for the rest of my Whisky Journey 2020 posts, do check out the collection label here.
like all the other whisky travelers who had purchased their Whisky Journey 2020 pass online, i had the choice of three bars from which i could collect my starter pack to begin the journey.
it wasn't too hard of a decision since i'm intending to visit all of them eventually, though with their collagen somen and whisky-infused dumplings coming highly recommended, Copper at Lanson Place felt like a nice place to start the Journey with a good dinner and some whiskies.
for Whisky Journey 2020, Copper is showcasing whiskies from the award-winning portfolio of Duncan Taylor - their Black Bull Kyloe is the free 10ml pour for this location and there's also a nice selection of Singapore-exclusive whiskies from their The Octave range available to try, including a Whisky Journey exclusive, The Octave Glenallachie 2008.
the Black Bull Kyloe (pronounced Kahy-loh) is inspired by the hardy breed of highland cattle that go by the same name. Kyloe cattle are capable of enduring the harsh conditions in Scotland's windswept highlands and islands, a testament to their robustness.
i redeemed my free pour and was surprised from the nosing of the Black Bull Kyloe - the mental imagery of thick-furred highland cattle (like the fierce one on the label) was the complete opposite of the soft sweetness that i found in the glass. even with a 50% alcohol by volume, this was not overwhelmingly strong and the subtleties of the nosing could still shine through. it reminded me of a smooth and light christmas fruitcake, with brown sugar, caramel and raisins coming to the fore.
on the palate, the essence of fruitcake diminishes; the fruits are very subtle and the main impression i get is of refined sugarcane juice, sweet and fruity with the tiniest hint of spiciness. there's also a hint of vanilla emerging on the finish, which was surprisingly on the shorter side. this is a very easy to drink whisky, straightforward on the sweetness yet with quiet complex nuances that make it a lovely experience to sip. i definitely enjoyed the pour that earned me a stamp on my Whisky Journey passport, and it's one that i would be happy to buy another pour of to enjoy, even at non-discounted prices.
i also ordered a pour of each of the other four The Octave whiskies which were part of the Whisky Journey offerings, a flight experience of Singapore-exclusives in itself.
The Octave An Iconic Speyside 2010 (54% abv) was lightly sweet on the nose, reminding me of candied grapefruit but with a twist of lemon zest thrown in for that touch of contrasting bitterness at the end. it was relatively sweet on the palate, though with the finish it evolved quite a bit, with the subtle woodiness becoming more pronounced and the robustness of the sherry influence coming out a touch more. it's not bad but wasn't particularly memorable either, a pour i wouldn't mind having a second round of at Whisky Journey prices, though it wouldn't be a compelling one for me at non-discounted prices.
i was excited for The Octave Glenallachie 2008 (54.1% abv) which was a Whisky Journey exclusive, but unfortunately it didn't match up to my expectations. it felt very similar - almost too similar - to the previous An Iconic Speyside. even though the Glenallachie was more full-bodied and had slightly more complex developments with the citrus element, it didn't feel like enough of a leap up from An Iconic Speyside to justify the price (or live up to the exclusivity). perhaps this would have stood out better in a more diverse range, though in my view it's a whisky i'm glad to have been able to try but not something i would order again.
The Octave Craigellachie 2007 (54.9% abv) was more complex than the other two, with the woody element coming out stronger on the nose and palate. i did like the finish though, which revealed a similar sherry influence as the other two, but kicked it up a notch by stretching it out longer and adding a subtle orange twist. it's a pity that like the Glenallachie, this one probably would have been lovely on its own but being too similar to the two that came before it, the slight differences in nuances were easier to distinguish side-by-side but didn't feel prominent enough as differentiating elements.
last but most definitely not least, The Octave Bunnahabhain 2014 (54.3%) was a beautiful end that redeemed the flight. completely going off the well-taken path by the other three before it, this one opens the nosing with a moderately strong smoke and roasted barley. traces of saltiness come out more on the nose after a few sips; the palate here is robust, an iodine-infused seaweed fresh from the ocean, yet with a subtle honey sweetness that is irresistibly addictive. the sweetness carries over into the finish, which features smoky ash over salty wood. this is a fine Bunnahabhain and my favourite of the evening which i definitely recommend to try - it's worth the experience even at non-discounted prices.
slàinte!
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this review is of a product that i had purchased at regular price with my own money. i wasn’t asked to review this as a condition of purchase and didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with The Whisky Store, Copper or any of the other participating bars / distilleries, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
Copper is at 167 Penang Road, #01-01 Lanson Place, Singapore 238462.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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