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Kitchen Chat and more…
Kitchen Chat and more…
The exciting times are upon us once again as Whisky Live Singapore 2018 comes around. This year event promises to be bigger and better than last year as the venue switches back to a hotel once again. After the fantastic experience we had at Capella Hotel, we are certainly looking forward to Whisky Live 2018! Hosted by Andaz Hotel located in the heart of town over the first weekend of November, Whisky Live Singapore 2018 is going to be a smash for everyone!
If you are new to Whisky Live, it is an annual event held by La Maison du Whisky (LMDW) to celebrate whisky and other spirits in Singapore.
“To taste and experience whisky is as much art as it is science. Whisky Live Singapore has established itself as a highly sought-after annual show that celebrates all things whisky, and a platform to encourage whisky appreciation in an approachable way,” said Mr Mathieu Musnier, General Manager, La Maison du Whisky.
Every year, Whisky Live Singapore brings an immersive experience to visitors as they discover a large selection of world-class whiskies and spirits. Visitors also learn more about whisky appreciation through their interactions with brand ambassadors. It is also an excellent platform for new brands to introduce themselves to the market as well as for established brands to launch new products.
Five exclusive experiences await you at Whisky Live Singapore 2018. The Whisky Room & Spirits Room, La Boutique, The VIP Area, The Masterclass Rooms and The Cocktail Terrace are designed with visitors’ experiences in mind and promise to indulge your senses to the maximum.
The Whisky Room & Spirits Room showcase new brands and products and visitors get to experience a wide selection of whiskies and spirits in a friendly atmosphere. Brand ambassadors and distillery experts will be on hand to share brand’s histories and offer you a wealth of knowledge about their products. The La Boutique provides everything that you can buy and more as you step into the largest shop ever found in Singapore. By experience, grab a bottle that you wanted to buy immediately after tasting it, or it would be sold out!
To cater to the growing community of whisky connoisseurs, Whisky Live Singapore expanded the VIP Area this year to allow avid fans of exceptional whiskies to gather and experience prestigious new releases, single casks and limited-edition whiskies and spirits. The Masterclass Rooms are also increased to offer visitors more opportunities to attend different classes. With 14 Masterclasses to choose from, it can pose a challenge of what to choose.
Finally, for those who are interested in cocktails, the Cocktail Terrace offers a fantastic open-aired space where some of the world’s best mixologists offer their creation to delight your palate and senses. Featuring internationally coveted bars – Monkey 47 Bar and New Colours Bar, be prepared to enjoy excellent cocktails during Whisky Live Singapore!
We understood from LMDW during the media preview that this year’s Whisky Live is going to showcase some of the world’s most exquisite and first-rate whisky brands available in the market. There will also be some exciting new launches coming your way too! The event features over 60 exclusive whisky and spirits brands from across the industry, including Bruichladdich, Kavalan, Old Pulteney, Benromach, Benriach, Gordon and MacPhail as well as new brands such as Penderyn Whisky from Wales, U.K and Blanton’s Bourbon Whiskey from the USA. There are many more brands, but you need to be there to know them!
There are many types of tickets to choose from. Here is a complete breakdown.
Ticket Categories |
Early Bird Price 13 Aug-17 Sept 2018
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Regular Price 18 Sept-4 Nov 2018 |
Saturday, 3 November 2018 (5.30pm – 12.00mn) |
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Saturday Standard10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room & Spirits Room |
S$ 99
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S$ 119 |
Saturday VIP10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room & Spirits Room Exclusive access to The VIP Area to enjoy unlimited rare whiskies |
S$ 179
|
S$ 199 |
Sunday, 4 November 2018 (1.00pm – 8.00pm) |
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Sunday Standard10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room & Spirits Room |
S$ 99
|
S$ 119 |
Sunday Standard & Big Breakfast at Andaz Singapore10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room & Spirits Room |
S$ 119 |
S$ 139 |
Sunday VIP10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room & Spirits Room |
S$ 179 |
S$ 199 |
Sunday VIP & Big Breakfast at Andaz Singapore10 whisky tasting coupons (10ml each) at The Whisky Room &Spirits Room |
S$ 199 |
S$ 219 |
Saturday & Sunday, 3-4 November 2018 – 2-Day Pass |
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2-Day Standard Pass2 days access for one person |
S$ 188 |
S$ 218 |
2-DAY VIP Pass2 days VIP access for one person |
S$ 338 |
S$ 368 |
Whisky Live Singapore 2018 Staycation Package – 2-Day Pass |
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Standard Weekend Staycation2 days access for two persons |
S$ 688
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S$ 749
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VIP Weekend Staycation2 days VIP access for two persons |
S$ 988 |
S$ 1,049 |
Whisky Live Singapore 2018 Masterclasses (per session per person) |
From S$ 35
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From S$ 35 |
We heard that the early bird tickets are selling fast, so grab yours before it is sold out!
See you at Whisky Live Singapore 2018!
If you have yet to hear about Austria single malt whisky, this is a post that you can spend some time on. Flora and Choc visited our friend, Daisuke-san, at his bar La Terre recently and discovered this gem of a whisky. The uniqueness of the malt excited Flora almost immediately and the good price point at the bar added the appeal. So, we ordered a dram of this to see where it will take us.
Unfortunately, my friend Google has not been very helpful in helping me understand this distillery well, as there is hardly any information available online! Whatever I can find are mostly in German, and I can’t read the language. 🙁
Keckeis single malt comes from a distillery named Harald Keckeis. Located in Rankweil, Austria, it produces whisky, gin and beer. They should have about three expressions, with the core range named Keckeis Single Malt, and two distillery bottlings with cask names Forever No. 1, and Forever No. 2. Well, that’s all about it that I can understand. Hahaha!
Anyway, let’s get on with the review. The bottle I had is a single cask distillery bottling. The cask name is Forever No. 2. It is kinda weird to call a bottle “forever no. 2”, but I suppose it could be an issue with translation?
Colour: Rich Gold
ABV: 42%
Nose: Intense cherry and flowers mixed with a slight Nippon paint note hiding behind. Interestingly, the paint note does not make the nose bad, but on the contrary, it is pleasant and inviting. Slight spice lingers in the background, but it wafts in and out, never overpowering the sweetness that goes on and on. There is a fruitiness to it as well, almost like baked apples. Overall, it has a fantastic nose. (18/20)
Palate: Thick and rich palate, almost syrupy. Baked apples, boiled sweets and cherries coat the palate nicely. There is a pleasant warmth too; nothing sharp. As I swallow the whisky, I taste sweet cherry jelly and an amazing burst of cherry fruitiness! Wow! (18/20)
Finish: Long and sweet finish with a superb cherry sweetness and slight astringent note. The sweetness lingers all the way to the end. (17/20)
Body: This is an interesting whisky, especially when it is not a traditional Scotch. I am very excited to try and it does not disappoint. Wow! Considering that it is only 42% abv, the delivery is nothing short of fantastic. Nonetheless, it is a simple whisky without too much complexity. I believe the distillery will do well moving forward and I look forward to trying more of what this distillery can offer in the future. (35/40)
Total Score: 88/100
Geek Flora: I am happy with this whisky. Simple and easy to drink with an excellent delivery of uniqueness. I would look forward to other expressions in the future.
Geek Choc: Flora decided to try this whisky before I could say that I wanted a dram, so we shared the dram instead. It was purely for a trial, but we were glad that we did try. Excellent dram to conclude our night at La Terre!
It was an awesome Thursday night as Flora and Choc went to the Grand Opening Party of So Sofitel’s rooftop bar, named 1927. Located on the 6th floor of the hotel, it was home to a bar, a pool and plenty of comfortable seats. When we reached, the party was already in full swing, with jazz music from a live band and plenty of cocktails making their rounds.
We got ourselves a great seat in front of the pool with our media friends and took our time to capture the right photos. With the setting sun, the pool was brilliantly lit, but with no overwhelming sun rays reflecting into the eyes.
Look at that inviting water! With the heat going on in Singapore right now, it would be the perfect place for some drinks while chillaxing!
Well, Flora is not here to recommend swimming pools, so let’s move on to the real deal – the bar. As this is the grand opening of So Sofitel’s rooftop bar, we are naturally curious to know what kind of whiskies they have at the bar. We spied some Laphroaigs, Glenlivet and Monkey Shoulder on the shelves, so we walked over to the bar and requested for some whiskies.
We discovered that the bar is still on its mission to stock more whiskies but in the meanwhile, they are making up with some fantastic cocktails and champagne! I am sorry that I cannot tell champagne apart, but it was good stuff in my opinion. To do justice to the bartenders at the 1927 bar, here are some cocktail pictures we took.
I was not paying too much attention to the details of this cocktail, to be honest, as I was busy trying to get my pictures of the bar. However, the cocktail reminds me of vodka or gin-based cocktails with lemon. It was refreshing and perfect for a hot night. It might be a little sweet, but I think it is the best starting drink.
The coconut husk attracted us, and it turned out to be a proper cup! This cocktail is a rum-based cocktail with coconut (apparently) and pineapple. It is a tropical drink and pretty much sums up the beach holiday that we all dream about at work. It is quite suitable for an after-work drink to relax before heading home.
The absinthe-based cocktail is the créme of the crop for me. Made with coconut milk and plenty of mint leaves, the minty taste combined with the coconut milk to makes this a perfect drink. The absinthe within also gives a stronger kick, which suits me well. It is a must-try if you head to 1927 bar!
1927 is cosy and reminds me of a 1920-1930s bar setting, with retro jazz music and plenty of low sofa seats.
The decorations are simple, elegant and understated. Nothing is out of place, but nothing is extravagant too. The whole atmosphere is like a luxury resort, complete with the wood and trees all around it. It is enjoyable to sit around and do nothing! If you are feeling stress, you only need to head to the bar for some refreshing cocktails or a dram of fine whiskies that the management will be stocking soon!
Name: 1927
Address: 35 Robinson Road, #06-00, So Sofitel, Singapore 068876
Let us know if you visit the bar! We will love to hear what you think about it.
11311 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, TX, United States
(555) 389 976
dallas@enfold-restaurant.com