for the rest of my Whisky Journey 2020 posts, do check out the collection label here.
as i would soon discover, my Whisky Journey turned out to be an exploration not only of different distilleries, but also of a whole range of bars and restaurants, from places off the beaten track to the heart of the central business district. and so it happened that the other evening i found myself at the amazing rooftop bar The Other Roof, with the beautiful cityscape unfolding before me.
for Whisky Journey 2020, The Other Roof features whiskies from Paul John - their Nirvana is the free 10ml pour for this location and also a range of six other whiskies to choose from the same distillery. it was tempting but in the end i decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and opted to pick just three others just to get a better feel for John Distilleries as a whole.
from the instant i was greeted by the imposing yet friendly doorman (bouncer?) at the ground floor, i knew that this was going to be an experience unlike any other i've had in Singapore. after all the usual covid-19 safety measures were duly completed to his satisfaction, he reached over and pressed the button for the lift that would carry me to the rooftop bar, saying, "i've called up ahead to let them know you're here, and they're ready for you Kat!"
i would soon find out that "ready for me" would comprise not just super friendly greetings by name from the front of house (and bartenders on shift), but also a handwritten place setting (with little hearts aww), a complimentary little bowl of snacks, and a welcome shot (drink) which was citrusy and refreshing.
then it was on to the Whisky Journey!
i redeemed my free pour of the Paul John Nirvana (40% abv) which was buttery smooth on the nose with a whiff of sweet fruits and a touch of citrus. the tasting revealed further notes of peach and definitely apple, blended in a smooth and subtle way with a dollop of honey and a little bit of wood lingering on the medium finish. i can see how this one lives up to its name, a contemplative reflective whisky with a feeling of calmness. it's a lovely light whisky that was not a bad start to the evening indeed; a dram i wouldn't hesitate to buy again at Whisky Journey prices though perhaps not at non-discounted rates.
next i tried the Paul John Edited (46% abv) - a similar butteriness on the nose to the Nirvana, though now a step up in complexity with a rich vanilla layered over it. the peat is extremely subtle here under the richness as well, more ash than tobacco. i particularly like how this one evolves on the tongue, a seamless transition from the initial full-on sweet fruitiness as the peat creeps in hesitantly. the smokiness rises, at its prime still on the mild to moderate end compared to more peated whiskies, but still enough to pass the dragon test on the remarkably smooth finish. like the Nirvana, i wouldn't hesitate to buy this again at Whisky Journey prices though perhaps not at non-discounted rates.
the Paul John Bold (46% abv) was a lovely smoky experience that i couldn't stop sniffing from the glass. it's a fine feature of strong peatiness over a few slices of tropical fruits and honey. the nosing is strongly reminiscent of barbequed pineapple, with the rich caramelisation, tropical sweetness and slight touch of acidity that go extremely well with the peatiness. this was my favourite whisky of the evening to just sit and appreciate the smell of, and i kept returning to linger over this for a very long time. on the palate, the pineapple is still present with some mango and orange coming into the picture, and a good dose of woodiness. the peat is gentler than i would have expected from the nosing, and drawn out over the long finish, it was a tad underwhelming for me personally. definitely a no-brainer to pick up at Whisky Journey prices, though the nose promised more than the palate could deliver on this one and so it wouldn't be a compelling purchase for me at non-discounted rates.
last but not least, i enjoyed the Paul John Peated (55.5% abv) which was the smoke that i had been looking for. interestingly this had a similar pineapple on the nose as the Bold, though with the Peated it was tempered with some hay and leather that gave this dram more savouriness compared to the fruitiness of the Bold. compared to the Bold, the latter was surprisingly more aggressive with the smoke on the nose; but where the peat in the Bold fell off more on the palate, the tasting was where the Peated truly shined. a sweet smoke billows to fill the mouth on the first sips, announcing that this is definitely a peated whisky that intends to live up to its name. the fruits are rich and the taste full-bodied; i found myself smiling and saying "yes, this is peat, this is peat" as i enjoyed this one. there's some pepper and woodiness on the finish, but the peat remains the star throughout. another great whisky to experience at Whisky Journey prices, and very tempting at non-discounted rates.
another unique standout from the tasting experience for me was the handwritten whisky names on the glass itself for each of my orders. i was informed (with some apologies) that the usual 'dram artist' had ended their shift by the time i arrived, though truth be told i had no complaints with these ones - the y were clear, they did their job, and the handwritten identification of the whiskies in each glass was such a unique touch that i liked much better than the little coloured stickers that you sometimes find with whisky tasting flights.
i also ordered a molten chocolate lava cake to enjoy with my peaty whiskies after the review notes were scribbled and done... a fitting reward for myself indeed. the molten chocolate centre was of the perfect consistency and it really brought out the smokiness, especially with the Peated. i must confess that the cake was a touch too sweet to have paired with the Bold, though that was entirely on me.
all things considered, i really enjoyed this whisky tasting and more importantly, the entire experience at The Other Roof.
throughout the evening, different staff and even the bartenders behind the bar would stop by to just check in on how i was enjoying myself, if they could get me anything and to chat about Whisky Journey. it was amazing because i've never experienced such attentiveness even when not reviewing undercover, and yet i was no special customer to them - i noticed that each and every single one of their patrons received a similarly enthusiastic welcome and considerate follow-up, just another part of the whole experience at this fantastic bar.
but among the staff who dropped by, one stood out head and shoulders above the rest - Bev, who had charge of me for the evening, was so genuinely friendly and immensely knowledgeable about the Whisky Journey as well as their general menu. she had just the right balance between allowing me to enjoy the atmosphere of the bar on my own while also checking in at the perfect times to make sure that i didn't want for anything. i was also blown away by her attention to detail - she immediately noticed that the spoon i was holding for dessert was too ornamental and not practical to eat with, and proactively ensured that a better one was right by my side for me before i even realised.
the sweetest thing about Bev that stayed with me was what happened when i left - she was busy when i realised that the time had come to head off, so i quietly asked one of her coworkers to convey my sincere thanks to her after the bill was settled. what i definitely didn't expect was that while i was waiting for the lift down, she must have gotten the message and took the time to pop out to the entrance, waving and calling out, "bye Kat!"
i could gush about The Other Roof for a long time - their effort into delivering a great customer experience really shines through. and it's definitely one of the bars that has left such an amazing impression on me from Whisky Journey that i now have a firm go-to if i ever get asked for recommendations in the area.
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, The Other Roof or any of the other participating bars / distilleries, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
The Other Roof is at 28 Ann Siang Road, Rooftop Bar, Singapore 069708.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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