Launched in Malaysia: Phraya Rum - the "Premium Rum of Asia"

The Rum Bar Kuala Lumpur recently hosted the official launch of Phraya Rum into Malaysia. Yes, “Phraya” is the same name as the major river that flows through the Kingdom of Thailand. Phraya is also a titular meaning for 'high ranking' and thus the name for the product of this proud nation.

This rum is distilled, matured, blended and bottled in Thailand. It's matured in charred oak barrels between 7 and 12 years, hence they call themselves a “Deep Matured Gold Rum.” Its distinctive gold metallic filigree cuff wrapped around the bottle lends it a lux look, to capture the brand's claim of it being "Asia's premium rum".

Phraya plays up its Eastern heritage and philosophy in its marketing, governed by the four natural elements, Fire, Earth, Air and Water. The Fire comes in the form of the charred oak barrels the rum is aged in. The Earth is responsible for the quality of the sugar cane, grown in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom. The Air is the tropical climate of the region, and the aging warehouses are buildings set on stilts over cool lagoons to moderate the hot weather. The water is, well, water, naturally occurring near where Phraya is distilled.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Nov 2, 2017 at 6:33am PDT

Rum Bar KL's #Phraya Rum Cocktails at the official launch

The brand has in its merit won a Double Gold medal at the prestigious 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, earning 95 points and the description “ultimate recommendation.”

It's good story, and at the end of the day, it's also a pretty damn decent rum. At 40% ABV, it's got quite a nice mouthfeel, not overly sweet, and strongly reminds us of coconut candy. Mmmm..

Distributed by the folks at Single & Available and retailing for about RM238 a bottle, you'll also be able to find this in selected bars and F&B outlets like the Rum Bar, Jungle Bird, Mish Mash, Coley and Ekkamai.

- Jon

Eat Drink Play @ Tujo

Tujo’s Brasserie and Grill may just be one of the most well kept secret in the heart of KL for diners and drinkers. Seldom mentioned but highly praised by its regular patrons, this place shares the same DNA with its sister outlets, SOULed OUT, WIP and Hubba Hubba (and now the recently launched Goa by Hubba, we'll get to that in other post) of pairing a well thought-out menu with great service.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 1, 2017 at 1:02am PDT

They have just recently rebranded with a new tagline of Eat Drink Play and added some naughtiness into the BAR-sserie. Now when you venture inside you'll feel like you've entered into glasshouse surrounded by lush greeneries, right in the middle of the concrete jungle.

From the menu side of things, here are some highlights from their new food menu:

The Tomahawk, a 1.3kg Sanchoku Wagyu from Australia is now on the menu, along side the cheesy raclette and various grilled meats and seafood with an assortment of marinades.

There's the  lemon pepper halibut and black miso haddock plus a whole lot of other new stuff like the short rib nasi lemak, pastas, pizzas, salads, soups and other light bites.

On the liquid side of things, Tujo's introduced a  new range of cocktails. These 16 new cocktails feature local ingredients and are inspired by everyday Malaysian drinks with an alcoholic twist. There's the Hang Li Mau (a limau ais inspired rum concoction). The ABC (Alcoholic Batu Campur with tequila and Irish cream liqueur). There's also the Milotini (milo dinosaur) and Seniorita Mawar (Sirap bandung) among others.

But what got FA got all excited was this DIY Bloody Mary Bar. For RM60++ you get to make your own customised bloody mary (it's decently strong) with a mix of salts, garnishes and condiments for 2 hours. And you know what goes well with Bloody Marys? The fresh raw oysters from their new oyster bar!

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 1, 2017 at 2:09am PDT

Yes, the Bloody Mary Bar was FA-approved.

Thanks for having us Tujo, we had a blast!

- Jon

The Brasserie @ St Regis hosts Chef Ryan Clift and Hennessy

We were fortunate enough to witness the brilliance of Chef Ryan Clift (of the famed Tippling Club) recently.

Chef Clift took over the St Regis' Brasserrie from the 26th to the 29th Oct for a 4 course lunch (RM338 or RM438 with Hennessy Cognac pairing), 6 course dinner (RM438 or RM538 with Hennessy Cognac pairing) and Sunday brunch (price starts at RM298 or RM468 with Hennessy Cognac).

We were invited to sample a 5-course permutation of the menu thanks to Hennessy Malaysia.

After an assortment of breads, the first course was a bowl of condensed tomyam mousse, served with a pair of char-grilled capsicums. Honestly, it's not a great looker but the capsicums tasted so damn good! This was paired with a refreshing Hennessy Highball (lime, lemon, passionfruit, syrup, soda and VSOP).

The smell of vinegar permeated the air from the Petuna ocean trout with beetroot, smoked ox tongue and horseradish cream. The brilliant red "coral" from the beetroot was quite a sight and the dish was a taste explosion of contrasting sweet and sour flavours. This was paired with easy-going and sweet The Radicle cocktail made with muddled raspberries, syrup, lemon a bit of absinthe and the VSOP Hennessy.

The Roasted Leek & Potato Consommé, with Parsley Root, Parsley Chlorophyll, and Wild Herbs was quite vegetal and looked too cute to be eaten, like it was a tiny little terrarium. It was surrounded by a creamy soup which was Clift's mother's recipe. A little taste of home and heartiness made wholly from white wine. The Wild Turbot followed after, with faux squid risotto, lobster and turnip on watercress emulsion. Having them all with the Hennessy XO was swell.

The A4 Toriyama wagyu (with horseradish burrata, Japanese fruit tomato and artichoke) was easily the highlight of the night. Served wrapped with wafer thin slices of home-cured wagyu beef, the umami-ness of the combination made my mouth water. Washed it all down with the XO, it was perfect.

We had a taste and even the scent of outer space as a bonus. We had some cool-looking condensed cheesecake pills (delicious), mandarin and Madras curry sorbet space rock, and the smell of space on that comic card. Clift said that he was given the permission by NASA to access to an astronaut's used space suit to figure out the scent - which he had emulated on this card. This prelude to dessert was truly out of this world.

The actual dessert was Texture of Coconut - which was a coconut dish presented in different textures, accompanied by the Coco Loco cocktail which was a twist of a Brandy Alexander with the addition of yuzu sake.

Much of what we’ve been fortunate to sample was nothing short creative. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, Hennessy.

- Jon

Draught Anywhere with the New 325ml Carlsberg Smooth Draught

The first thing that will come to mind when you hear "Carlsberg Smooth Draught" is probably, "Oh, it’s Carlsberg Draught, like from a tap".

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Oct 3, 2017 at 5:08am PDT

Well, not quite, but you won't be too far off from the truth.

Carlsberg Malaysia introduced Carlsberg Smooth Draught last year with the intention of replicating the "smooth feel" of a draught beer in a can/bottle via a different brewing technique (and based on my personal observation, I think the slightly lesser ABV also contributes to the smoothness).

Carlsberg Malaysia’s Managing Director Lars Lehman wants you to enjoy (what is) Probably the Smoothest Beer In The World anytime, anywhere - be it in a plane, out in the desert or probably at the peak of a mountain.

Unveiling the smaller 325ml sized bottle was great excuse (hurrah!)  to throw a party earlier this month at the Eight Gourmets Gala (EGG), Pinnacle Sunway.

The introduction of the 325ml bottle completes the brew’s existing portfolios of the 580ml bottle, 320ml can and 500ml can, to make it even more accessible to outlets that prefer to offer the small-sized bottles in their outlets (like nieghbourhood bars, modern F&B outlets, golf clubs.... ).

In conjunction with this launch, if you purchase 1 bucket of Carlsberg Smooth Draught in 325ml bottles, you'll get a free retractable USB cable all October. In November, if you purchase 4 big bottles of 580ml or 2 buckets of Carlsberg Smooth Draught in 325ml pint bottles, you get a free multipurpose lighter.

In addition to that, golfers can get a sleeve of TaylorMade golf balls with the purchase of 2 buckets of Carlsberg Smooth Draught in 325ml pint bottles across all participating golf clubs.

For more - check out www.facebook.com/CarlsbergMY or www.probablythebest.com.my.

Meanwhile, I came across this funny little video by MGag about how times have changed, complete with a feature of Carlsberg Smooth Draught, of course.

Thanks for the fun party, Carlsberg. Until next time!

- Jon

#ProbablyTheBest
#DraughtAnywhere

Funky Fireball Friday @ Souled Out

If you're an American, this drink of the devil needs no introduction. If you're not,  a quick read about Fireball whisky on its website describes itself like this:

“...just imagine what it feels like to stand face-to-face with a fire-breathing dragon who just ate a whisky barrel full of spicy cinnamon. Live it, love it, shoot it – what happens next is up to you”

“Taste like heaven, burns like hell…”

Yup, it's pretty much a party drink.

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is a mixture of whisky, cinnamon flavoring and sweeteners.. The product originates from the cold depths of Canada in the mid-1980s, and for a long time was little known outside of Canada until recently. It is bottled at 33% abv and so sweet that American college frat boys chug this straight from the bottle. And now, it is available in this part of the world.


If you're wondering how to get yourself a taste of this, wonder no more as Souled Out Desa Hartamas recently launched its Funky Fireball Friday. What this means is that every Fridays, there will be Fireball whisky cocktails.  Of course, what's a Funky Fireball Friday without Fireball bottle and shots promotions? Go get it.

Get your happy on with the Fireball Mojito, Fireball Citrus and Fireball Espressotini.

The Funky Fireball Friday at Souled Out will run until 10th Nov 2017. So, the next time you have a party where shots and 5 second pours are in your agenda, try it with the Fireball. It's easy to chug because it's sweet and would probably hurt you less than tequila, gin or regular whisky. Win!

- Jon

#funkyfireballfriday

Babilicious Naughty Nuri’s (Malaysia)

You can't miss it. Babi is everywhere in Bali and so is bebek.. I really don’t know what our non porcine eating brethren eat in Bali because these are the must-do things to accomplish in this delectable tiny Island in the sun. .... Ah.. they probably eat a lot of ulam which makes sense as this fast growing touristic destination seem to be very big with vegan yogis.

On a trip to Bali some months ago we had to make Naughty Nuri’s Ubud a must do stop. Lo and behold that we were somewhat surprised that it was a warong situated smack in parts unknown off Ubud central.

Naughty Nuri’s opened its first outlet in Malaysia a few years ago and now has sprung to a 6-outlet strong crowd favorite go to place for pork ribs.

A post shared by Fireangel (@fireangel80) on Jul 31, 2017 at 7:44am PDT

The signature rack ribs in Ubud did not disappoint and went superbly well with a bottle of cold beer.

So forward a few months later and we had an opportunity to check out the outlet in Lifecentre, KL. You’d like to know that the menu in Malaysia is more extensive and varied than in Bali. For one, we have here the balinese style bebek and a more extensive drinks menu to boot.

Here is what we had to sample at the Lifecentre:

Signature BBQ spare ribs (RM49) - on the sweeter side. You can see that the glaze from the Malaysian version is thicker than the Ubud version, which is drier.
BBQ Pork chop (RM25) - also on the sweet side. We were told that the sweetness is a Balinese thing.
Signature pork salad (RM28) - the opposite of healthy with a generous rack of siew yoke which is a good full meal for 2.
BBQ satay lilit (RM26) - grilled pork paste and herbs on a lemongrass stick.
Balinese Ayam Bertutu (RM35) - think chicken rice, but sweeter meat.
Indonesian style mee goreng (RM25) - This came with siew yoke toppings... and one can never go wrong with siew yoke toppings.

Pork was obviously the order of the day. Yum.

Of course, since they have an array of drinks on menu and this is a drink blog, we had to have drinks.

Asam Boi Mojito (RM29), Kiss My Bud (RM45), Nuri's Punch (a RM28.80 mocktail to share with 6), Lychee Martini (RM29)

Just 2 things to note if you do order any of its signature drinks.

1) Do specify if you prefer your beverages kurang manis (they are on the sweeter side).
2) If you do order a martini, the Naughty Nuri staff will shake (shaken, not stirred) it in front of you with a big song and dance. It is quite a sight and entertaining.

They do have a selection of beers and spirits too if cocktails aren't your thing. You really can't have your babi without and ice cold something something.

If you are up for an alternative buffet experience do give Naughty Nuris Sunday Snout to Tail buffet a try. It’s priced at 49.90++ and served between 11am-3pm and features most of the items mentioned and more. This deal is a steal.

Look at this FA stuffing her face.

Don’t say I bojio ah!

- Jon

The Whisky Society 2017 (Win Tickets!)

Back for its 3rd year, The Whisky Society event is an intimate tasting session for anyone remotely interested in whiskies.

It first started off in 2015 as a private whisky tasting session for 150 people, serving just 10 scotch labels. In 2016, over 400 guests sampled more than 30 types of whiskies from all over. This year will feature not only whiskies, but also other spirits like rum, gin and sake.

The Whisky Society 2017 will be held on 28 October 2017 (Saturday) from 2-10pm at the SOCIALMEX Hall (13A, Jalan Pelukis u1/46B, Temasya 18, Glenmarie).

Price stated below includes a complimentary tasting glass:
Standard ticket (whisky only) : RM129
Premium ticket (whisky +  other spirits) : RM159
Buy 3 premium tickets free 1 : RM450
*Selected premium drams also available at the individual booths for an additional fee.
Purchase your tickets here.
Promo code: TWSANGELTINI for rm30 off the standard or premium tickets. 

For more:
About Whisky Society: https://www.facebook.com/whiskysocietyMY 
About the 2017 event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1905453843039978/

Drink responsibly and stay safe okay! See you then!

WIN TICKETS TO THE WHISKY SOCIETY 2017!

Contest time! Win a PAIR of the premium tickets for you and your friend. Simply follow these steps for a chance to win:

On Facebook:
1. Like my Facebook page (if you haven’t already!)
2. Tag a friend on my page and comment why you'd like to go.

Contest ends at the end of the week - 22 October 2017  and other T&Cs apply (ie: I say so!). Winners will be PM-ed for personal details – so make sure your Facebook page is accessible for me to PM you!

The Singleton of Glen Ord - Forgotten Drop Series

The happy Singleton family (Image: MHDM)

A group of us were whisked off to Genting's exclusive Ltitude to check out the launch of The Singleton's Forgotten Drop Series which is an annual release drawn from the brand’s rarest whiskies.

Before the main event, we were plied with the loads of 12 year old (the legal sort, of course) straight or via the bar's own Glen Sour (Singleton 12, lemon juice, maraschino cherry, gula melaka, dark walnut bitters, orange peel oils and egg white) which was like having dessert before the mains (so naughty!). The 15 and 18 from the core range was also served.

Thanks for feeding us and making sure that we drink responsibly (Image: MHDM)

Of course, we can't drink on an empty stomach. We were fed with a full 4 course meal, curated by Steven Chou Yu Liang, the Chef De Cuisine at The Olive to pair with the whiskies.

The supporting star of the night was the 18 Year Old Cask Strength, which is also newly launched in Malaysia to celebrate the distillery’s 180th anniversary. Bottled at 58.4% ABV it is only made available selectively with the starting price of RM 624.00.

On the nose, I get coffee, some creme brulee, dark fruits, a hint of sulphur. With some water, the vanilla opens up. On the mouth, viscous, oily... It feels like it's evaporating from the moment it touches my tongue.

With our stomach lined, and appetite whetted, the star of the show was finally presented - The Singleton of Glen Ord 41 Year Old. It's limited to 600 bottles worldwide and only 24 bottles in Malaysia. Bottled at 49.9% ABV, it retails at RM 15,193.00 per bottle.

Matured in a refilled American oak (which is quite unusual for the Singleton), I get nangka fumes on the nose... some marzipan... fruit cake, perhaps?

What a treat!

Rajesh Joshi (MD of MHDM),  Ervin Trykowski, (The Singleton Global Scotch Whisky Ambassador) and
Chou Yu Liang, (Chef De Cuisine at The Olive) joined the party too.  (Image: MHDM)

Contact diageoinfo@mhdm.com.my if you're interested in getting any one of these babies and if you get it, as usual, don't forget to jio!

Thanks for the lovely time, guys! Slainte!


For more: https://www.malts.com/en-gb/our-whisky-collection/the-singleton-of-glen-ord/

#TheSingletonMY 
#TheSingleton

Malaysia Wine Fiesta 2017 (Win Tickets!)

So, by now, you would’ve heard that the Better Beer Fest 2017 is now canned (sorry, too soon?). Apparently the fate of the Klang Valley Octoberfest celebrations are also uncertain now.

But, let's not get this put a damper our spirits (...sorry). There is still a Wine Fiesta 2017!!

The banner pretty much says it all - Malaysia's largest annual wine festival is back and features 70 wines from 29 wineries across 8 countries (from France, Italy, Portugal, England, USA, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa) for 3 days.

Details:

Malaysia Wine Fiesta (30th October)
Try, taste and buy all the wines from 3pm to 10pm
Roof Garden, Damansara City (DC) Mall
RM98 nett for early birds until 30th September, RM108 nett and RM130 nett for walk-ins.
Click here to purchase tickets.

Winemakers’ Dinner (31st October)
Enjoy a specially curated food menu by Chef James, pair it with all the wines and chat with the winemakers.
Mr.Chew’s Chino Latino Bar, Bukit Bintang
Only 80 seats available at RM320++/seat
RSVP to +6016 228 2084

Samadhi Carnival (1st November)
A collaboration with the Samadhi Group in conjunction with their 18th anniversary,  it promises to fill you up with food, wine, music and a good time at Tamarind Springs. Plus stand a chance to win prizes when you hashtag #SamadhiCarnival2017 and #LSAxSamadhi in your event day photos.
RM123 nett (till 30 September), RM153.75 nett
For more and to buy tickets: Click here

More info about the organiser and event: https://www.facebook.com/straitswinecompanymalaysia/

#WineFiestaMY
#MyStraitsWines

WIN TICKETS TO WINE FIESTA 2017!

Thanks to the folks at Straits Wines, win a PAIR of tickets & try ALL the wine you want for FREE! Simply follow these steps for a chance to win:

On Instagram:
1. Like my Instagram page (if you haven’t already!)
2.  Share the event poster on your instagram page (make sure it is open to public) 
3. Tag a friend on my page and comment why you think you should win.

On Facebook:
1. Like my Facebook page (if you haven’t already!)
2. Share my FB Wine Fiesta post on your Facebook timeline (make sure your settings is set to public) 
3. Tag a friend on my page and  comment why you think you should win.

Contest ends at the end of the week - 16 October 2017  and other T&C apply (I'll make it as I go). Winners will be PM-ed for personal details – so make sure your Instagram/Facebook pages are accessible for me to PM you!

I’ll see you there. Don’t say I #bojio!

-Jon

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