Distillery Tour #8: Two Moons Distillery (Hong Kong)

TimeforWhisky.com is, obviously, a whisky blog, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the occasional malternative, be it rum (including every Caroni I can get my hands on), brandy (especially Vallein Tercinier Cognac), and at times, gin (the "whisky drinker's white spirit").

(I stop short at Vodka, of course...)

Gin isn't something we'd typically feature here, but then when you live in HK, it's not every day that someone starts up a local distillery producing a fantastic product. Enter Dimple and Ivan, founders of Two Moons Distillery in Chai Wan, Hong Kong...

The idea for Two Moons Distillery came about in 2017, when Ivan and Dimple were creating their own gin infusions for cocktail events, but were never quite satisfied with the results. After gaining valuable insights from meeting and working with distillers abroad, they decided to set up their own distillery, despite no one else (at the time) having opened a gin distillery in Hong Kong.

Told by many it was "impossible", the duo reached out to HK Customs who more or less said "why not?", and together both sides embarked on a two-year learning journey. It was refreshing to hear Ivan talk of the collaborative experience they had working with Customs - a far cry from what you might expect when dealing with bureaucracy, particularly in the context of alcohol production.

Gin Ambassador course teacher Eddie Nara hearing about Two Moons Gin botanicals from co-founder Ivan Chang

The facility itself is small but smartly designed, with seating around a crescent-shaped bar overlooking the still and bottling facilities, which all sit in a bonded area (interestingly, in Hong Kong only authorised personnel are allowed to enter bonded facilities, and Customs must be notified of each and every non-authorised person who enters).

Speaking of stills, "Luna" (as she's known) is a 100L copper pot and column hybrid still, created by Müller Stills in Germany. Ivan tells a funny story of how Müller weren't sure if they should produce the still for Two Moons, as there was a concern that it may have actually been requested simply to copy and reproduce (because "who distills gin in HK?!"). After satisfying themselves that Ivan and Dimple were legitimate, Müller created the still and it now takes pride of place in the distillery.

Utilising a sugarcane-based neutral grain spirit from Holland, Luna churns out approximately 100-110 bottles in each batch, with 2-3 batches produced per week currently.

Seeking a "balanced, complex and sippable" spirit, the duo experimented with variety of botanicals before settling on 12 to provide citrus notes (Lemon peel, Rose, Tangerine Peel, Pink Peppercorns), Sweetness (Tonka bean, Madagascan vanilla, Chinese apricot kernels), London Dry tradition (Juniper from Italy, Cardamom, Coriander seed) and a slight bitterness on the aftertaste (Licorice root, Oris root). With no sugars or sweeteners, the gin is bottled at 45% (based on taste) in custom bottles which are then wax-dipped by hand.

There are a lot of craft gins out there, and not all of them are good, but I have to say, Dimple and Ivan nailed it with this one. It's one of the few gins I'd happily sip neat, and would make an excellent martini, given the complexity. I particularly like the way the citrus sweetness (never overpowering) balances with the juniper and slight bitterness on the finish.

As if it wasn't impressive enough to start a new distillery in Hong Kong, Dimple and Ivan have taken things one step further to ensure the facility has some serious sustainability credentials too - from re-use of water, to turning the composted botanicals into fertiliser for local community farms, the duo are giving back to the community in more ways than one.

Two Moons is not the only gin distillery in Hong Kong (the current count I believe is 3), but regardless, you have to hand it to anyone who decides to take the leap into distilling, particularly in a city with no recent history of it. Given the quality of the product, I have no doubt Dimple and Ivan will succeed.

Two Moons Distillery is located at the end of the Island MTR line, literally across the road from Chai Wan Station in Chai Wan, HK. Visits can be booked via their website.

A big thanks to Dimple and Ivan for their time and hospitality, and Eddie Nara of Barrel Concepts (and also Gin Ambassador HK teacher) for arranging the tour and introduction.

Cheers,

Martin.

Master of Malt Advent Calendars return for 2017

Much-loved spirits retailer Master of Malt have again launched their series of advent calendars, covering the full gamut from whisky to gin to cognac to bourbon to (eep) vodka. Prefer tequila, mezcal or Armagnac? They've got you covered too.

The calendars this year span two pages of the MoM site, and again include an incredible £8,333 "Very Old and Rare" calendar (ex-VAT) which includes a 48 year old Karuizawa, 46 year old Balvenie DCS, 60 year old Glenfarclas and many other bottles (OBs and IBs) from distilleries past and present.

We reviewed 2016's whisky calendar here, and found it an incredibly clever and enjoyable way to try 24 drams without having to comit to a full bottle.

The full range of 2017's calendars can be pre-ordered from here now.

Cheers,
Martin.

Starward / New World Whisky Distillery Tasting in Hong Kong (Tasted #234 - 238)

It's no secret here that we're big fans of Starward Whisky, from Melbourne's New World Whisky Distillery. Since that first time we sat down with then CEO and Founder David Vitale, and tried a sample soon after, we knew this was an exciting distillery - definitely one to watch.

Over the past few years we've become friends with David, catching up in various cities when travel plans aligned, and attending the various Oak Barrel tastings he's hosted in Sydney (first myself attending, now Hendy). So when David reached out recently to let me know he was coming to Hong Kong, and to ask if I was interested in arranging a small tasting for Hong Kong whisky folk, the answer was obviously going to be yes!

David was visiting Hong Kong for the HK Wine & Spirits Fair, and was kind enough to make time on a Friday night to share a few of his recent releases with a small group of friends and fellow whisky lovers.

The brilliant Tiffany's New York Whisky Bar were also kind enough to provide their venue and arrange an impeccable tasting setup - Glencairns, tasting mats, crystal water jugs, pipettes etc... all at quite short notice (thanks guys!) for what, it transpired, was Starward's first ever international tasting! Have to say I felt quite honoured to have arranged the first international tasting for what I'm positive will be a well-known international brand in a few years!

Up for tasting was a mixture of Starward's core lineup and a few of their "New World Projects" limited releases. Specifically, we tried:

• Starward Single Malt Australian whisky New Make Spirit
• Starward Single Malt Australian whisky (Solera)
• Starward Wine Cask Edition Single Malt Australian whisky
• New World Projects Port Double Cask Release #1
• New World Projects Starward Limited Edition for Vintage Cellars Release #1
• New World Projects "Project X" 3yo white whisky
• New World Projects Small Batch Seasonal Gin - Korenwijn

The night was relaxed and casual (reflecting the Starward style), with the first hour or so seeing everyone standing around, chatting, having a beer or wine, and hearing some of David's stories. Eventually though it was time to take our seats, and listen to the story of Starward.

David introduced us to his whisky by explaining that he wanted to do something different, something that hadn't been done before. Not just another Sullivan's Cove, if you will. David's goal was to "do for Australian whisky what Australian wine did previously" - i.e. put it on the world stage. 

Attendees were a mix of whisky fans and industry people (who also happened to be hardcore whisky fans) and David managed to pitch the content at just the right level - technical enough without delving too far into the depths of true whisky geekdom. David discussed the barrel regime (re-coopered 50, 100 and 200L casks, most of Australian Apera heritage), their recent 5,000L solera vat acquisition (used to provide consistency to the core single malt product) and the Australian laws surrounding whisky production, which includes the somewhat hilarious mandate that, as well as being at least 2 years fermented mash aged in wood, the product must also "taste like whisky".

One product that isn't a whisky, but was on tasting for us, was the new "Small Batch Seasonal Gin - Korenwijn", which David explained as an unaged, triple-distilled malted spirit, not dissimilar to Genever. Whilst I didn't take detailed tasting notes, it was a great gin, and made a fantastic Negroni when I made one at home a few days later.

David also provided an interesting insight into the world of spirits excise in Australia (long known as being very unfavourable to distillers), and made the interesting point that a tonne of barley earns the government $400AUD in taxes if sold as barley, but $40,000AUD in taxes if turned into whisky...

After those interesting insights, it was time to delve into the tasting...

Starward Single Malt Australian whisky (Solera) (43% ABV, NAS, Victoria, Australia, $82.99AUD)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Married in a 5,000L solera vat to ensure consistency from batch to batch.
Nose: Stone fruits and cherries. Some dried raisins and a hint of banana. Some vanilla. Some similarities with bourbon.
Palate: Fruity, and very smooth. More stone fruits, and apple especially.
Finish: Medium-length, Bourbon-like sweetness with some vanilla and caramel.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. I enjoyed this when I tried the very first batch (which I scored 90), and this just shows that the whisky has gotten even better since then.

Starward Wine Cask Edition Single Malt Australian whisky (41% ABV, NAS, Victoria, Australia, $80AUD)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Given the distillery's proximity to Barossa, New World are able to get ex-Barossa Shiraz barrels overnight and fill them when still "wet". David describes this as the "complex" sibling to the easier, more light-hearted and laid-back solera single malt.
Nose: Creamy, milk bottle lollies, some caramel and loads of rich red berries - strawberries and blueberries.
Palate: Hugely rich and full-bodied - lots of cherries and strawberries, and some rasbperries, which then shift to this drying, slightly tannic taste. Lots to explore and it's all delicious.
Finish: Medium to long, tannic with big red berries continuing to the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Different to the solera expression and yet still very much a Starward. Grab a bottle of both - you won't be sorry.


New World Projects Project X 3yo white whisky (42.1% ABV, 3yo, Victoria, Australia,  $80AUD)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A three year old Australian single malt whisky that's clear as day?! Yep. Just don't ask David how and expect an answer (though we have a theory...)
Colour: Clear as day
Nose: Banana and pears, but also some oak!
Palate: Smooth - very confusing at first given it looks like a new make. Some toffee and some bananas.
Finish: Short with toffee notes to the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. Not overly complex, but smooth, unique and just very cool. Great in cocktails too.

New World Projects Port Double Cask Release #1 (48.6% ABV, NAS, Victoria, Australia, no longer available)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nose: Toffee and loads of Banoffee pie.
Palate: Smooth and rounded, with toffee notes but also quite a bit of citrus. Not dissimilar to a good, youthful Scotch from a good Speyside distillery.
Finish: Short and slightly drying, with some red berries.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

New World Projects Starward Limited Edition for Vintage Cellars Release #1 (48% ABV, NAS, Victoria, Australia, No longer available but Release #2 is $134.99AUD)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aged in an ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) cask - a departure from Starward's more commonly used Australian Apera barrels.
Nose: Similar toffee notes to the Port Double Cask, but with lots of Christmas cake notes too - Brazil nuts and glacé cherries.
Palate: Oh wow, this is a whisky you can sit on. Big rich chewy caramel and soft toffee notes. Lots of fruit. Slightly flinty. Definitely Sherried - raisins, nuts, even some mocha. Delicious.
Finish: Long, sherried and with a slight earthiness.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Just excellent.

Whilst Starward isn't yet officially available in Hong Kong (well, outside of the collection in my apartment...) David plans to return next year, and we hope it won't be long before we see it being officially distributed here.

TimeforWhisky would like to thank David for giving up his time and whisky on a Friday night, and for giving Hong Kong a taste of Starward - hopefully a taste of things to come!

Cheers,
Martin.

Four Pillars Gin Tasting with Stuart Gregor at The Woods (Hong Kong)

"Gin?" you ask? Isn't this a whisk(e)y blog?

Sure, but unlike that other white spirit, gin is a spirit we find interesting, characterised by flavour (rather than the lack thereof), and enjoyable. Plus in this case, we're talking about a craft Aussie spirit (one of our favourite topics) that also happens to be bloody good.

Four Pillars hasn't been around for long (having started life as a crowdfunded project in late 2013), but has quickly established itself as a world class gin, taking out Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Silver at the London IWSC, as well as a recognition at Tales of the Cocktail. When the gents from Red Willow (purveyors of Four Pillars and other fine spirits & whiskies, and also the team behind the new Tramline Liquor Co shop in Kennedy Town) asked if I wanted to drop by one evening and share a G&T with Four Pillars co-founder Stuart Gregor, they didn't need to ask me twice. 

During a quick tour of HK, Stuart (also the President of the Australian Distillers Association) took some time to hold an informal session at The Woods, to introduce the brand, answer any questions, and let us taste the three core releases (and in his words, to "smash some G&Ts"). The gin lineup consisted of:

• Four Pillars Rare Dry GIn
• Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin (previously "Gunpowder Proof Gin")
• Four Pillars Barrel Aged Gin

Four Pillars use a still ("Wilma" - her name's on the bottle) from Christian Carl in Germany, which Stuart says you'd "have to be an idiot to stuff up". Clearly it's working for them - with Four Pillars now second in its class in Australia (only 18 months after release), and getting attention on a world scale.

The gins use 10 core botanicals (though some releases, like the very limited Spiced Negroni Gin, use different botanicals) and the spirit comes off the stills at a hefty 94% ABV. The botanical basket is filled with orange halves during distillation, giving the gin a citrusy, but not bitter characteristic. No wonder it works so well in a Negroni!

The latest release, the Barrel Aged, sees the gin rest for 6-9 months in French Oak ex-Aussie Chardonnay casks from Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula. When asked how they know when to bottle, Stuart said that with a whopping 9 casks in total, they just taste each one - "takes about 20 minutes". Stuart described it as a "whisky drinker's gin", and he was spot on. I don't love every barrel aged/rested gin I've tried, but I did really enjoy this one.

The "Navy Strength" (previously "Gunpowder Proof") packs a punch at 58.8%, but works well in a variety of mixed drinks, as well as on the rocks.

All three were enjoyable (we were already huge fans of the Rare Dry in this household), and made fantastic and very different G&Ts. A gin for every occasion.

Thanks must go to Mark and Adam from  Red Willow / Tramline Liquor Co for the invite, and Stuart (and his lovely wife) for giving up their time to talk us through their gins. Four Pillars can be purchased from Red Willow's online store in Hong Kong, and all good bottle shops in Australia.

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo World Class: David Rios martini menu launch at aqua spirit Hong Kong

Whilst we ARE a whisky (and whiskey) blog here, and have featured over 240 posts relating to those topics alone, let it never be said that we don't enjoy the odd cocktail, or for that matter, the odd gin (especially now as Hong Kong starts to heat up)...

...and when it comes to cocktails, there are few better experiences than the annual Diageo World Class competition, which sees bartenders globally competing in a range of events for the title of "World Class Bartender of the Year".

So, when an e-mail from MHDHK arrived, inviting us to the launch of David Rios' new Martini menu at the stunning aqua spirit Hong Kong, it wasn't like we were about to say no... (David of course, being the 2013 winner, who took the place of 2012 winner Tim Phillips, whose Bulletin Place bar in Sydney was coincidentally the first bar we ever reviewed on this site!)

The event was to celebrate the launch of a new exclusive menu of four martinis, developed as a collaboration between aqua and David Rios and served in bespoke glassware, available only at aqua spirit from now until the end of June.

Almost instantly on arrival at Aqua Spirit's 30th floor location, we were handed the first cocktail - a Vermouthcito Time, consisting of Tanqueray No. TEN, dry vermouth, red vermouth, orange liquer, orange bitters and an olive, served over a hand carved ice ball. Whilst not usually a martini drinker, this was one cocktail I'd happily request a second time, and was not entirely dissimilar to a white Negroni (a regular Negroni being one of my favourite non-whisk(e)y cocktails).

Next up was the more traditional Eastern Martini, made with Tanqueray No. TEN, manzanilla sherry, lychee liquer, a line twist, olives and almonds, served in a coupette. Designed to pay homage to the "enjoyment of Sherry by expats in Hong Kong in bygone years", the cocktail was a sweeter take on the martini, but equally as enjoyable as the first.

Before long, it was time for David to present his signature cocktail (also on the menu) - the Smell. David took charge of the bar and (with just the right amount of showmanship) showed us how he creates this aromatic take on the martini, made with Tanqueray No. TEN, dry vemouth, bianco vermouth, lime bitters, a twist of lime and served in a "lavender fog". Visually stunning, and when enjoyed from the signature metal, stemless cone-shaped vessel (above), a fantastic experience - made all the more impressive by aqua spirit's stunning backdrop (honestly, no-one could ever tire of that view).

With the show over, it was time for guests to enjoy David's creation and the fantastic canapés (which, par for the course with any MHDHK event, were excellent). A fourth cocktail, Sake, though not served on the night, draws on Tanq TEN's grapefruit notes, with sake, ginger liquer and a twist of pink grapefruit.

The night, which saw guests mingling, chatting to David, enjoying martinis and soaking in the view, was a brilliant, intimate launch and a perfect way to sample the new menu.

The new martini menu is available now at aqua spirit, and will end at the end of June.

Cheers,
Steph & Martin.

Botanic Australis Gin & launch party (Sydney)

I know, it's not whisky and it's not even a dark spirit, but Gin does seem to be the one (usually) unaged spirit that Whisky fans enjoy (I know I do). Even Master of Malt feature a "Ginvent" calendar alongside their hugely popular "Whiskey Advent Calendar", and let's face it, the spectrum of Gin can be pretty varied, just like whisk(e)y.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's not vodka.

As most of you would know, we aim to feature as much Australian content on this site as possible, and that's where the Mt Uncle Distillery comes in, and specifically their Botanic Australis gin.

Located in FNQ, Mt Uncle Distillery produce about as wide a variety of spirits as you can get. Vodka, rum, gin? Sure. Limoncello? Yep. Whiskey? Oh yes (hopefully to be featured on this site in the future). Did someone say Banana or Marshmallow Liqueur? (Probably not, but anyway, they produce those too).

A fortnight or so ago Nip of Courage (an Australian distributor also responsible for distributing Belgrove whisky) hosted a media gathering at Cremorne's Cotton Thief (part of a growing 'LoNoSho' small bar trend), with Mt Uncle Distiller Mark Watkins presenting his gin and talking through the botanicals and distillation process. Steph and I were invited to come along and try the gin along with a few cocktails.

Mark, who was genuinely passionate about distilling and making quality spirits, explained that not only are almost all the botanicals sourced from nearby the distillery, most are picked by the Mt Uncle team personally by hand (some home grown, some picked from the roadside)! Those botanicals, by the way include Juniper, Anise Myrtle, Cinnamon Myrtle, Lemon Myrtle, Finger Lime, River Mint, Peppermint Gum, Lemon Scented Gum, Wattle seed, Lilly Pilly, Riberry, Olida, Native Ginger, Bunya Nut and a "secret mystery native botanical" (there's always at least one..). With such unique Australian ingredients, we were pretty keen to taste it straight and see how it faired compared to the more established gins.

In a word...bloody well (ok, that's two words).

I've found some gins I love in a Martini, but wouldn't necessarily drink neat (say Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks), whereas others I could sip straight and neat (like Tanq Ten). Botanic Australis definitely fell into the latter category, but it was unlike any gin I'd tasted. The nose was initially all lemon and anise, but then some peppery notes came through. The palate showed the same, but also hints of mint and lime. The finish was long with slight notes of spice towards the end. Smooth right throughout too. The usual juniper notes were present, but it was the complexity of all the other flavours/scents that impressed me - a complex gin.

Knowing that a number of gins have their "signature' garnish (cucumber for Hendricks, capsicum for West Winds for example) I asked Mark what he recommended, and he said a citrus twist (the Martini we tried later, with a twist of lime, certainly backed this up).

After tasting the gin straight, we moved onto two cocktails, each made with Currong Comestibles shrubs (a non-alcoholic vinegar-based cordial) - one with Riberry and one with Rainforest Lime. Given the botanicals in the gin, both were perfect matches and made crisp and refreshing cocktails.

Botanic Australis has won International recognition for its packaging, which isn't surprising when looking at the bottle up close. Definitely one of the most impressive Australian bottle designs I've seen (up there with Starward).

Expect to see Botanic Australis appearing in Australian bottles hops shortly (in the meantime you can purchase it directly from the distillery). If you like your gin unique, versatile and Australian, this is one to seek out.

Cheers,
- Martin.

Steph & Martin from TimeforWhisky.com attended this event as media guests.