local bar The Swan Song has played an incredible part in the beginnings of my whisky journey, notwithstanding their closure ever since the circuit-breaker measures around this time last year.
together with The Single Cask, they had co-hosted the Whisky 101 online tasting course that introduced me to the history, art and nuances of the water of life, and facilitated my meeting so many more likeminded friends who shared a similar passion.
through my experiences with them the past year at all their pop-up locations (Oriental Elixir, Amara and The Single Cask), co-owners Kelvin, Arun and Ronald have been knowledgeable and approachable, plus all around nothing short of welcoming.
so when i heard that The Swan Song had recently been successful in reopening their own premises (at 41A Boat Quay), i was extremely excited to drop by for a visit.
the newly-renovated bar is minimalist and elegant, the perfect setting for business drinks or a first date. yet this is far from intimidating for the new or casual drinker - the warmth of everyone there makes this a lovely welcoming place to just spend a couple of hours broadening one's perspective on what true whisky really is.
The Swan Song really has something special going on here. the shelves behind the bar are well-stocked with vintage whiskies to suit any nose and palate, and their comprehensive menu is filled with pages and pages of pours that would be hard to find anywhere else (including the dedication of more than just one page to Ledaig, one of the co-owner's favourite distilleries).
with their vast collection of whiskies and immense experience, one thing that The Swan Song has nailed hands-down is how to recommend a good whisky. they are masters in the "if you like this, you'll like this" department, and in providing gentle transitions out of preferred scent/flavour profiles to segue into new experiences. another reason that they're one of the go-to recommended bars for me is in how they are so genuine about delivering a meaningful customer experience without trying to upsell the more expensive whiskies - i never feel pressured to go outside of my budget range, and my wallet has absolutely no regrets the morning after.
"i don't think i'll go for a Ledaig," i had remarked to Kelston, one of the staff there, as i idly leafed through the menu trying to decide on my order. "the last time i had them, i didn't really enjoy the experience as much. not a big fan of the strong petrol and all."
"hmm, which ones did you have? the eighteen, and manzanilla twenty-one? right, right, got it, i think i have something for you."
imagine my surprise when Kelston returned with this lovely sixteen-year-old cask strength Ledaig (56.8% alcohol by volume) bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. slightly apprehensive from my previous experiences though also unable to resist my curiosity at the basis for the recommendation, i decided to go with it and ordered a pour.
and wow, this is a really incredible whisky that smells like a drinkable interpretation of the atmosphere at a formula one racetrack - it masterfully blends the aromas of fuel, burnt rubber and smoke together in an addictive adrenaline-pumping experience, while incorporating other elements of sweet and savoury to create a composition that goes beyond the (less-pleasant) mental image of drinking petrol next to the still-smoking tire marks from performance cars doing doughnuts.
on the nose, the Ledaig opens with a wonderful combination of spicy leather and sweet smoke, slightly reminiscent of a good smoked ham and with the faint suggestion of red fruits to balance it out.
the first sips are strong, with a burst of black pepper over an intensely ashy smoke. the petrol undertones to the smoke combine with a pleasantly-funky burnt rubber that brings the whisky to a full-bodied climax, such that i can almost hear the roar of formula one engines resonating in my glass. it's a strong spicy and savoury experience that's surprisingly approachable with the sweet red fruits, and fades into a satisfying long finish of ashy smoke at the end.
a visit to The Swan Song is one that broadens the experience if you're willing to step outside your comfort zone, and Kelston's recommendation certainly helped me to avoid tarring the entire distillery with the same brush. while i can't say that the petrol-smoke and burnt-rubber combination is an immediate love for me, the complexity and nuance of this sixteen-year-old Ledaig provided a surprising experience that helped me to widen the scope of my sweet/smoky preferred profile.
i like this one so much that i found myself searching for a full bottle online, but wasn't able to find any in stock. i would say that it's a pour i'd be happy to repurchase at The Swan Song, but given their vast collection and recommendation skills, i know that my next visit there would yield even more surprises if i took the plunge and tried more new whiskies instead of sticking to those i'm comfortable with.
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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 Swan Song or Ledaig, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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