this year is my first time celebrating World Whisky Day as someone who has become little more familiar with the spirit, and i thought it a fitting commemoration to take a look back at all the amazing memories along this rollercoaster of a ride, ever since my first sip a year ago.
it was in early june 2020 that i (at the insistent urging of a close friend) signed up for the Whisky 101 class hosted jointly by The Single Cask and The Swan Song. their class, held in four sessions over Zoom, was a welcome transition back towards a sense of normalcy, especially after enduring two months of 'circuit breaker' measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore.
i greatly enjoyed learning about the history and intricacies of the distillation process, and being able to socialise with the other students over Zoom, but as a complete beginner, the first two or three lessons had a remarkably steep learning curve taste-wise. despite my friend's advice to add a little water and take small sips, this new spirit burned and was (at least initially) rather quite unpalatable. i would sit there watching the rest of the class wax lyrical about leather and fruits and funk notes, all while gingerly sniffing at my glencairn glass and recoiling with each attempt to taste the liquid inside.
but by the time the fourth (though final) lesson came around, i began to experience less of that alcohol 'burn' and a bit more of the nuances started to emerge on the tongue. slowly, i revisited the remainder of the samples from the previous lessons, and thus began my appreciation for whisky.
fast forward to august 2020, when my friends and i went for the 55th national day flight experience hosted by The Single Cask and The Swan Song (review here). it was my first 'public' flight tasting and while i started the evening feeling significantly out of my depth, the good company of my friends and the bar owners went a long way to build my confidence and experience.
no one was more surprised than i when a couple of months later, Calvin and Ryan from Sing Sing Whisky reached out to me on Instagram to ask if i would be interested in trying their whisky and sharing my honest thoughts (review here). i won't deny that i definitely felt the pressure ratchet up yet another notch, but at the same time it was also affirming to realise that there were others out there who did read and appreciate my reviews, and that my experience with scent could be transposed to this new hobby. i still keep the little sample bottle (pictured above) as a reminder of those great memories and an encouragement.
and before i knew it, another company reached out to me within a month after that. Rohit, the co-owner of local Singapore restaurant and bar Gravy, was exploring whisky pairings with its Indian cuisine and was interested to hear my thoughts on their specially curated menu (review here). it was an amazing experience and i ended up bringing more friends back for more on multiple occasions after that.
then december rolled around, and my whisky experience really rocketed up the learning curve with Whisky Journey 2020 (highlights review here). with my passport (pictured above), i had the opportunity to try so many new whiskies, meet so many wonderful people, discover so many new places to have a pour and chill, and most importantly, share great experiences over a dram with old and new friends alike.
the Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dhà (pictured above) which i discovered on Whisky Journey was, and is, still one of my favourite daily drams. i just love the strong smokiness, gentle sweetness and lovely complexity with its sweet raisins, salted caramel, mild oak, touches of dark chocolate and light cinnamon over the top (review here).
the centrepiece of attention in the photo above, my custom engraved cat rocks glasses which were a very special christmas present from a close friend (review here). the best gifts don't necessarily involve a good deal of money or time; they're special because of the thought that went into them and the sentiment that they reflect, and these glasses will be a cherished possession of mine for a good long time.
new year rolled around, first on the Gregorian calendar and then the Chinese lunar calendar. i had the wonderful opportunity to try the exclusive festive bottling by The Single Cask in celebration of the Year of the Ox (review here) and also received some lovely hongbaos from them with the same elaborate design (pictured above).
every one of the items in this photo above holds unforgettable memories and experiences, though one of the most special memories i've had over this first year of my whisky journey was with the little book Scotch In Miniature by renowned whisky writer Alan Keegan.
this book was sent to me by Tessa Williams from Elements Fragrance (all the way in Scotland!) whose father Bill Williams was the publisher at Famedram. i was beyond honoured to receive this lovely gift, a tome as small as the bottles it references, but punching far above its size in terms of the vast wealth of its contents. truly a labour of love, and a beautiful expression of sentiment by its giver. i enjoy leafing through it every now and then, to browse the myriad of distilleries in Scotland and marvel at the creativity in the huge variety of miniatures sought after by collectors.
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this summary references some products that i had purchased at regular price with my own money, some products that were provided to me for free for review, and some gifts given without expectation of review (full details are set out in the postscript of the linked reviews above). i didn’t receive any incentives for writing this. i’m not affiliated with any of the people or companies above, and as always, all opinions remain my own.
all information correct at time of publishing.
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