Thursday, 18 April 2013 21:24 Written by Benjamin

Back with a Bang - A Very Special Karuizawa

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Back with a Special Karuizawa - 1964/2012 Wealth Solutions (Poland)

It's been very busy nowadays and so writing is a luxury, but there are none better than writing about whisky. So how about a short post on one hell of a whisky, one of the oldest Karuizawas ever bottle, and a very rare one at that!

Name: Karuizawa 1964/2012 Bottled for Wealth Solutions (Poland)
Distillery: Karuizawa (Japan)
Type: Single Cask Single Malt Whisky
Age Statement: 48YO
No. of Bottles: 149
Vintage: 1964
Cask Number: 3603
Alc/Vol: 57.7%

It's not every day that one gets to try one hell of an old dram from revered old distilleries across the globe, so I consider this a bit of a blessing and a real honour to be able to try this. Bottled for Wealth Solutions, a company in Poland, this is one of the oldest Karuizawas (as mentioned), coming in at a whopping 48 years old. Only 149 bottles were yielded from this bottle and the bottles went for a sobering S$20,000 each, definitely not one for the bulk of whisky-loving people. It seems a bit much price wise, but it's also good to know what's inside the bottle before making a judgement.

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Labels: Japanese Whisky, Karulzawa

Wednesday, 27 March 2013 22:02 Written by Benjamin

Slainte Michael! With an Old Macallan

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Cheers to Michael Jackson and Happy International Whisky Day!

Every year on the 27th of March, the whisky loving community of the world comes together to celebrate the life this man, Michael Jackson (now not the pop idol, the whisky legend). A legend in the world of whisky, Michael Jackson is seen by many as a humble, fiercely passionate giant of a man who basically created the DNA of whisky writing and appreciation that many of the world's whisky experts have tried to emulate and build on ever since. Sadly, Michael passed away in 2007 due to Parkinson's Disease, and so this day has been also elevated to a day where people aim to raise awareness for the condition and also hold charity whisky events where proceeds go to research for this disease which has also stricken people I personally know as well.

Whilst I came to whisky after the time of this great writer, I am still amazed at the work he created and the legacy he left behind for all of us whisky loving folk. As a historian, I always look for the originator, the primary source and authority, and I look for objectivity and comprehensive knowledge, and for me, whilst he had his favourites, Michael's writing ticked all the boxes. A giant in the whisky world, his legacy will live on for the longest time, and I hope that as a new generation of whisky lovers come into this wonderful world of the water of life, it does not forget the people who paved the way for all of us to walk.

I raise a dram today, hence, to this great man, whom I never had the pleasure of meeting but has undeniably illuminated the path of whisky geek-dom for so many of us. May you dram well with the angels today Mike, as the world pays tribute to your legacy and work.

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Labels: Scottish Whisky (Speyside), Macallan

Friday, 15 March 2013 18:29 Written by Benjamin

Happy Birthday Auld Alliance with 2 Sherried Ones (And an Updated Menu!)

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Happy Birthday Auld Alliance with Two Sherried Japanese Whiskies.

The Auld Alliance, Singapore's premier whisky bar, celebrated two great years of business last month with an unveiling of their new chic bar menu along with some great new whiskies from all over the world, especially Japan. In this post, we will look at two of these expressions but also do a quick piece on the recent 'upgrades' to the bar menu that will leave whisky geeks all over the world salivating at the mouth!

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Friday, 22 February 2013 22:45 Written by Benjamin

Tom Tom Tom - Two New Ts!

Tasting Two Ts - Tomatin and Tomintoul 44YO!

Back to the tasting wagon today with two whiskies from distilleries that are lesser known but have produced some fine whiskies, and both from many a year ago! Let's see how the whiskies from Tomatin and Tomintoul taste like!

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Labels: Scottish Whisky (Highlands), Scottish Whisky (Speyside), Tomintoul, Tomatin

Thursday, 14 February 2013 22:04 Written by Benjamin

Happy Valentine's Day - With a Johnnie Walker!

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The John Walker and Sons Odyssey in Singapore

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all! It's been a while since the last update and it seems that today's a great day to get back on the writing wagon, and what better way to do that than with an exclusive new release from the world's leading brand of whisky, Johnnie Walker.

The JW brand is huge in Singapore, and with the growing affluence in Singapore and around Asia, it is no surprise that the brand, like so many other whisky companies, are casting their eyes towards the East in search of new markets to tap into. This is not unlike the early years of the brand where its founding fathers, the Walker family, sought to bring this whisky as far as the British Empire could reach. It is this journey that is the inspiration behind Johnnie Walker's newly launched whisky, the John Walker and Sons Odyssey.