Few weeks back Vive La Vida held their first whisky tasting by Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch. This is one of the cheapest whisky tasting event at RM20 you’ll be able to taste Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18 and 21 plus finger food. What a deal!

The event is quite good for beginner as this is a simple straight forward whisky tasting, not something too deep that layman can’t follow. Visual are shown for easy understanding plus ingredient are prepare to let the consumer find the scent and aroma.

Barry the spoke person for Glenfiddich educate the crowd. Around 30 peoples turn out for this event which is good, as the smaller the group better interaction with the speaker.

The audience also watch video of how Single Malt Whisky is made. The video is quite cool and with visual it make much more easier to understand. The step by step process and the surrounding that give the whisky their character. The whisky tasting are paired with visual really can learn a lot and easy to understand.

Barry will also go down and chat with the audience and received question and answered them. I hope the crowd can understand and learn a lot from this whisky tasting. For me is always very important to educate consumer, more outlet should do this kind of tasting either is beer, wine or whisky. So consumer can learn and understand what they drink. Can’t wait for another Vive La Vida tasting. That would be nice!

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With the gathering between me and Andy is getting lesser these 3 years, average once a year, I was stunned with his collection of malts during the last time we met. Deeply amazed to be frank!!!

Due to a personal reason of Andy, he can’t display his collection proudly in the living room. I understood why, well dude, splendid collection are meant for keeping to youself (and me) only… too dangerous to be under the spotlight in my opinion!!!

He first showed me some books about whisky he had purchased and some issues of “The Whisky Magazine” he had followed, what more can I say? It seems that you know your stuff! I was then invited to his bedroom, with thrill and excitement as I’ve always curious what kind of collection he had built up for himself after all these years. There is this 2 well-constructed large wooden box at the corner of the room, next to his bed, how you wish you can sleep with them everyday right? hah~! By the way, I wonder how the hell he managed to bring them upstairs anyway???

As he open both “treasure” boxes of his, I was granted to have “free roaming” on all his bottles… haha~ I am a kid in candy store, period!

Let’s see what’s in the candy store, CR RS 21, ruby, sapphire and emerald, hmmm… Wait a minute, SIGNET !!! a bday gift from wife… wow… pure envy dude!  the Glenmorangie range available now including all 3 extra mature, private collection & some old bottling of wood finish, he is just short of Quarter Century (too expensive IMO) and Finealta (just launch) still… whoooaaaahhhhh!!! old bottles of Bowmore,  1991 vintage 16 YO port matured, how the hell you found this Penang? what else we have here? Coal Ila, Talisker, Glenfiddich, Famous Grouse 30 YO, some Macallan, not the fine oak though, glad you listen to me dude, only the sherry oak series are worth to try… Ardbeg 10 YO, Uigeadail, 1990 Airigh Nam Beist, now we are talking!!!

Well, of course it’s not entirely about the Scotchs, there are some rums too, courtesy of ahhup, again , some Champagne… M&C, glad we love the same brand… oh ya, and some Bourbon. Dude, you should really thank me for owning the Ron del Barrilito and Bacardi Reserva Limitada which might be the only 2 in Penang, and just maybe, Malaysia too.

Above are the some bottles that Andy wanted me to drink and review with him, J&B, Canadian Club, Famous Grouse, Jameson, a Korean blend name Scotch Blue, the Macallan 18 1990 vintage and Smokehead are new bottle, I told him to keep the Macallan though, because I wish to try a bottle of Bourbon, hence we took a new bottle of Wild Turkey 8, yeah! always wanted to try that… What more can you ask for???

Not bad at all, big on nose and flavour, however, need some breathing, will try to get a bottle of my own and review.

An “average Joe” single malt, nothing much on nose and palate, clean and short aftertase.

Worst malt of the night, unpalateble, unripe spirit. The Whisky Magazine did not help in improving the drinks anyway…

I’m glad that Andy never stop and still searching and exploring in the world of malts, and truely happy that he is able to built up his collection based on his own preference and the knowledge he had. That’s the way to go dude!

Lastly, just to share, there is a phrase that we alway remind each other,

“能喝,不一定会喝”

“can drink, may not know how to drink”

Think about it…

ahhup

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I knew Andy back in my secondary school days, but it was towards graduation we started to get close and were able to keep in touch even though I went Singapore for further study while he pursue his locally.

We share lots of things in common, but to keep to the theme of this blog, I would like to share the what me and Andy consider the ultimate enjoyment in life… please refer to the picture below if you are not sure of what I am saying.

Back to the study days in Singapore, I used to go back Penang during most of the term break, and we will meet up, grab some beers and catch up with each other. Well, still a student, we don’t have much budget to drink out, so 9 out of 10 we will just get dozen of beers, stock in the fridge of my house and start our drinking session at night. Though no picture were taken during our gathering (no phone with cam, and certainly no digicam), I miss those days a lot, no much worries, the sole focus is just on academic. Conversation was mostly on girls, some funny and stupid things we did, gossip… all ended with good laughter.

As both of us graduated, we headed 2 different ways; he’s into business while I am in the “blue collar”. Still, we kept in touch as usual. There was one occasion where I’m inside the airport deciding on a bottle of whisky for dad (he is a big fan of malts), I got my first bottle of single malt, Glenfiddich 18 YO. Not an out-standing choice to be frank, but it’s enough to drive me into the wonderful worlds of spirits. Extensive studies on all sorts of spirits available were done ever since. Well, I do have some interest in spirits before that, tried some vodka, tequila, gin, rum, American Bourbon & Tennessee, Irish, blended malts… but with very little knowledge on them.

I still remember that the first sipping spirit I ever intro to Andy, the Bacardi 8 rum, he fell in love instantly! Soon, we share the same passion for 3 drinks, Whisky, Rum & Champagne. Every time I am back to Penang, it’s me with a bottle of XXX and says “dude, you got to try this…” Just like back in the colleague days, we gathered to drink and chat at night whenever I am back, however, as the liquid in our glass is getting more “posh”, our conversation is getting emotional at the same time, career, frustration, worries, financial, politics, prospect… let’s not too carried away with this.

The above picture is a small little “rest & recreation” corner that I helped Andy to set up in his office, as you can see, some rums, malts and beers… and of course, 2 hand cut crystal glass, courtesy of ahhup. We have awfully same taste buds when come to drinks, if the drink is not up to my liking, I can forget about sharing it with him. There was once Andy told me, “you should know how much I spent of glassware”, I replied him “well, you can keep the figure to yourself, while I keep mine” This is how persistent we are in glassware to maximize the enjoyment.

As much as we love to drink, we have 2 strict rules to follow when come to this, first, NO DRINK AND DRIVE, because we believe in drink responsibly and second, DRINK IN MODERATION. The later have a story behind, there was once we were having this new bottle of CR 18, awesome malt by the way, as shown in the above picture; we have the idea of finishing the bottle in that night. Well, we achieved it, with me woke up and vomited around 4am in the morning, while he have horrible hangover the next day. Me? Just a little, may be due to the ability to vomit. The most important thing is both came to a conclusion that this is not the way to enjoy any alcohol. I know lots of people whom always love to drink over their limit, well, what’s the point of doing that? I once saw a guy lying dead drunk on the street side near pubs and discos, with his head soak in big pile of vomit (my best guess is the vomit belongs to him, you?) trust me, drinking will not get any more exciting than this…  

So, with the 2 strict rules, where we end up drinking? Well, either his place or mine. Whenever we hit the limit, bedrooms are just steps away… Of course, with the exceptional malt collection in our place, let’s continue in part 2

ahhup

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Bunnahabhain whisky tasting was held at Leonardo’s Dining room and wine loft organized by Single Malt Whisky and Available. Established in 1881, Bunnahabhain, meaning ‘mouth of the river’ from Scots Gaelic, looks out to the Sound of Islay, a vast stretch of sea traveled by many seafarer, just like the Bunnahabhain helmsman illustrated proudly on the pack.

This is the home to the gentle taste of Islay, true to the claim, it was the very gentle whisky compared to the other Islay whisky of Laphroaig, Ardbeg or Lagavulin which have smoky character derived from peat, a central characteristic of Islay malts, whilst, Bunnahabhain whisky is lightly peated, and easy to appreciate it.

The whisky tasting even start around 8pm, and booklet introducing the Bunnahabhain whisky is neatly placed in the seating table. Some finger ‘licking good’ food going their rounds, to keep the taster appetite going. Tasting glass was all ready with 4 variant of Bunnahabhain whisky for taster, first with 12 year old, then the 16 year old limited edition, the 18 year old and the 25 year old.

Mr Steve Campbell, the guest speaker introduced the Bunnahabhain whisky and it’s rich history behind the distillery. One interesting note about why scottish stills are so remotely located, one of reasons are the water source, and not to pay excise tax to the crown. Bunnahabhain distillery was remotely located too, close to Margadale river, and the only malt from Islay to use a natural spring water source.

Taster was first given the tasting glass to nose the whisky. Taster can take it neat if they want to, but we could add on just a little cold water to bring out more interesting nose to the senses. We take a gulp, swirl in our mouth to feel the body of the whisky, and slowly savoring it down, enjoying every drop of each 4 different variant Bunnahabhain, each to their own character, with the caramel fruity nuts sweetness more apparent on the 16~18 year old.

The nosing of the character of the Bunnahabhain whisky can go on for the whole nights, and I still loving it to the core. The price of Bunnahabhain whisky is on the upper range, even for the 12 year old, you can guess for the 25 year old.

On the whole, the event was fantastic, with good serving finger food, with plenty of whisky to taste, and a nice cozy place to enjoy the Bunnahabhain whisky on friday night!

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BOWMORE
Whisky Region : Islay

The Bowmore Distillery has been nestled on the shoreline of Loch Indaal on the Island of Islay for over 200 years in the village by the same name. The distillery was founded in 1779 and has been producing Single Malt Whiskies using the pure waters from the nearby Laggan River. These waters have spent 2,000 years percolating through the ancient rock of the hills of Islay. As the river flows to Bowmore, it gathers the flavours of the rich Islay peat that also fires the malt-drying kiln. One of the few distilleries that has maintained the tradition of malting its own barley, Bowmore’s maltman hand-turns the barley with a traditional wooden malt shovel-exactly as his father, grandfather and great-grandfather did before him.

The final character of Bowmore’s range of Single Malt is developed in the famous seaside vaults, where Bowmore Whiskies spend nearly all their lives. There, Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskies rest quietly below sea level in the finest Spanish and American oak casks, maturing to perfection with the help of the salty, sea-laden air.

Bowmore is regarded as the ‘best balanced’ of all the Islay malts, as characterised by its wonderfully rich and complex flavours.

Nose
Strong smokey aroma, light iodine kind of smell with sweetness into it, very pungent to the nose.

Taste
Neat – Kind of direct in the taste bud for strong smoky flavour, light bitter, strong earthly/woody kind with light sweetness and burning spicy at the end.

Break with ice or water – Bring more on bitter taste with light spicy. not so earthly but a lot of smoky after taste. With the ice, it tone down the smoky and earthly flavour.

Strength
40% ABV

Where to drink this whisky?
Available in many pubs. I drank this at Munich @ IOI Boulevard.

My Opinion
You need to let the taste slowly warm up to you. Some may not familiar with the smoky flavour which is not so pleasant to the taste. But once you get used to the aroma and taste, the single malt grow to your palate, that where you start to love the taste of it. It take some time to get the taste going. Have fun trying.

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