John Walker & Son’s XR 21 Mastery

Johnnie Walker is arguably one of the most popular blended whisky brand in the world. Any whisky drinker worth his/her salt has probably drank a Johnnie Walker product if not started with one.

Many exceptional blends have been produced by Johnnie Walker & Sons and the XR 21, produced as part of their premium Prestige line of products is one excellent product.

The XR 21 is a product inspired by Alexander Walker II to honour the commemoration of his knighthood he received in 1920. Alexander Walker II was a master blender like his father and his grandfather before him, who devoted his life to making exceptional whiskies. Inspired by Sir Alexander’s own hand-written notes, it is blended from the exclusive Johnnie Walker reserve of rare whiskies, all of which have been matured for a full 21 years.

I was lucky enough to enjoy an a gastronomical experience with XR 21 recently.

We were transported to the elegant Khoo Kongsi in Penang, one of the prestigious UNESCO heritage clan houses in Malaysia owned by the Khoo (surnamed) clan. Against the backdrop of lighting, the Khoo Kongsi was transformed into a courtyard of entertainment, where we dined from the stage of the opera house overlooking the temple.

The 4 course delectable menu meal served was selected with the highlight of local (Penang) ingredients and tastes made Chef Spider Kong, chef owner of private dining restaurant, Soul Food in Penang, and Chef Jeffrey, the Head Pastry Chef at Metisser Dessert Parlour in Penang.

Balanced and elegant, the XR 21 has intriguing layers. Sweet honey, fruits and spices with smoke coming through. At 40%ABV, with a splash of water, the fruitiness is even more pronounced.

At the later part of the night, another surprise was revealed to us. A special tasting was arranged for another exceptional whisky; the Mortlach 21 - which is one of the whiskies blended into the XR 21, lending it its honey sweetness.

The XR 21 Mastery is a platform created exclusively for Malaysia, featuring local hidden gems and culinary experts to pair with the XR 21. For more information on the XR 21 Mastery, contact diageoinfo@mhdm.com.my

What a great mini holiday this was. Slàinte mhath Diageo!

- Jon

Diageo Classic Malts Tasting Session

Diageo recently held a tasting session featuring some of its Classic Malts collection which include Clynelish 14 Year Old, Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old, Oban 14 Year Old.

The highlight of the evening was the Benrinnes 21 Year Old from Diageo’s Casks of Distinction.

What is “Diageo’s Casks of Distinction”? It is a limited program where customers can purchase the entire casks from selected distilleries, and then choose to either bottle it or continue ageing it for bottling at a later date.

Event: The Whisky Society 2016 - Win Tickets!

TLDR: 2 pairs of The Whisky Society event tickets worth RM229 each up for grabs. Find out how to win them at the end of this post.

What is this?
Back for its second year, The Whisky Society is a mini Malaysian whisky tasting festival which is especially ideal for people who want try a whole bunch of whiskies but don't really want to  commit to full bottles of too many different expressions.

Event: Toast the Macallan

What is it?
Finally coming to our shores after dropping by Singapore, Taiwan & Thailand, Toast the Macallan is a pop-up experiential event by The Macallan to showcase their range of whiskies & history through an exhibition & tasting session; hosted by The Macallan Brand Trainer, Keith Nair and Brand Advocate, Randall Tan.

The Macallan will also be unveiling its newest series, the Trilogy, which consists of:

The Macallan: Edition No.1 Sample & Rare Cask Malaysia Launch

Macallan has been actively moving away from age-statements and are now putting all their focus on wood.

So expect to see new NAS bottlings and even more geekery about their casks.

I'll be featuring 2 of them in this post, as they were all shared with me during my hiatus back in January - but better late than never eh?

(Re)Launch: Johnnie Walker Green Label Datang Lagi!

Johnnie Walker Green Label is back!

Heart were broken, (manly) tears were shed, shelves were emptied and basements were filled up with green boxes (YOU BLOODY HOARDERS) when Diageo decided to discontinue selling the Green Label back in 2012 (except in Taiwan, because you know, where, instead of oxygen, they inhale single malt whiskies) to introduce the Gold Label and Platinum Label.

Insta Weekly: All the Whiskies I've Tried and Probably Can't Buy :(

December's usually quiet, and last week was no exception. Haven't had the inspiration to mix drinks lately. However, I did have all the luck to try Other People's Stash of whiskies. <3

Trying something new this week. Let's see if embedding my Instagram pictures directly onto my blog works for you - please let me know if you can't see any of the images below?

Note to self, BUY THESE:

1. The National Trust for Scotland Glen Garioch Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (43% ABV)

Note to self: you like this whisky! Get it when you see it! Thank goodness for OPS (Other People's Stash). Otherwise I would've never been able to experience half of the stuff I've been able to experience. Thank you x 1000 all of you, you know who you are! #drink #booze #alcohol #singlemaltwhisky #singlemalt #scotch #whisky #glengarioch #highlandwhisky #angeltini

A photo posted by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Dec 20, 2015 at 11:46pm PST

Launch: Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky

When a representative from Diageo teased us by saying that the Mortlach was coming to Malaysia soon, the few local whisky geeks I knew squealed like little girls. Surely that had to mean something awesome.

Whisky Live Singapore 2015: Everything you need to know.

The annual Whisky Live Singapore is back!

Organised by La Maison du Whisky (who also organises Whisky Live Paris, said to be the biggest Whisky and Spirit show in Europe), this is likely the biggest annual whisky event in Asia.

Oddly enough, most of you reading this blog are from Singapore. So I've taken the trouble to compile all the information you'll need to know about this event for your easy reference. You're welcome. :)

Who should go:
Anyone and everyone who (legally can and) has the slightest interest in whisky and/or spirits.

What's included in the ticket:
1) Being able to sample an insane number of whiskies (whiskeys) and spirits:

• Over 20 whisky brands from A to T (there's no U-Z brand names lol). Featuring distilleries from east to west, south to north, craft to commercial brands. 
• Over 40 spirit labels - from whites, browns and everything in between.
• Totaling close to (what is claimed to be) about 500 expressions 

Details: www.whiskylive.sg/whisky-live-singapore/exhibitors

2) Cocktail sampling from 9 popular bars in Singapore:  28 HongKong Street, L’Aiglon, Tippling Club, Sugarhall, The Library, Anti:dote, Spiffy Dapper, FOC and Longplay.

3) ... paired with food samplings by Burnt Ends, Meat Smith, FOC, El Mero Mero and Sorrel.

4) Access to view the very special Collectors Room which showcases bottlings from closed distilleries, limited editions  and old vintages (which collectors and whisky geeks may salivate over).  Though, tasting them is a separate fee.

Getting there & back:
8-10 hours at a spirits event? Driving is not even an option. The organisers behind Whisky Live have made special arrangements so that you can imbibe responsibly and without having to worry about how you'll get home.

Free shuttle buses:
From Harbourfront MRT to and from Capella event space, specially arranged for Whisky Live.
First shuttle: 30 mins. before event opening
Last shuttle: 30 mins. after end of event
Frequency: Every 15mins.
The shuttle service is accessible at Harbourfront MRT Exit D.

Uber:
SGD20 off first ride with Uber with the code WHISKYLIVESG

SMRT Taxi: 

7-seater taxis provided from the hotel at SGD50 with additional SGD12 for en-route stops. Rides within Sentosa / Vivo City are SGD13.

Masterclasses:
Held by the respective brand representatives, these 1 hour sessions usually involve an intimate presentation session followed by a tasting of the feature product(s).

Participating brands/spirits are:
The Aberlour, Nikka Coffey, the world of rum (by Luca Gargano, owner of Velier rums and renowned rum expert), Glenfiddich, The Dalmore, The Balvenie, Kavalan, GlenDronach, Highland Park.

Priced at SGD35 each on top of the event tickets, I believe some of these classes are already fully booked as spaces are limited. Details: www.whiskylive.sg/events/masterclasses.

Other event info:
Venue:
Capella Singapore, 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island, Singapore 098297

Event hours:
Saturday, 28 November: 2-10pm (last entrance 9pm)
Sunday, 29 November: 11am-9pm (last entrance 8pm)

Buy tickets:
Pass from SGD95 up to a package promo with hotel stay at SGD990.

Online:  www.sistic.com.sg/events/whisky1115

Offline: For those in Singapore, you can also purchase the tickets at La Maison du Whisky (80 Mohamed Sultan Rd., Singapore 239013).

More Info:
http://www.whiskylive.sg/
https://www.facebook.com/events/692056207593670

I'll be there on Saturday and am counting down the days.
Say hi! :)

Insta Weekly: 44 Bar has moved - KL Oysters Festival - Mortlach launch - Heineken Sundown Party - The Good Batch - Cocktails of 2 weeks -

I know, I know I've been tardy last month. Got too caught up with some crazy offline commitments. But after this week, things will go back to normal again. This I can promise all 5 of you. Without further ceremony:

44 bar has moved!

44 Bar said goodbye The Row @ Jalan Doraisamy and said hello to Dr. Inc @ Bangsar.

Until December 2015, check them out at their new location for your American craft spirits, bespoked gin tonic happy hour sessions and bottle-aged cocktails (truly special stuff) fix. There might be more stuff coming once they have properly settled down - if there is, I'll definitely let you on, on it.

Launch: Glenglassaugh Highland Single Malt Whisky

Glenglassaugh is relatively unheard of in Malaysia. In fact, it didn't even properly show up in the whisky geeks' community radar up until the BenRiach distillery (also owns Glendronach) bought it over in 2013.

Drink ALL the Glenglassaugh!

However, you might be surprised to know that the distillery is actually 140 years old. Dating back to 1875, it claims to be one of Scotland's oldest distilleries.

Insta Weekly: Kirin Beer Garden - GAB Oktoberfest 2015 - Free Whisky @ The Bar - Happy 3rd Birthday A&L

1. Kirin Ichiban Beer Pop Up Bar from 1 Oct to 10 Oct at @ Solaris, Publika.

I've mentioned this quite a few times on my FB, instagram and have even blogged about it already, haha. So why haven't you check it out with your friends and gotten hold of your own mini "slurpee" machine already? Hehe.

Launch: Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in Malaysia

Monkey Shoulder has officially arrived in Malaysia, YEAY!

Selamat datang Monkey Shoulder!

....but boo, because I wanted to keep it all to myself :(

Launch: Nikka Coffey Series in Malaysia

If you're into whisky, I'm pretty sure you're aware about (and contribute to) the hype on the sudden and terrible shortage of Japanese aged whiskies.

Nikka has been in the limelight quite recently for this reason too. Hearts were broken as selected Taketsuru, Yoichi and Miyagikyo expressions were phased out (and prices increased by a gazillion percent). While these are stuff of legend, what really set Nikka apart from the rest of the clutter (for me at least) is not their aged single malts (because everyone and their grandmother makes single malts), but their NAS blended and grains.

If you follow me at all, you'll know that I've professed my love for the Nikka From the Barrel, Taketsuru 12 and Nikka Coffey Grain.

Pavilion KL's #JourneyOfTaste & L'Officiel Launch - Guinness Malaysia is 50 - Imperial by Zouk

Not much updates from me last week as I was called away to "balik kampung" on a family obligation... Also - that haze man. It's getting terrible by the day isn't it? My eyes are already stinging, my nose is full of gunk and I'm getting constant headaches from it already. :/ Please take care of yourselves, drink plenty of water, take the medications you need to take and if you must stay outdoors, mask on ya! 

1. L'Officiel Launch & Pavilion KL's #JourneyOfTaste 

Was at Pavilion KL for the launch of the L'officiel magazine in Malaysia. Supposedly the oldest one around, this 94 year old fashion luxury magazine from Paris has finally made its way to Malaysia and will feature localised contents. I'm not the most fashionable person, but the invite was not wasted on me because I sure know how to enjoy a good party, especially one which has free flow sparkling wines and cocktails made with Absolut vodka and Martell (from Pernod Ricard). More about the magazine:  www.lofficielmalaysia.com and www.facebook.com/lofficielmalaysia

Insta Weekly : Happy 58 Years old, Malaysia - Keep Your Peels - Arran Whisky Fling - Junior @ #tikitakeover44 - Taps' Better Beer Festival

Long post ahead! So no need for a filler introduction! Just go go go!

1. Jungle Bird for Merdeka #58

I've made the Jungle Bird quite a few times already just to practice. Practice practice practice makes perfect! If you're a true blue Malaysian  then this is one cocktail you should learn to make (and perhaps an Old Fashioned) to impress guests or a date, because if there are only 2 things that we are all unitedly proud of, it's our F(ood) and our B(everage).

Insta Weekly: Celebrated International Rum Day with a Grog - Kronenbourg 1664 Wednesday - Monkey Shoulder Launched in Malaysia - The Glenlivet Guardians

Oh my. One of the most surreal experiences of the year happened last Friday. It never occurred to me that someday I'll find myself swimming in a pool filled with popcorn in a dress, but it happened. Read on to find on what on earth happened.

1. International Rum Day - 16 August.

Didn't want to make a common rum drink (daiquiri, punch, mojito) to "celebrate" so decided to make something called a Grog with Sailor Jerry spice rum in.

Insta Weekly: Cosmo - Nikka Coffey - Asahi - Vom Fass Whiskies - #MyTigerBites - Longrow - Beer Bourbon Bacon - 1K on Insta

Another happening week last week. So much so that I'm already getting a back log of event posts which I haven't  publish... oops! So without further ado:

1. The Best Cosmopolitan I've Ever Made

SATC made the Cosmo super popular way back when. It's actually not too difficult to make. All you need is some vodka, cranberry, cointreau and lime juice and an orange peel for its citrus scent. I prefer to put in a touch of sugar syrup for some viscosity. Also, if you don't have an orange peel around, 1-2 dashes of orange bitters work fine too.

Insta Weekly: Ice cubes - Homemade Cocktails - National Tequila & Daiquir Day - Whisky! Whee!

So I "predicted" before that events would be slow during the fasting and Raya months ... and I've been right so far. :)

Not complaining  though - it gives me more time at night to practice making drinks and experimenting with stuff like below:

1. Made: Cheapskate giant ice cubes

I keep wishing my ice didn't melt so fast, diluting my shaken cocktails too quickly while not chilling it fast enough. Large ice blocks would fix that. I've been pinning for those expensive silicon extra large ice cube molds available on Amazon for years. But it was very difficult for me to be enthusiastic about forking out RM20 bucks + RM40 insane delivery charges just for some rubber-substitute ice trays.

Insta Weekly: A Really Special Whisky Tasting Session - DIY Old Fashioned - Troika Sky Dining Bars - Souled Out

The best drinking times are not the ones with the best locations or the best drinks (though those are nice to have) but are the ones shared with great company. It's a privilege to share some good times with old friends and a pleasure of making new ones through such sessions. Bonus is when I get to try and learn new stuff along the way. So here's a shout out to all of you for spending your good times with me at these events below, the ones before and the ones that will be coming our way. Yam seng!

1. Tasting Some Stuff I Can't Afford. :(

We had the utmost privilege of meeting up with Eiling and  Luc Timmermans (of Thosop fame), both of whom are internationally-famous independent bottlers, for a whisky tasting party at their recent Malaysia visit. During these sessions, we bring some of our more down-to-earth stuff to taste and compare with Eiling & Luc's stuff of legends. Our palates get spoilt rotten and our lives are never the same again everytime we see them.  <3