Hong Kong Whisky Festival 2017 review

After the success of 2016's inaugural Hong Kong Whisky Festival, InterContinental Grand Stanford held their festival again this year, delivering an even bigger and better festival with even more masterclasses.

Held again over one day, the event brought together big brands and indies alike, and made the most of the (expansive) hotel space, taking over two floors, several function rooms and even a suite!

Arriving an hour or so after opening, I took a walk around to see what was what. The first thing that struck me was, even that early, it was already busy. The second thing that struck me was just how many, varied stands there were. Bars, shops, independent bottlers, major distilleries, major distributors, local distributors, were all well-represented, as were "world whiskies" from all over the globe. In fact, the festival brochure had an excellent article on "New World" whisky (although I might be a little biased, given I wrote it...)

The festival shop saw a big improvement on the prior year, with a lot more space and even more bottles available (including some long gone Indies like this Eiling Lim 27yo Irish).

As is always the case with these festivals, you end up chatting to and sharing a dram with all the wonderful people working there, and before you know it, 3 hours have passed. I'd barely gotten around to half the booths when my first masterclass came up - an Asta Morris class with founder Bert Bruyneel.

Sidenote: As evidence of the quality and quantity of masterclasses on offer throughout the day, I had to decide between this and an Adelphi masterclass, both on at the same time. The good people of Malt Maniacs & Friends suggested I go for the Asta Morris class, and I'm glad I did.

Held in conjunction with Whiskies and More (Asta Morris' HK distributor) and The Fine Spirits Society, the class saw us tasting 6 spirits blind. We knew what the spirits were (amongst them were an 14yo Ardmore, an aged gin, a 13yo Bowmore, a 5yo Chichibu, a 27yo Bunnahabhain and a 32yo 1979 Benriach - a cask which was saved by Bert from blending into Chivas), but not the order, which made for much fun and debate.

I'd heard a bit about this Bert "character" and it was all true. His class was exactly what I look for in a masterclass - great whiskies (tick), educational (tick), full of stories (tick), but most of all, FUN (tick tick). The hour flew by and by the end of it, we all felt like we'd had a heap of fun, enjoying a few casual drams, making new friends and listening to some hilarious stories. 

I guess what I'm saying is, if you get a chance to attend one of Bert's classes, take it!

After Bert's class, it was straight over to another function room for a Hunter Laing masterclass, with Andrew Laing, to explore "Where the flavours come from" with a variety of whiskies of different ages, provenance and cask types. Included in the lineup was a 19yo Longmorn, 8yo Craigellachie (showing some great natural colour due to its aging in a quarter cask), a 6yo Caol Ila and an 8yo Talisker.

After the two classes, it was time for a bit more of a walk around, a few more drams, and a delicious cocktail from Eddie Nara, to prepare myself for...

...a barrel making demonstration, in which I was to construct a whisky barrel with none other than The Balvenie's Head Cooper Ian Macdonald - a man who has been in the business for almost 50 years! Luckily, I'd managed to grab a few tips by watching Mr Nara do the same a few hours earlier.

After managing to bungle my way through making the barrel, I have to say - hats off to people who do this day-in, day-out for a living. It's not easy (even less so after a few drams), but it was a fun and rewarding experience (thanks to Ian for the expert tutoring and assistance)!

By this point, the show was wrapping up, but there was still one masterclass left to attend - this time focusing on some fairly rare (and expensive) blends.

Those blends of course, being four Johnnie Walker "Private Collection" releases, from 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014.

A 7pm timeslot after a long whisky festival is always going to see a few people worse for wear, but our host Stephen Notman (aka Mr Whisky China) pushed through, talking us through the history of blending and how the Private Collection series "rips up the philosophy of consistency in blending". He wasn't wrong - here were four very different (but all very enjoyable drams).

All were great, but the 2017's waxy apple nose and tropical and vanilla palate won me over as my favourite. A bit of Clynelish in there perhaps?

Between these festivals, the excellent Tiffany's New York Bar, and the many other whisky events/promotions throughout the year, InterContinental Grand Stanford have firmly established themselves as a Hong Kong whisky powerhouse over the past few years, and we have no doubt their upcoming World Whisky Day 2017 celebrations will only help cement that (unfortunately we won't be in HK to enjoy it...)

Cheers,
Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com attended HKWF17 as a guest of InterContinental Grand Stanford.

Tasted #145: SIA Scotch whisky

In October we mentioned SIA Scotch and their successful Kickstarter campaign, and I've finally gotten around to posting up the tasting notes.

I have to say...this wasn't just any young Douglas Laing blend (not that that would necessarily be a bad thing). This was a very enjoyable, very "sippable" whisky, more complex than I'd expected.


SIA Scotch Whisky (43% ABV, NAS, Speyside/Highlands/Islay, Scotland, $49.99USD)
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Colour: Orange-gold.

Nose: Spirity, but with tropical fruits (passionfruit, pineapple). After time, it smooths out and takes on a more complex nose with some oats and porridge joining the fray.

Palate: Not at all what the nose suggests. No fruit and not overly sweet (I'll be honest, I was expecting it to be quite sweet). Oats, grains, cornflakes, with some oranges.

Finish: Medium length, much the same as the palate. Slightest hint of alcohol burn at the end, but certainly not overly noticeable.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Very moreish. The palate is the highlight, and (together with the nose) showed complexity beyond what I was expecting.

Cheers,
Martin.

PR #23: SIA Scotch Whisky

I'll often bang-on about cask strength this and SWMS-that on this blog, because I love the idea and I (generally) love such whiskies. I do need to remember though, that my palate wasn't always that way. There was a time, many years ago, when I called a Glenfiddich 12 "strong", scoffed at anything above 43% ABV, and preferred my whisky with Coke, or at the very least, dry.

"Approachable" whiskies help introduce people to the category - people who may not have previously considered whisky a viable option when ordering at a bar, for example, and are fantastic for expanding the market. Starward tried it locally (and that seems to be working out pretty well for them), and now a new entrant is aiming to make Scotch more approachable in the US. Enter SIA Scotch

When I first received an e-mail about SIA, I thought...hold up...Scotch, US? I was intrigued. The name ("SIA") also didn't sound like any distillery, brand or release I'd heard of. What was this all about?

Turns out, SIA Scotch is all about the ambition of Cuban-born, San Francisco-based Carin Luna-Ostaseski, who decided to turn her passion for whisky into something more, and produce an affordable, easy-drinking whisky for a younger audience (an audience who, we presume, probably don't even realise they like whisky at first).

So how does a San Franciscan go about releasing a Scotch whisky? That's where Douglas Laing come in. Masters of the world of vatted and blended malts (and single cask releases, for that matter), and no stranger to this blog, Douglas Laing produced a blend to meet the needs of SIA's target audience - with a 40% malt / 60% grain ratio, and a regional breakdown of 50% Speyside / 40% Highlands / 10% Islay.

So it's made by a very well known icon of the whisky industry, it's got a popular regional make up (if it works, why mess with it?) and a decent amount of malt whisky in it. Sounds good so far, and while approachable, custom-made blends may not be a unique thing, the way this whisky came about certainly was. The result of a successful Kickstarter project, SIA Scotch raised over $45k USD in 40 days, and has since gone on to be sold in over 200 bars, restaurants and shops in the US.

As I read up on the background of SIA, it was clear there was a huge amount of effort undertaken to bring the whisky to market, including researching over 80 distillers, conducting blind tasting sessions and experimentation with blending based on the results, 8 months' work on the bottle and packaging, and no doubt many headaches dealing with the various regulatory requirements in bringing an alcoholic beverage to market. As someone who previously had no ties to the spirits industry (much like myself), I think it's a huge achievement.

SIA Scotch recently won a Double Gold at the SFWSC, and whilst I've often commented that spirits fairs (and their related awards) are a dime a dozen, there's no arguing that it went up against a number of other whiskies in its category, and came out with the equal top honours (besting several more expensive Johnnie Walker blends and equalling the likes of Chivas Royal Salute).

The bottle (and name), to my mind, is slightly "feminine", but hey, if that's going to open up the category to the most number of new drinkers, I'm all for it. It's the whisky inside that counts.

...speaking of which, we've received a sample kindly sent by the US distributor, and will be tasting it on the blog shortly. If it's as good as the back story and the idea behind raising the awareness of whisky for a whole new audience, it'll be a great drop. Expect our tasting notes soon.

Cheers,
Martin.

SIA Scotch can be found online here and retails for $49.99USD.

Fine spirits amongst fine suits (Tasted #126 - #128)

Last week I headed back to The Whisky Library (which we featured recently) to chew the fat with their whisky guru Marlon, and taste two recent whisky arrivals (and a sneaky rhum agricole thrown in for good measure).

The whiskies to be tasted were Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Grant 18yo (48.4% ABV, $1,550HKD) and Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2014 (46% ABV, $1,150). Having tasted and enjoyed the 2013 Loch Gorm earlier this year when Anthony Wills visited Sydney, I was keen to see how the 2014 stacked up. The rum, a 45% ABV Rhum Agricole from Guadeloupe, bottled by Samaroli (who I suspect you'll hear more of now that we're based in Hong Kong) was a unique way to finish off the tasting.

The setting for the photos was the stunning The Armoury store in Landmark Men, conveniently connected to the Whisky Library. Fine spirits and fine suits - a perfect match.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glen Grant 18yo (48.4% ABV, 18yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1550HKD)
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Colour: Light, golden sunset.
Nose: Vanilla, toffee and hazelnuts.
Palate: Spice, but sweet. More cinnamon than paprika. Toffee notes. Some heat, but not excessively so.
Finish: Long and smooth, with some lemon notes and a continuing cinnamon tinge right to the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A fine example of a middle-aged, enjoyable, reliable Speysider.


Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2014 (46% ABV, 5yo, Islay, Scotland, $1150HKD)
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Colour: Deep Amber
Nose: Campfire smoke and raspberries.
Palate: Deep intense smoke, but not in a "bite your head off" style like some other younger Islay malts. but not bite your head off. Toasty cinnamon with some berries.
Finish: Long, smoky and earthy.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. An improvement on the 2013 release I think - less bananas and youth, and more of a well-rounded, full-bodied Sherried Islay whisky. Can't wait to try future releases.


Samaroli Rhum Agricole - distillery unknown (45% ABV, Guadeloupe, $1800HKD)
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Colour: Orange golden
Nose: Citrus - lemon and grapefruit mostly.
Palate: Smooth, very smooth. Very light and "thin" when compared to the previous whiskies. Boiled lollies predominantly. Very easy-drinking.
Finish: Medium to long, with oranges, apples and a hint of toffee at the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100.

Whilst none of the whiskies in the photo below were tasted, I noticed this 40yo OB Laphroaig on the shelf and just had to include a photo (the company it keeps isn't too bad either). Bottled in 2000 at 42.4%, it's not too often you see an OB Laphroaig that was distilled in the 1960's!

Cheers,

Martin.

The Whisky Library - Hong Kong Whisky shop

When Steph and I moved to Hong Kong back in July, I dropped into one of my favourite shops The Armoury (in Landmark Men) in the first few days for a look around, and picked up a free magazine advertising some of the local shops. My eyes were instantly drawn to a feature on one called "The Whisky Library", in the very same building.

So next visit to Landmark Men I walked around, and around, and around, and couldn't find the shop anywhere. I asked in The Armoury who gave a vague response, and I eventually worked out (from the shop's Twitter account) that they'd closed for Summer, and were re-opening in another shopfront in the same building.

Fast forward to September and we dropped by after work one day (having seen the construction of the shop underway over the previous weeks), and managed to pick the opening day. Timing!

A quick chat to Marlon, the store's manager / whisky specialist, and it was clear this was a bloke who knew his whisky (somewhat a rarity in Hong Kong, it seems). We agreed to meet up for a dram and a longer chat the next week, when I brought the camera along and decided to snap a few photos.

The selection, whilst not huge (though certainly not small, and definitely the best we've seen in Hong Kong), is a well-curated mix of both Original and Independent Bottlings (some definitely on the rarer side), with a few Douglas Laing & Co staples (Big Peat, Scallywag) and Kilchomans as the core products.

Marlon explained the shop isn't just about "shifting bottles" and they only stock whiskies they've personally tasted and approved. Walking around with a dram of 22yo Littlemill in my hand (and later a G&T made with the excellent Bar Hill Gin), I took a look around the store and noticed some pretty impressive bottlings, including a number of Samaroli whiskies and rums (Samaroli being an Independent Bottler that I'd always heard good things about, but that we never heard much of in Australia). Other interesting independent bottlings included:

• 22yo Ardbeg (Hunter Laing & Co "Old & Rare")
• 21yo Ardbeg from 1992 (Hunter Laing & Co "Old Malt Cask")
• 31yo Caol Ila (Hunter Laing & Co "Old Malt Cask")
• 23yo "Dunyvaig" from Silver Seal ("Dunyvaig" being the name used to mask the real distillery, which may or may not be a distillery which is closest to Dunyvaig castle...)
• 30yo Port Ellen (Douglas Laing & Co "Executive Decision")
• 40yo Glen Grant from 1973 (Samaroli)

All of which were impressive, but it was the Original Bottlings that I was most impressed by, including:

• 40yo Ardbeg OB from 1965 (one of only 261 bottles)
• 35yo Talisker
• Ardbeg Lord of the Isles
• Glenfarclas 1971 Family Casks (bottled for Independent Bottlers Silver Seal, but still an OB)
• ..and some very old Macallans!

Not bad for day 1! The prices of those latter bottlings were, as expected, up there, though considering Hong Kong's 100% tax on anything over 30% ABV, the prices in general were reasonable, especially considering the rarity and quality of a number of the bottlings. The "core" range of Kilchoman, Big Peat, Scallywag and Double Barrel etc... were all the price you'd expect in Hong Kong (and there was even a 4.5L Jeroboam of Big Peat, if you just can't get enough of the stuff!)

After sufficiently touring the store, Marlon took me to visit their smaller, more private store a few blocks away ("The Gentlemans' Library") which houses an equally good selection and is conveniently located right next door to a fantastic cigar lounge. Match made in heaven? I think so.

Anyone looking for a unique, rare or just downright good quality bottle of Whisky in Hong Kong could do well to drop by The Whisky Library and pay Marlon a visit.

Cheers,

Martin.

Bar Review #11: Angel's Share (Hong Kong)

With the blog now having a joint focus on Hong Kong, a city famed for it's bars and nightlife, it would be remiss of us to not cover off the city's whisk(e)y bars (of which there are many*). A few weeks ago we wrote about about Quinary, a fantastic cocktail bar in the heart of Hong Kong, and now it's time to cover their whisky-focused sister venue Angel's Share, a short stroll away. Angel's Share came recommended to Steph and I personally by Bill Lark of Lark Distillery a few months earlier, so we knew it had to be good.

With a name like Angel's Share, you're probably thinking they might serve a dram or two...and you'd be right. Not limiting the selection solely to bottles of whisky however, the bar proudly displays their own full-size 210L cask of whisky, from which they serve drams using a stunning glass valinch. At the time of our visit, it was full of 1995 single cask The Glenlivet NCF at 49% ABV (guess what Martin ordered first up...)

If Quinary is located in the heart of Hong Kong's Central district, then Angel's Share is really located in the heart, located on Hollywood Rd, a stone's throw from the Mid-Levels Escalator. Thankfully though, it's a world apart from the many touristy / ex-pat bars in the area, almost like a second floor refuge, with enough whisky to last a lifetime.

I've always found it interesting that bars can boast 100+ whiskies, and when you look at the menu, you realise you've either:

• Tried them all; or
• Tried all the ones you want to try.

Thankfully that's not the case here, as Angel's Share boast a number of rare and unique whiskies, along with the usual favourites. In addition to the aforementioned The Glenlivet 1995 17yo ($180HKD, approx $25AUD), and the former single cask Highland Park 1997 14yo (which used to reside in a cask but now lives in glass due to dwindling supplies), the menu includes gems such as the port pipe finished Bowmore Voyage ($290HKD, approx $40AUD), 21yo Douglas Laing's OMC Rosebank 1990 ($280HKD, approx $39AUD), 12yo Douglas Laing's Provenance Craigellechie 1999 ($118HKD, approx $16AUD) and three bottlings from Ichiro's Malt "card series".

If those are a little extravagant, the menu has plenty of classics like Glenfarclas 105 cask strength ($118HKD, approx $16AUD), Balvenie 12 DoubleWood, Bowmore 12 and Laphroaig 10 (all $98HKD, approx $13.50AUD). Not bad considering Hong Kong's 100% tax on spirits.

The bar is a generous size for Hong Kong, with plenty of seating available both at the bar and in cosy booths overlooking Hollywood Rd. Staff and management were all very welcoming and friendly, and it seems like the sort of bar who regularly update their whisky selection, as we spotted a the recently-released Highland Park Freya on the bar.

For those who prefer their whisky mixed, the bar also offers plenty in the way of whisk(e)y cocktails, including some very interesting, tasty and uniquely Asian "Signature Old Fashioneds", like "Rittenhouse 100 proof rye sweetened with a refreshing touch of yuzu" and "Chinese dried logan infused Rittenhouse 100 proof rye, Okinawa black sugar replacing the traditional sugar cube". 

Angel's Share would be a great place to bring a group for drinks before or after dinner (or even during - they also serve food), but equally it's the sort of place you could drop in with your partner, or even solo. Welcoming, inviting, comfortable, and with a great whisky selection. We're sold! 

Cheers,
 - Steph & Martin.

*and many more reviews to follow.

Tasted #23: Big Peat (#101drams)

I knew getting through the #101drams charitable challenge would be, well, a challenge, so I figured I'd need to find a number of different ways to try all the drams, and to keep it interesting. Sure I could probably go and smash through 60% of them in a few months at somewhere like Baxter Inn or Whisky + Alement (and don't get me wrong, bars like those are critical in helping me get through my list!), but I think sometimes I need to mix it up a bit.

So when the kind folks at Douglas Laing & Co (who have recently split into two separate companies) sent me a sample of Big Peat (#81 on my list), I was pretty happy to be able to tick another one off the list, without just going to a bar and paying for it (and in the comfort of my own home with my own Glencairn too)!

Big Peat is a blend of Islay malts, and includes Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen. Being a big fan of these distilleries, I was interested to see how they went as a blend (albeit with No Age Statement)...


Big Peat Small Batch Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (46%, NAS, Islay Scotland)
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Nose: Light (for an Islay whisky). Big sea salt hit, hints of cinnamon and a slight nuttiness.

Palate: Equally light on the palate, and equally salty. Smoke comes through late in the piece, but the sea air wins out here. Very smooth and very drinkable, but not the big Islay "whack" I was expecting.

Finish: Initially very smoky, but not lingering like say an Ardbeg Galileo. A faint iodine taste lingers a little, but overall I'd call it a pretty short finish.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. Enjoyable, and very easy-drinking, but not quite what I was expecting (a lot lighter). Having said that, I think this would make an excellent whisky for someone just starting to explore the whiskies of Islay.

A very big thanks again to  Douglas Laing & Co for the sample.

Cheers, 
 - Martin.