for the rest of my Whisky Journey 2020 posts, do check out the collection label here.
my Whisky Journey 2020 route thus far had taken me to a whole variety of different bars, from the most ulu (far-flung) ones which involved a good deal of trekking from the main road, to those in the heart of town amidst the hustle and bustle of traffic. but none of the locations resonated with me as much as a particular one on the fringe of the central business district, where i had worked for a good part of my career before moving to a less commercial part of town.
this corner of 1 Shenton Way opposite Lao Pa Sat has seen its fair share of activity over the years; it's with much nostalgia that i reminisce on my fond memories of the former-former-occupant The Bank, before they made way for a popular sandwich shop. both were a sort of fixture that i would see from time to time on my way to and from work, a welcome anchor in an ever-changing concrete jungle. even though i knew that storefronts can come and go at a surprising rate in this part of town, i still didn't expect to find that this particular corner was my destination for the afternoon, the home of the newly-opened Silvermalt.
(no seriously, they're really the newest kid on the block, having literally opened less than two weeks ago on 11 december - but the wonderful ambience and professional service feels on par with many other older and more established bars i've visited on this journey.)
for Whisky Journey 2020, Silvermalt has a really amazing range of whiskies from The Lakes distillery in England. having visited the Lake District on holiday in pre-covid times (though unfortunately not the distillery itself), i was especially excited to be trying a whisky distilled and made with pure water from that scenic landscape.
The ONE Signature Blended is the free 10ml pour for this location, alongside a veritable selection of many other different single and blended malts that showcase the best of that this distillery has to offer.
i began my afternoon by redeeming my free pour of The ONE Signature Blended (46.6% abv) which was a great start to a fantastic whisky flight. the sherry influence comes across strongly with the nosing, with a well-blended balance of sweet red fruits and a savoury mature oak beneath. the woodiness carries through onto the palate, and the red fruits are accompanied by an interesting blend of pears and apples in great harmony with each other. i found the finish smooth and relatively long, with the appearance of dark chocolate and a touch of pepper. a straightforward dram that's great at Whisky Journey prices, though a little too straightforward for non-discounted rates.
this was one of the bars where i was truly spoilt for choice with a menu of eight other whiskies available for Whisky Journey, so i ended up having to rely heavily on the recommendation of one of the owners Chandrew and bartender Zonn on what i should focus on. i knew i would definitely have at least one Quatrefoil, and Chandrew suggested that i should also try the Sherry Finished Blended, Orange Wine Finished Blended and The Whiskymaker's Cohleita Single Malt if i wanted to have a diverse enough range to experience the distillery's offerings. man, i was so glad that i took his advice.
The ONE Sherry Finished Blended (46.6% abv) was an interesting one, strong on the sherry like its sibling the Signature Blended, but this time on a sweeter note with raisins and a light caramel. the European oak Oloroso and PX casks came through with a strong but pleasant woody note on the palate, combined with the raisins and a hint of dark chocolate. the finish was nice, of medium length and not as spicy as with the Signature Blended, a pleasure to sip and enjoy. i considered this one a steal at Whisky Journey prices, but something i would be a little more on the fence about at standard prices.
on the other hand, The ONE Orange Wine Finished Blended (46.6% abv) was something more unique, a really interesting one unlike any other i've tried before. the first thing that really struck me was how strong the orange was with the nosing, almost like a combination of freshly-squeezed orange juice with marmalade and candied orange peels, so bright and vibrant that you could almost see the colours dancing in front of you. this was also exceptionally sweet-smelling, deliciously edible yet almost perfume-like in its beauty - both from an olfactory and taste perspective, it was smooth, sweet and refined, a great showcase of orange at its finest. an easy to drink dessert whisky that was a bargain at Whisky Journey prices and one that i would unhesitatingly go for again even at non-discounted prices.
at this point in time i had thought that the flight was going quite well so far, but as it turns out, i hadn't seen anything yet. the final three to come were in a whole different league of their own.
i enjoyed The Whiskymaker's Cohleita Single Malt (52% abv) so much that when i returned to Silvermalt a couple of days later with a friend, it was the pour that i knew i had to enjoy another round of. the first sniffs from the glass were bright and rich, overflowing with fresh stone fruits and red fruits. the port influence is smooth yet robust, and combined with a hint of cinnamon on the tongue, this was vaguely reminiscent of a sweet mulled wine, albeit with a discernible wood that helped ground the flavours and bring them together. this had a moderately long finish, a dram of which i could order a double (or triple) to sip as i watched the armies of office drones and tourists swarm the busy traffic crossing outside with clockwork frequency.
i initially decided that i would just try one of the Quatrefoils and call it a day after that, picking Hope (because that's what we all need in these difficult times, right?) and finding myself completely enamoured with not just the beautiful quatrefoil bottle, but also its contents. the nosing comprised similar stone fruit notes to the Cohleita, but taken to a whole new level with its refined smoothness and complexity. this was an intense burst of flavour on the palate, with flavours of ripe plum, black cherries and slightly-tart berries that gained an extra zing with some spiciness moving into the finish. Hope is truly aptly named, a bright batch of enthusiastic optimism married with a more mature outlook and character. i loved it so much that i just had to check the price of the bottle, though it was unfortunately too far outside of my budget for me to consider seriously.
all throughout the tasting, it had been a quiet afternoon at the bar and i was greatly enjoying myself in occasional conversation with Chandrew and Zonn. i admired Chandrew's knowledge of his whiskies and passion to share the same with others, and it was such a joy to be around Zonn with her welcoming bubbly zeal. both of them made me feel right at home even though it was only my first visit, and i was actually a little sad after i had settled the bill and it was time to be leaving.
i had asked Zonn to help me to rinse and dry my faithful Whisky Journey Glencairn glass for the journey, so it came entirely as a surprise when Chandrew took the clean glass and offered me just a little taste of the other Quatrefoil that i had foregone, Faith.
where Hope was full-bodied and bright, Faith was soft and demure, almost shy even. the nosing was delightful, a subtle sweet sherry with a smooth blend of vanilla and raisins; the same notes translated beautifully onto the palate, a light dance of the dried fruits with a touch of cinnamon over warm woodiness. i was especially surprised by how sweet Faith turned out on the nose and palate, close to but not as much as the Orange Wine Finished. this was an amazing one to savour, especially with its long finish that drew out and developed the nuances of that sweetness, leaving you wanting more.
slàinte!
==
this review is of a product that i had purchased at regular price with my own money, with the exception of the free taste as disclosed above. 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, Silvermalt or any of the other participating bars / distilleries, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
Silvermalt is at 1 Shenton Way, #01-02, Singapore 068803.
all information correct at time of publishing.
Comments
Post a Comment