The Malt Affair

TMA is the first online whisky marketplace in Singapore, and it is natural that we are curious about how it all started. Geek Flora visited Lucas’ boutique at Downtown Gallery, and lo and behold, it is NOT a whisky shop, but a men’s shoe boutique! Geek Flora was puzzled and thought that perhaps, she had gone to the wrong place! Haha…it was only when she saw Lucas inside the shop that she convinced herself that she did not knock on the wrong door!

Flora soon found out that the shoe business is the primary business for Lucas and Jacky. “Jacky and I have been childhood friends since the age of five. Being neighbours we attended the same school and practically grew up together,”  said Lucas. Both of them started the shoe business five years ago, and the company grew with each passing year. Jacky is an avid whisky drinker and suggested that they serve whisky to their clients in the boutique. It has been five years since Lucas started his whisky journey alongside Jacky, and they have never looked back.

Their journey took them to many places and as their interest grew and palates matured, so did their whisky collection. In mid-2017, they identified various gaps in the local whisky scene – there was a genuine lack of an outlet for private collectors to resell their whiskies in Asia and Singapore in particular. Simultaneously, the lack of a strong community in today’s fragmented whisky market all further affirmed their belief that they must do something.

The Birth of The Malt Affair

Jacky’s current neighbour, Kris, is also a whisky fanatic. Through their regular whisky sessions together at the shoe boutique, they met like-minded individuals who shared their passion and love for whisky. It was then the idea of The Malt Affair materialised. As the trio explored the plan, the possibility of doing the business began to take shape. A fourth partner, Colin, was co-opted as a technology officer, joined in the party and one thing led to another. In August 2017, The Malt Affair was born.

TMA Vol. 1

Right after launching TMA, the self-professed maltheads decided to introduce themselves to the whisky community through an event that they firmly believed in. That was the birth of TMA Vol. 1 – a wholly-independent whisky event featuring a carefully curated selection of whiskies. They held the event in November 2017. As new players in the market, TMA received much support from the local community, including online sellers and private collectors, who graciously offered their bottles of rare and modern whiskies to be exhibited and sold at TMA Vol. 1. The event was a success! Both seasoned whisky drinkers and beginners enjoyed their time spent at the event, and the positive vibes from everyone encourage the team at TMA.

TMA Vol. 2

With the success of TMA Vol. 1, the team behind it began to craft the next event. The guys wanted TMA events to be a companion to whisky drinkers so that the journey is less daunting. Therefore, they decided that a half-yearly event is excellent as a yearly event may be too far apart for people to remember and use as a reference point in their journey.  With that thought, the trio began planning for TMA Vol. 2. This event will happen in May 2018 – if you need more information, read our article on this upcoming event! We promise that you will not be disappointed.

Building a Whisky Community

Lucas, Jacky, Kris and Colin have a similar mission as WhiskyGeeks, and that is to create a community of whisky lovers, particularly in Singapore. Singapore may be a small country, but many of us are whisky drinkers. Lucas shared that they found many whisky lovers through running their boutique in the shoe industry, and realised that these whisky drinkers and collectors do not know one another. It is a pity that so many of us drink and love whisky, but there isn’t a community among us. Taking a reference point from Europe, Lucas shared that he hopes that slowly but surely, Singapore and the rest of Asia can build a whisky community that is as closed-knitted as the one we find in Europe today.

While we may not have many whisky experts in Singapore, we have many in the industry who know much about whisky. In Lucas’ viewpoint,  this group of knowledgeable people is the key to building a closely knitted whisky community. As long as these people are approachable and willing to share, a community can be formed. The fragmentation of whisky lovers is not due to just one factor, but a combination of many Khoon Hui, the bar owner of Quaich Bar Singapore, as well as Brendan, the co-founder of The Single Cask, both expressed thoughts akin to Lucas’ belief of a fragmented whisky community too.

TMA is, therefore, looking to build a community that can share ideas, thoughts and drams with one another, both on a big scale and a smaller, private scale among friends. It will, hopefully, decrease the fragmentation and bring whisky lovers together as one.

The Future of TMA

We spoke extensively about the future and what TMA can achieve as a community. As TMA Vol. 2 is coming up, our conversation steered into the future events of TMA. Lucas shared that they started TMA Vol. 1 with the intention of hosting 100 attendees, and 120 people turned up. Lucas had to reject some others as the venue was unable to take them all. With their experience with Vol. 1, the team sourced for a bigger place to accommodate a larger crowd. They hope that it will give more people a chance to attend the event and find a wide range of lovely drams to drink at the event and also to bring home for later enjoyment.

Flora asked if Lucas hopes to one day, run a more significant event like the whisky fair she attended in Kaohsiung last year, and Lucas replied that yes, of course. If TMA grows steadily, they will eventually do that. “However, I want to ensure that we never lose sight of the spirit and purpose of the event – which is to be THE forum in Singapore for learning and sharing great whisky, not for profit. To this extent, we have taken firm measures to ensure that the pricing of the whisky exhibited by collectors at Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 is fair and not opportunistic. Should TMA grow bigger, I will endeavour to ensure this remains the case.”

We are sure that it will happen! Lucas, Jacky and Kris have their hearts in the right place.

Excited about TMA Vol. 2?

Now that you know more about The Malt Affair and the team behind it, feel free to check out their website and the facebook page of their upcoming TMA Vol. 2! We hope that our article about the event and this interview have gotten you excited and raring to attend. Geek Flora and Geek Choc are heading to TMA Vol. 2, so if you spot us at the event, do come on over to say hi!

 

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    What You Should Know About Sherry

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    Many whisky lovers give thanks to the sherry producers when they sip a sherry-matured whisky. However, how many of us know what sherry is and how many types of sherry there are in the market? Learning about sherry is fascinating, and that’s why we are here to give a brief introduction to sherry and the types of sherry in the market.

    What is Sherry?

    Sherry is a fortified wine produced in three areas of Spain’s ‘sherry region’. Located in the province of Andalucia, the three regions are Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. These three regions form a sort of a triangle on the map, with Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the top western part, Jerez de la Frontera in the central and El Puerto de Santa María at the southern part. The soil around these areas are chalk or limestone based, and provide the perfect climate for growing grapes are suitable for making sherry.

    Did you know that the word “sherry” came from the British trying to pronounce Jerez and failed to do so?

    Sherry producers use three types of grapes to make the delicious fortified wine, namely Palomino grape, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel. Palomino is the primary source, and interestingly, this grape variety is highly unknown in other parts of the world. However, it is a crucial grape variety to the making of sherry. Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel are typically sweeter in nature and are different from Palomino. The sherry types they produce are vastly different from the ones made from the Palomino.

    Sherry Types

    There are many sherry types but here are the main ones:

    1. Fino
    2. Manzanilla
    3. Amontillado
    4. Oloroso
    5. Pedro Ximenez
    6. Moscatel

    Producers use different methods to make the different kinds of sherry, and it is no surprise that each of them has a different taste!

    Sherry Styles

    There are two basic styles of sherry – dry and sweet.

    Dry Sherry

    Within the dry category, there are two ways of ageing the fortified white wine, which is what sherry is!

    The first way is through the use of flor (pronounce as ‘floor’). Flor is a type of yeast that forms a thin layer (about 2 cm thick) on top of the sherry wine as it begins to age. It prevents the wine from oxidation so that the sherry is aged without the aid of oxygen. Flor yeast is quickly killed by high alcohol content, however, so flor-aged sherry does not have an abv above 15%. Flor-aged sherry produces the “Fino” and “Manzanilla” sherries.

    The second method is non-flor-ageing, which means that oxidation happens during the ageing process. The wines produced by this method are higher in abv, as they are not limited to the 15% alcohol content. Hence, sherry types made using the oxidation method are stronger in both flavours and alcohol content. Non-flor-ageing sherry produces the “Amontillado” and “Oloroso” sherries.

    Sweet Sherry

    Sweet sherry typically means the addition of sugar. However, producers differentiated them between “naturally sweet” or “artificially sweet”.

    Naturally-sweet sherry typically means using the sweeter variety of grapes such as Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel instead of Palomino grapes to make the sherry. The production for this type of sherry is slightly different as the grapes are harvested much later and dried in the sun to extract more sugar before being pressed. They are called Vino dulce natural in Spanish.

    Artificially sweetened sherry is usually a blend of dry sherry with sweet wines or grape syrup. For example, dry sherry made from Palomino grapes are mixed with Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel to create a blend of sweet sherry. Alternatively, producers add arrope, a highly concentrated syrup made of grape juice to the dry sherry to make it sweet. This type of sherry is called Vino generoso de Licar.

    The importance of Sherry casks in the Whisky Industry

    We know the importance of sherry casks in the whisky industry. We need them to mature our favourite whiskies, which is why learning about sherry is essential. If we appreciate sherry and learn to drink the wine, we may help to boost demand and encourage the sherry producers to increase production. That will, in turn, produce more sherry casks for our beloved whisky to mature in! See, it is a win-win situation for all!

    So, my dear readers, buy some sherries and share it with your whisky-loving friends! After all, we need to do our part to help whisky producers lower the cost of sherry casks so that they can pass the savings to us!

    What do you think?

     

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      SMWS Bottlings and the Codes They Use

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      We spoke of the brief history of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) in our previous article, and today, we are exploring the way they choose their casks as well as the interesting codes of their bottles. If you noticed the unique codes for each SMWS bottling and wonder what it all means, let us explore that together.

      The SMWS’ Way of Choosing a Cask

      Before we delve into codes, let us first look at how SMWS chooses its casks. SMWS appoints a “Tasting Panel” to select what casks to buy and bottle. The society acquires casks only after the tasting panel approved of the cask. In other words, the bottles that we bought off the website are tried and tested by the experts from the tasting panel.

      The tasting panel consists of Society representatives who are either directly involved in the whisky industry or those who proved their knowledge of whisky. Besides tasting and approving casks to buy, the tasting panel also gives each expression an unusual and descriptive name. After their 25th anniversary in 2008, SMWS added mouth-watering tasting notes to depict the flavours of the whisky. An example of the unique name will be “Drunken Cherry Coconut Ice Cream”. Someone who is drinking this expression is likely to find cherry and coconut notes in the whisky, and the liquid will be creamy to taste.

      The Unique Codes of SMWS’ Bottling

      After choosing the cask, the society bottles it and give the outturn of each expression an unique two-part numerical “identity code”. The first part of the code represents the distillery and the second part indicates the number of cask bottled from the said distillery. For example, 54.45 means the 45th cask acquired from distillery number 54. Every society bottling uses this numerical system. The reason behind this system is simple. Every single cask is different, and SMWS did not want whisky lovers to link the whisky to the distillery’s general profile before drinking it. By using a code, drinkers are more willing to try it without judging and in a way, makes every sip a blind tasting.

      It is worthy to note that SMWS bottles grain whiskies as well as single malt whiskies. The grain whiskies are denoted by the prefix “G” in their cask number. There is also rum with the prefix “R” as well as American whiskey with the prefix “B”.

      The List of SMWS’ Distillery Codes

      The list of distillery codes grows ever longer with every new distillery that SMWS adds to its embrace. Here is a list of the codes that we know of.

      Single Malts

      Single Malt Whisky SMWS Code
      Glenfarclas Distillery 1
      Glenlivet Distillery 2
      Bowmore Distillery 3
      Highland Park Distillery 4
      Auchentoshan Distillery 5
      Macduff Distillery (Glen Deveron) 6
      Longmorn Distillery 7
      Tamdhu Distillery 8
      Glen Grant Distillery 9
      Bunnahabhain Distillery 10
      Tomatin Distillery 11
      Benriach Distillery 12
      Dalmore Distillery 13
      Talisker Distillery 14
      Glenfiddich Distillery 15
      Glenturret Distillery 16
      Scapa Distillery 17
      Inchgower Distillery 18
      Glen Garioch Distillery 19
      Inverleven Distillery 20
      Glenglassaugh Distillery 21
      Glenkinchie Distillery 22
      Bruichladdich Distillery 23
      Macallan Distillery 24
      Rosebank Distillery 25
      Clynelish Distillery 26
      Springbank Distillery 27
      Tullibardine Distillery 28
      Laphroaig Distillery 29
      Glenrothes Distillery 30
      Isle of Jura Distillery 31
      Edradour Distillery 32
      Ardbeg Distillery 33
      Tamnavulin Distillery 34
      Glen Moray Distillery 35
      Benrinnes Distillery 36
      Cragganmore Distillery 37
      Caperdonich Distillery 38
      Linkwood Distillery 39
      Balvenie Distillery 40
      Dailuaine Distillery 41
      Tobermory Distillery (Ledaig) 42
      Port Ellen Distillery 43
      Craigellachie Distillery 44
      Dallas Dhu Distillery 45
      Glenlossie Distillery 46
      Benromach Distillery 47
      Balmenach Distillery 48
      St. Magdalene Distillery 49
      Bladnoch Distillery 50
      Bushmills Distillery 51
      Old Pulteney Distillery 52
      Caol Ila Distillery 53
      Aberlour Distillery 54
      Royal Brackla Distillery 55
      Coleburn Distillery 56
      Glen Mhor Distillery 57
      Strathisla Distillery 58
      Teaninich Distillery 59
      Aberfeldy Distillery 60
      Brora Distillery 61
      Glenlochy Distillery 62
      Glentauchers Distillery 63
      Mannochmore Distillery 64
      Imperial Distillery 65
      Ardmore Distillery 66
      Banff Distillery 67
      Blair Athol Distillery 68
      Glen Albyn Distillery 69
      Balblair Distillery 70
      Glenburgie Distillery 71
      Miltonduff Distillery 72
      Aultmore Distillery 73
      North Port Distillery 74
      Glenury Royal Distillery 75
      Mortlach Distillery 76
      Glen Ord Distillery 77
      Ben Nevis Distillery 78
      Deanston Distillery 79
      Glen Spey Distillery 80
      Glen Keith Distillery 81
      Glencadam Distillery 82
      Convalmore Distillery 83
      Glendullan Distillery 84
      Glen Elgin Distillery 85
      Glenesk Distillery 86
      Millburn Distillery 87
      Speyburn Distillery 88
      Tomintoul Distillery 89
      Pittyvaich Distillery 90
      Dufftown Distillery 91
      Lochside Distillery 92
      Glen Scotia Distillery 93
      Old Fettercairn Distillery 94
      Auchroisk (Singleton) Distillery 95
      Glendronach Distillery 96
      Littlemill Distillery 97
      Inverleven Distillery (Lomond) 98
      Glenugie Distillery 99
      Strathmill Distillery 100
      Knockando Distillery 101
      Dalwhinnie Distillery 102
      Royal Lochnagar Distillery 103
      Glenburgie Distillery (Glencraig) 104
      Tormore Distillery 105
      Cardhu Distillery 106
      Glenallachie Distillery 107
      Allt-a-Bhainne Distillery 108
      Miltonduff (Mosstowie) 109
      Oban Distillery 110
      Lagavulin Distillery 111
      Loch Lomond Distillery (Inchmurrin) 112
      Braeval Distillery (Braes of Glenlivet) 113
      Springbank Distillery (Longrow) 114
      Knockdhu Distillery (An Cnoc) 115
      Yoichi Distillery 116
      Cooley Distillery (unpeated) 117
      Cooley Distillery (peated) 118
      Yamazaki Distillery 119
      Hakushu Distillery 120
      Isle of Arran Distillery 121
      Loch Lomond Distillery (Croftengea) 122
      Glengoyne Distillery 123
      Miyagikyo Distillery 124
      Glenmorangie Distillery 125
      Springbank Distillery (Hazelburn) 126
      Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte) 127
      Penderyn Distillery 128
      Kilchoman Distillery 129
      Chichibu (Japan) 130
      Hanyu (Japan) 131
      Karuizawa (Japan) 132
      Westland Distillery (USA) 133
      Paul John (India) 134

      Grain Whisky

      Grain Whisky  SMWS Code
      North British Distillery G1
      Carsebridge Distillery G2
      Caledonian Distillery G3
      Cameronbridge Distillery G4
      Invergordon Distillery G5
      Port Dundas Distillery G6
      Girvan Distillery G7
      Cambus Distillery G8
      Loch Lomond Distillery G9
      Strathclyde Distillery G10
      Nikka Coffey Grain (Japan) G11
      Nikka Coffey Malt (Japan) G12
      Chita (Japan) G13
      Dumbarton Distillery G14

      American Bourbon Whiskey

      American Bourbon Whiskey  SMWS Code
      Heaven Hill B1
      Bernheim B2
      Rock Town B3
      F.E.W Distillery B4

      Rum

      Rum  SMWS Code
      Port Morant (Jamaica) R1
      Demerara El Dorado (Guyana) R2
      Mount Gay (Barbados) R3
      Angostura (Trinidad) R4
      Appleton (Jamaica) R5

      We hope the list will help you to know more but do remember, do not judge the whiskies by the general characteristics of their distilleries, as it can be very different from what you expect. Instead, read the tasting notes and taste the whisky to find out if you love it!

       

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        The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

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        The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) landed on Singapore’s shores some time ago. It was a joyous moment for many of us as we finally get a chance to be a member of this esteemed whisky society. As we journey along with SMWS for these months, we discovered that not everyone knows how or when SMWS started. So, today, we are sharing a brief history of SMWS for all to enjoy.

        The Birth of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

        When we speak of SMWS, we think of Phillip “Pips” Hills and his travels around the Scottish Highlands in the 1970s. Due to his experience of tasting whisky directly from the casks during his visits, he fell deeply in love with whisky. His experiences changed his life forever, especially after he convinced his whisky-loving friends to jointly buy a cask of whisky from Glenfarclas distillery in 1978.

        As the years passed, the group expanded into a syndicate where more people joined the group and purchased casks together. As the members continued to grow, they bought and bottled more casks from different distilleries and distribute these bottles to all the subscribing members. After five years, the Society is large enough to purchase their first property – The Vault – in Leith. The Vault comes with a set of vaulted wine cellars said to be from the 12th century.

        The year 1983 marked the closure of many whisky distilleries in Scotland. It was a low point in the history of whisky. Many great distilleries like Port Ellen, Glenugie and St Magdelene closed down in 1983. It was this year that the founding members of SMWS decided to open their membership to the wider public as they can finally welcome more members with their ownership of The Vault. Therefore, SMWS was founded in 1983, as it was the first year that the society opened its doors to the general public.

        The Ups and Downs of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

        After the founding of SMWS in 1983, the society grew by leaps and bounds as more people joined the community. The Vault serves as the member’s second home, where several members’ rooms are available for use by only the members of SMWS. In 1996, the society launched a share scheme to purchase a second property in Greville Street, London. After that, SMWS bought a third property – a Georgian townhouse on Queen Street, Edinburgh in 2004. With three venues, the society grew strongly in numbers, and they purchase more casks than ever before. SMWS then caught the eyes of Glenmorangie PLC, which bought the society in 2004.

        2008 marks the 25th anniversary of SMWS. The guiding members of SMWS decided to celebrate the occasion by redesigning the label to include more information and tasting notes on the front of the bottle. Things continue to run smoothly, and by 2015, SMWS was once again, acquired by private investors. SMWS remains as the property of these private investors today.

        The Membership of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

        Only members of the society can purchase SMWS’ bottlings. Becoming a member is easy. Choose from the basic membership at SGD$140 or the membership pioneer at SGD$320. Both memberships come with the following benefits:

        • Exclusive access to purchase whisky and spirits from SMWS.sg
        • Members rates for all SMWS events
        • Members rates at all partner bars across Singapore, UK & Europe
        • Advanced access to all new whiskies (Outturn)
        • Exclusive access to member venues
        • Free subscription to our award-winning magazine
        • Membership Card

        The membership pioneer has the additional exclusive welcome pack:

        • Three limited release SMWS 10cl bottles
        • SMWS Journal
        • Club lapel badge

        If you are happy to get the membership without the welcome pack, the basic membership is good enough for you to gain access to the SMWS bottlings. However, the exclusive welcome pack is choked full with goodies, so if you are keen to explore SMWS and have a deeper pocket, why not try the membership pioneer?

        Locations of SMWS Bars in Singapore

        There are currently two SMWS member bars in Singapore – The Single Cask and The Wall SG. If you want to check out new bottlings from SMWS, visiting either bar will be a good choice for you to taste some excellent whiskies from SMWS. New members can also head over to The Single Cask to collect your membership card and pick up any bottles that you purchase online.

        Members can access SMWS bars in other countries. Besides the three member-bars in the U.K, there are bars in Australia, Austria, Benelux, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the U.S.A.

        SMWS Moving Forward

        We hope to see more bottlings from SMWS coming into Singapore in the future as we move forward together as a nation to appreciate whisky. We believe that with SMWS coming onboard in Singapore, more people will get to try whiskies straight from the cask and at cask strength too!

        In our next article, we will speak more of SMWS bottlings and the codes on their bottles.

         

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          How to remove a broken cork from your whisky bottle

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          All of us are victims of this age-old problem – the cork breaks when we are opening a bottle of our favourite whisky. This issue is especially prevalent in older bottles simply due to age. Needless to say, we are all frustrated with this recurring challenge! What are some of the best ways to remove a broken cork from our whisky bottles?

          Using a corkscrew

          If the broken cork is just slightly below the open neck of the bottle, it is easiest to use a corkscrew to remove the broken piece. Use the corkscrew the same way that you would when opening a wine bottle, and you should have the broken cork out of the bottle soon enough!

          Using a long nail and a piler

          Sometimes, the corkscrew is not delicate enough to do the job, and you will need a better idea. Find a long nail (as long as possible) and make sure it is clean. Screw it slowly into the broken cork, just like how you operate a manual corkscrew. The trick is to pull the long nail a little after screwing it into the cork so that you get a tight grip. Then use piler to slowly but steadily remove the broken cork out of the bottle.

          Using a flat blade

          When a corkscrew or a nail is not available, grab a flat blade knife from the kitchen. This is an operation only for the nimble fingers, so be safe when you are doing it. Insert the flat knife into the cork near the cork’s edge and the neck of the bottle. Be careful not to stick the knife into the centre of the cork as you need the neck of the bottle as some form of leverage. Once you insert the blade reasonably deep into the cork, start turning the knife in circular motions. The trick here is to pull upwards as you turn so that you pull up the cork even as you turn the knife in circles. Once you can grip the cork with your fingers, stop using the knife and pull the cork free with your hands.

          Push the broken cork into the whisky bottle

          If there is no way for you to remove the broken cork from the bottle, the next best thing is to push the cork into the bottle. This method requires you to have a spare glass bottle to house your whisky. To use this method, clean the debris of the broken cork so that small particles will not fall into the whisky. You may want to check the integrity of the cork as well because you do not want it to disintegrate when it falls into the bottle. Once you are sure the cork will stay in one piece, go ahead to push the cork into the bottle. After that, follow the next step.

          Decanter your whisky

          If parts of the broken cork fall into the whisky or you push the broken cork into the whisky, you have to decanter it. Grab a clean, empty glass bottle and decanter your whisky using a sieve or strainer (for bigger debris) or a coffee filter (for tiny particles). After that, the big challenge comes – removing the bigger piece of broken cork from the newly empty bottle. One of the best ways is to use a clean plastic bag. Insert a clean plastic bag into the bottle, with the open end facing the neck of the bottle. Overturn the bottle so that the broken cork falls to the neck of the bottle. Next, blow air into the plastic bag so that the cork remains at the neck of the bottle. Then, delicately pull the plastic bag and cork out of the bottle.

          Using a wire

          For those with a steady hand and a steely gaze, you can consider using a stainless wire fashioned into a hook to remove the larger pieces of the broken cork. Ensure that the wire is hard, and use it like a fishing hook to puncture and lift the debris gently out of the bottle. It requires a ton of patience and a whole lot more skills!

           

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            How to Store Whisky for the Long-Term

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            Whisky drinkers do not usually have a hard time storing whisky as compared to wine drinkers. As our precious liquid stops ageing once bottled, whisky drinkers can keep their whiskies indefinitely. Well, as a broad-based theory, of course. Temperature and storage methods do affect whiskies, unfortunately, so we are here to look into how we can avoid doing the wrong things.

            Storing sealed and full bottles

            We need to look out for two things when storing sealed bottles. The first is temperature and the second, sunlight. Both of these affect whisky by causing chemical reactions in the whisky compounds and degrade the flavours over time. While this does not happen within a few years, but it will alter the taste after ten years or more.

            The best way to store sealed bottles is in a cupboard when the light is minimal, and temperatures do not fluctuate like the stock market. Having a constant room temperature between 15 to 18 degrees Celcius is ideal. Nonetheless, we know that it is impossible for us in this part of the world to get that temperature, so keeping your whiskies in the dark cupboard is the next best thing. Otherwise, make sure that your open shelf is not facing the window to avoid heat and sunlight.

            Storing opened bottles

            An opened bottle of whisky requires a lot more attention and careful storage as compared to a sealed one. If your bottle is more than 2/3 full, it is entirely possible that the flavours will not change for the next one year or so. What you can do is to use some parafilm to create a seal on the bottle cap or cork to preserve the flavours as much as possible.

            The challenge hits when your bottle is about 1/3 full. With that much air in the bottle, the whisky will begin to oxidise. Once oxidisation starts, the whisky will change and no longer taste the way it was. For some expression, oxidisation improves the flavours, but for most others, it degrades the whisky instead.

            The best way to prevent oxidisation is to invite a few friends over to your house and finish the bottle on a glorious night. If you want to keep it for yourself, you may want to drink it as quickly as you can. Alternatively, pour the remaining whisky into a smaller glass bottle with a good seal. You can then parafilm the smaller bottle after that.

            Using inert gas

            You can use inert gas to remove the oxygen from the bottle before storing it for a long time. However, there is no study to verify if the inert gas will change the whisky. By theory, the inert gas will not cause any changes since they are not reactive, but nobody has verified it (at least I did not find any scientistic study on it). Some whisky drinkers in our community use inert gas, and they have not complained about taste alteration so far!

             

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              A Visit to Pernod Ricard’s Office Bar

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              The new Reception at Pernod Ricard Singapore

              Geek Flora and Geek Choc visited Pernod Ricard Singapore recently for a drink with their Assistant Brand Community Manager, Denis English. It was our first time to the office bar, and we were excited to find out how it looks like. When we reached the office lobby, we found Denis patiently waiting for us outside the office! That was a great welcome!

              The Walk to the Bar

              Denis walked us into the office, and the first thing that greeted us was the magnificent reception that you see at the top of this post. We understand that Pernod Ricard renovated the office and they have just recently reopened the bar as well. At one corner of the large reception area, there is a sofa with some splendid posters. This is the waiting area.

              Pernod Ricard’s Waiting Area

               

              Check out the posters. They are gorgeous!

              We turned into a corridor where there is a wall filled with their products. There is a selection of fine wines, cognac, whiskies, gins, vodka, tequila and rum. Here’s a picture to show you how the wall looks like.

               

              The Whisky_Cognac Wall

              Pernod Ricard’s Office Bar

              This beautiful corridor leads to a vast, open space that house the Pernod Ricard’s office bar. This is how it looks.

              Denis behind the bar counter

              Pernod Ricard uses the bar for training within the company and industry. Denis shared that the company trains bartenders, bar owners, bar managers and their trade partners in the bar. Of course, employees have access to the bar and they can “drop-by” after work for a drink or two.

              Besides the bar counter, there is an open area that can hold up to say about 30 people by our judgement.

              Appealing Open Area in the bar

              The office bar is a good place for employees to relax after a hard day’s work with some whiskies, cognac or gin. The bar is well-stocked, and there are various delicious blended and single malts that we spy from our seats at the counter. We spent a long time here to understand more about the whisky range of Pernod Ricard and of course, chatting about whiskies!

              The Tasting Session

              Denis filled the evening with lovely whiskies and his generosity as we sample drinks after drinks. We started with two special bottlings of the Chivas Regal – the Extra and the Mizunara. We then moved on to the Royal Salute 21 Years, Ballantine’s and the single malts.

              The range of whiskies we tasted

              The Chivas Range

              Those of you who know me (Geek Flora) personally will know that I am not a huge fan of the Mizunara cask as I am not fond of incense in my whisky. The Chivas Regal Mizunara is of course, not something I am so keen to try. It is finished in Mizunara casks for three to six months, so I am wary of the incense notes when I nose it. Interestedly, the incense here is fragrant and well, not so intense! I get the vanilla more than the incense. You could say that it is a welcoming change, but it is still not as outstanding as the Chivas Regal Extra.

              Now, the Chivas Regal Extra is made up of mostly sherry-cask whiskies. That shows up quickly in the nose and palate where sherry notes and caramel fight for the limelight. Although it is a 40% blended whisky, it holds up to the test when we leave the whisky in the glass to air. After about 45 minutes of airing in a Glencairn glass, the whisky opens up beautifully with deep sherry notes, caramel, hints of vanilla and gentle spice. It does not taste like a 40% anymore. It is fantastic! What is even better is the fact that the whisky costs only SGD$85. Perfect for a party, don’t you think so?

              The Royal Salute 21 Years is a famous expression that many whisky drinkers enjoy. It is easy to drink and looks royal sitting in those ceramic decanters. We had more than just a sip of the Royal Salute 21 years and enjoyed the oily, sweet palate as the whisky slid gently down the throat.

              The Ballantine’s 17 Years Old

              We want to highlight the Ballantine’s 17 Years Old here because it is not a popular brand in Singapore. It is well-loved in Taiwan, and our Taiwanese friends love the brand. We requested to have a taste of it, and Denis generously opened a new bottle just for us to try.

              Ballantine’s is spicier than the Chivas, which makes us think that the blend is likely to contain more whiskies aged in ex-bourbon casks. There is also a possibility of having some rye in it. The flavours are also more prominent. Slightly grassy, with green fruits such as apples, pears and even some grapes in it. Even the finish is longer than the Chivas, with dry sweetness leading all the way till the end.

              The Single Malts

              Pernod Ricard carries many single malts that go into their blends. Some of the single malts include The Glenlivet, Aberlour, Strathisla, Allt-a-Bhainne and Braeval. Glen Keith, Longmorn, Glenburgie and Glentauchers are also part of their portfolio. With so many single malts under their belt, Pernod Ricard’s position as the second largest company of wine and spirit in the world is not at all surprising.

              We tried the Aberlour 12 and the Stathisla 12. Interestedly, we had tried whiskies from both distilleries before, but never an official bottling. It was a perfect chance for us to try them out indeed!

              The Aberlour 12 is delicious with plenty of sherry and caramel notes. What is unique about this expression is the grape notes that I picked up on the palate, almost like red wine. We found out later that this expression is not the usual 12 years old, but one of the limited editions. Talk about it being a special one!

              The Strathisla 12 has more bourbon influence, and the oak is stronger too. Perhaps the distillate is lighter and takes in more influence from the cask. Nonetheless, it was a lovely dram that speaks of creamy vanilla, mild oak and a little spice.

              A Tour around the Office

              After some drams, Denis invited us for a tour around the office. They have themed meeting rooms which impressed us very much with the beautiful decorations and practical use of the various items within the rooms. They have a Perrier Jouet room, a Chivas Room, a Monkey 47 Room, a Jameson Room and a secret Martell Room! Outside the rooms, there is also an open area where employees can discuss matters over a cup of coffee or a game played in a sandpit!

              Open Area and Sandpit

               

              Perrier Jouet Room

               

              Monkey 47 Gin Room

               

              Jameson Room

               

              Display at the Martell Secret Room

              It was a pity that I failed to take a full picture of the secret Martell room, but well, it was a thrill to find it! Haha!

              The Last Drop before Leaving

              As we headed back to the bar to pick up our things, Denis found an open bottle of the Chivas Royal Salute – The Polo Collection. As it is a special edition, Denis invited us to sit down again for a taste of it. It is different from the usual Royal Salute. The Polo Collection has a spicy tinge to it and opens up a delicate, floral flavour. The nose is perfumey and gentle, almost like a soft touch from a rose petal.

              Royal Salute Polo Collection

              It was time to say goodbye after the last drop as the night was deepening. We bid good night to Denis and thank him for the wonderful evening. We look forward to seeing Denis again and hope to work with him in future!

              As for you, our dear readers, we hope to bring you some superb deals from Pernod Ricard too!

               

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                Big Boss is Hosting a CNY Party! What should You Bring?

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                The Lunar New Year is all about feasting and visiting relatives and friends while feasting…Hmm…that explains the growing waistline, doesn’t it? Well, that’s not all! The Lunar New Year is also a time when all young people play dodgeballs. What? Yes, dodging questions about marital status and baby-making plans!

                You may think that this is all that is about the Lunar New Year, but wait, how about that awesome party that your big boss is holding? Some of these parties are not just a party, my friends; it could be a party that every department, or perhaps every colleague tries to outdo one another based on what they bring to the party!

                So, if you are heading to one of these parties, what should you bring?

                Oranges and Red Packets

                Oranges and red packets (ang baos) are two of the most vital things to bring when heading to such a party. This is essential if your boss is old-school and believes in a traditional set-up for the party. Even if you are heading for a pool-side party, the oranges and red packets will still do a lot of good! Well, unless you are single, then be prepared to receive red packets!

                Whisky

                If you want to impress your boss, whisky is one of the best choices you have. It might be cool to bring a bottle of wine to the party, but nothing impresses more than a bottle of whisky. The question is, what whisky should you bring? Let us share some suggestions with you!

                Macallan Edition No. 3

                The Macallan Edition No. 3 is a sweet and floral whisky that is easy to drink. It is also an affordable bottle that doesn’t break your pocket. Besides, Macallan is a famous brand, so even the uninitiated, non-whisky drinkers will recognise the brand. This bottle is going to help boost your reputation, especially if your boss loves whisky!

                Taketsuru 21 Years

                Next in line is a Japanese whisky that is so popular that prices are shooting higher and higher. The Taketsuru 21 Years Pure Malt is a blended whisky with some of the best Japanese single malts in it. It appears that both Yoichi and Miyagikyo are both parts of the blend! While this bottle may be a little more expensive, you can share the cost with a small team if you want to impress the big boss that your team knows what to bring for a CNY party!

                Glenfiddich IPA

                You have probably tried the Glenfiddich IPA and love the way the gentle and malty whisky sways its way down your throat in the sexiest of ways. We think that this bottle is perfect if the gathering does not require you to bring a big gift along. It is also ideal if you want to bring a bottle on your own and do not want to spend too much money. Glenfiddich is a big brand name with the best-selling whisky in the world. Bringing a bottle from a famous distillery can earn some brownie points too!

                Glenlivet 12 Years Old

                If you think that an aged Scotch is necessary, bring along the Glenlivet 12 Years. It is an easy-to-drink whisky that is floral and pleasing to the nose and palate. If you are willing to splurge a little more (good bonus, perhaps), go one level higher and aim for a Glenlivet 15 Years old. Both bottles will win hearts and souls with their excellent spirits. Of course, they will bring you higher regards from both the bosses and your colleagues!

                Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve

                If all else fails, there is Yamazaki to the recuse. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is one of the most popular Japanese whiskies that is still relatively affordable. Unlike the Yamazaki 12 Years old, the Distiller’s Reserve edition is easier to find and does not cost as much as a 12 Years old. Bringing a Yamazaki bottle to the party is likely to make you a favourite among all the party-goers, especially if they love the delicate and floral taste of Japanese whiskies.

                Have a Lovely Party!

                The weekend that is coming up is going to be busy with all the parties! We hope that this little post will help you choose a bottle of whisky to bring and hope that it will bring you good fortune and the best of luck in the new year!

                Slainte!

                 

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                  Serving Whisky in Alternative Ways

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                  Seasoned whisky drinkers often complained about waste – the waste of a whisky when it is not drunk neat. The assumption that whisky must be drunk as intended by the whisky distiller often intimate beginners and causes some to avoid the liquid altogether. Do we need to drink whisky neat every time? Well, not if you are looking to drink whisky for different reasons! There is no right or wrong way to drink whisky. In fact, whisky is a versatile drink.

                  We look to bartenders and observe how they serve whisky to understand how other people are drinking whisky. We realised that bars serve whiskies in more ways than one!

                  What are some of the other ways to serve whisky? Let’s find out!

                  Mixed with Soda aka a Highball

                  The world credited the Japanese with the invention of the Highball, but the Scots also have drunk whiskies this way since the 16th century. A rich and heavy whisky can benefit from the adding of soda water to make it a Highball, or what we call a “long drink”. It creates a refreshing beverage and also dilutes the alcohol level of the whisky. It is especially enjoyable on a hot day where all you want to do is to chill at a local bar!

                  With Iceball or Ice Cubes

                  Whisky is refreshing when it is drunk with an iceball or ice cubes. The ice dilutes the whisky slowly while retaining most of the flavours. It is also an excellent way to test whether a whisky can stand up to the onslaughter of ice and water. A complex and well-balanced whisky will put up a good fight against the ice and water, creating a multi-facade drinking experience for the drinker. A whisky bar will serve whisky with a solid piece of ice as it melts slower and does not dilute the whisky as quickly as ice cubes.

                  Chilled

                  Some bars chill whisky the same way that they chill wine. Interestingly, some whiskies perform better when chilled. We tried chilling whiskies with overwhelming flavours, and the lower temperature does subdue the flavours just a little to make the whisky more manageable. It is also a fantastic way to enjoy whisky without getting it diluted with ice or water.

                  With a Splash of Water

                  Some whiskies open up only after a splash of water. Usually, the water is served on the side with a dropper so that the drinker can add the water when he or she wants to. In our opinion, the best way to open up a whisky is to add a drop of water to it, swirl it around and try it again. It often works wonder without diluting the whisky much.

                  Have it with a mixer

                  This happens mostly in a pub or a club where people look to drink more than they should. Most of us probably started drinking whisky this way. Add it to a mixer and enjoy it without tasting the alcohol burn. However, as we mature and walk deeper into the whisky forest, we do forsake this habit for more advanced ways of drinking. That does not mean that others who drink their whiskies with a mixer are wrong. We all have to start somewhere, isn’t it?

                  As a Cocktail

                  Of course, we are familiar with whisky cocktails. These are perfect companions for dinner or a light drink before a party. Famous whisky cocktails such as Old-Fashioned are popular in Singapore and have always been a favourite among many drinkers. Bartenders who shake up brilliant whisky cocktails are valued (even treasured) by whisky lovers because there are still some days where you want to drink something lighter than a whisky!

                  Neat

                  Finally, the most basic serving method is to have your whiskies neat. While this is the premium choice of most seasoned whisky drinkers, remember that it is not necessary the best way. If you are not comfortable to drink it neat, why not have it with ice, water, soda or even any other mixers? There is no fixed way to drink whisky! Your bartender is more than happy to serve you whisky in whichever way that you desired!

                   

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                    What you need to know about The Swan Song

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                    We are sure that some of you have heard of The Swan Song (SS) and possibly, already visited the bar more than once. SS is a new whisky bar located at Prinsep Street, just a short walk from Dhoby Ghaut MRT. The owners of the bar are Arun and Kelvin, also known as AK for short. They are veterans in the whisky scene and are not strangers to many of us.

                    AK invited us to SS recently, and we appeared that very night! Haha! It was a coincidence that the invitation came on the same day that we planned for a visit with our friends! We enjoyed ourselves so much that we went down to the bar again the following week.

                    Have you visited SS yet? What do you know about the Swan Song?

                    The bar at The Swan Song

                     

                    The bar is born out of a dream

                    AK met a long time ago over whisky, and as time passes, they become close friends who love to drink and talk whisky. As passionate, like-minded whisky lovers, it is no wonder that talks turn into the shared dream of opening a whisky bar. Things moved faster than they thought, and so The Swan Song is born.

                    The idea is to share and learn together

                    SS houses a great variety of whiskies, from the modern to the vintages. The concept from AK is not to hoard, but to share. They believe in sharing good drams with other whisky enthusiasts to enrich one another. Vintages and rare whiskies are expensive and almost unattainable by most, so by opening rare bottles and sharing them with patrons by the dram, SS make these whiskies attainable and available for those who want to try.

                    Education and Accessibility is in the heart of SS

                    SS has a noble vision and a worthy mission. Their vision is to educate and spread the word for vintage and rare whiskies while their mission is to make such whiskies available. Both vision and mission are commendable indeed! With a heart to share as many whiskies with other whisky drinkers as possible, SS is a bar which charges fairly and reasonably. AK do not believe in overcharging their patrons for a whisky just because it is rare. They want to charge a price that makes it attainable by the dram and yet be sustainable as a business.

                    Price is always a consideration

                    Price is essential to any business, especially one which strive to be sustainable. In SS, you will not find overpriced whiskies, but reasonably priced drams. The essence of what The Swan Song stands for is value. They want their patrons to feel that there is value in what they are drinking and what they are paying for. With their heart in education and accessibility, they think that it is pointless if they priced the whiskies beyond the value of what people would pay for. Therefore, they strive to keep the expenses low. Rental is reasonable, and the decoration is simple and practical. What is important is the heart to serve, and the passion for sharing their knowledge with the customers that come through the doors of SS.

                    Vintage and rare whiskies are their differentiating factors

                    When we spoke of differentiation between SS and the other bars in Singapore, it is evident that SS is not interested to replace the other bars but to co-exist in harmony instead. Many of the bar owners and bar managers in Singapore are their friends, so replacement is never on their mind.

                    What SS offers instead is their vintage and rare whiskies which are hard to come by, even by the other bars. There is also the vast knowledge that AK has, as well as their generosity that is known by the regulars. Besides the vintage whiskies, SS also strives to bring in special bottlings that are hard to find in Singapore. For example, the Bruichladdich Oirthir Gaidheal Islay Festival 2009 bottling is a limited release for the Islay festival only. It is so limited that most Bruichladdich fans outside of Islay will never taste it…until SS bring it in! Singapore is a lucky island!

                    Check out some of the bottles that we tried at The Swan Song!

                    (Old Malt Cask) Port Ellen 1983 (22 Years Old) Bottled for the Whisky Festival Noord Nederland

                     

                    (Signatory Vintage) Linlithgow/St Magdalene 1982 (25 Years Old) Bottled for LMDW

                     

                    (Whisky-Import-Nederland) Caol Ila 1982 (25 Years Old)

                     

                    Bruichladdich Oirthir Gaidheal Bottled for Islay Festival 2009

                     

                    (BlackAdder) Bowmore 1973 (27 Years Old)

                     

                    Old Style Jura 1970s (8 Years Old)

                    As you can see, there are many old and rare bottles which we get to try. It is exciting to try whiskies from the 1970s and 1980s, especially when some of these bottles are distilled during our birth years!

                    Plans for the Future

                    We spoke of masterclasses and whether AK will eventually hold tasting sessions or masterclasses at the bar. The answer is a resounding “Yes”, but more needs to be discussed before they finalised anything. What we can tell you is this: you can expect an exciting, value for money masterclass that is also sharing rare whiskies! The price tag might not be the cheapest in town, but you know that you are getting a good deal out of it.

                    Our impression of The Swan Song

                    The Swan Song impressed us with their open conversations and their willingness to impart knowledge to their patrons. Their generosity as a host is also undeniable. The cosy bar reminds us of a home, and the hosts invited us to share what they have with an open heart. We feel the honesty and integrity of the people behind the bar, and we know that they are there to share and learn alongside us. They deliver what they want to offer – a free education about whisky and the accessibility of vintage and rare whiskies. The team works together, lending strength to one another and making sacrifices on the home front. We are so proud of AK because they make Singapore just a little brighter with their bar!

                     

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