From smoky whiskies to Squid Game collaborations, here is the latest roundup of new spirits and wine launches in Malaysia.
Here is the latest roundup of new spirits and wine launches in Malaysia.
To celebrate the highly anticipated launch of Netflix's Squid Game Season 2 on Dec 26, Johnnie Walker recently unveiled the Johnnie Walker Black Label x Squid Game Limited Edition in Malaysia.
The limited edition bottles are uniquely numbered from 001 to 456 using cutting-edge variable print technology, with each bottle adorned with the iconic Striding Man clad in the signature teal-coloured Squid Game tracksuit.
Johnnie Walker Black Label x Squid Game limited edition.
The release was accompanied by a four-day exclusive Johnnie Walker x Squid Game pop up at RexKL from Dec 4 to 7. As part of the event, guests got to enjoy a complimentary JW Bori Cha cocktail upon check-in, and also the chance to win exclusive limited edition merchandise by collecting points through various activities, including completing three Squid Game themed games at the site.
It’s that smoky peaty time of year again - the new Octomore series by Bruichladdich Distillery, Series No.15, was launched recently at an event at Jann KL, where we got to try the 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3 expressions.
Personally, I like this series a little more than the last one - there is a bit more uniqueness and complexity to the 15 series that the 14 series didn’t quite have.
Octomore 15.1 (108.2ppm, 59.1% ABV) is aged in first-fill bourbon barrels with re-charred ex-bourbon casks while the 15.2 (108.2ppm, 57.9% ABV) is a blend of American oak, red wine, and French ex-cognac casks.
Octomore 15 series
The highlight for me, however, was the 15.3 (307.2ppm, 61.3% ABV) which is made with 100% Islay Barley, aged in American oak & Spanish Oloroso hogshead casks.
On the nose, I got a breakfast-like vanilla pancake note, with toffee and caramel, sweet peat and honey. The palate is also biscuity, rich but sweet peat, butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, which reminded me of slightly overcharred French toast, finishing with a salty maritime note that ends with sweet lingering peat.
Champagne house Veuve Clicquot recently unveiled ‘Road to the Sun’, a celebration of the arrival of beautiful days and a new expression of its Solaire art de Vivre.
The campaign includes the release of the “Clicquot Cooler”, an eco-friendly champagne bottle cooler designed for those on the go, which exemplifies Veuve Clicquot’s affinity for combining aesthetics and practicality to elevate everyday objects.
The “Clicquot Cooler” is an eco-friendly champagne bottle cooler designed for those on the go.
Made from tinplate, an infinitely recyclable material, and integrating an inner vac form made from sugarcane waste, the Clicquot Cooler can easily be taken anywhere thanks to its chrome handle, keeping champagne at the optimal temperature for up to one hour.
The cooler comes in two colour choices – rosé or yellow – resembling the labels of its Brut and Rosé champagne bottles.
Glenmorangie’s ‘A Tale Of...’ series is arguably one of the wildest ranges of Scotch single malts around. Director of Whisky Creation, Dr Bill Lumsden, really lives up to his ‘mad scientist of whisky’ nickname with this series. Previous expressions include ‘A Tale of Cake’, ‘Forest’, ‘Tokyo’, and ‘Winter’, all inspired by his own personal experiences and memories.
The latest one is ‘A Tale Of Ice Cream’, which in inspired by his love for ice cream (what else?), and meant to recreate the flavours of an ice cream parlour menu.
Glenmorangie A Tale Of Ice Cream
The whisky was launched in Malaysia recently at, aptly enough, the Puchong branch of The Ice Cream Bar, which created an exclusive, limited-edition flavour called ‘Popcorn Old Fashioned’, infused with toffee nut and popcorn syrups, a dash of Angostura bitters, and an ‘opulent pour’ of Glenmorangie A Tale Of Ice Cream.
A Tale Of Ice Cream is a marriage of whisky aged in bourbon casks and a parcel of whisky finished in high-vanillin casks.
These new oak casks were toasted differently, to create higher concentrations of vanillin (an aromatic compound which brings vanilla flavours to whisky).
The result is a single malt that is a full-on vanilla bomb, with streaks of fruity sweetness and toffee, and a very dessert pie-like mid-palate and finish. A pretty interesting dram.
