Tipple Time is a monthly column where we spotlight the latest releases and news in the world of spirits.
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Who would have thought that the perfect pairing for a good whisky would be a graphic novel?
Diageo has unveiled the latest version of its annual Special Releases Collection, Elusive Expressions. As the name suggests, it is a collection of eight of Diageo’s rarest bottles, each handpicked by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson from the company’s portfolio of more than 30 distilleries worldwide and from over 10 million casks.
Highlights include the Talisker 11 Year Old with maritime malt smoky notes, a rare expression of Cardhu finished in Jamaican rum casks for a touch of tropical sweetness, and the Cameronbridge 26 Year Old, which has been unveiled for the first time . The eight bottles offer an interesting variety of notes and finishes, yet share common traits of smokiness and being of the same cask strength.
Together with digital illustrator Ken Taylor, artist Kevin Tong has created Elusive Expressions Cocktails, which is accompanied by a graphic novel and recipe book. It portrays the people at helm behind the brands as heroic protagonists in a mystical land inhabited by imaginary creatures, exploring the legends behind whisky labels under the Diageo umbrella, which includes Mortlach, Lagavulin, and Talisker.
Elusive Expressions comprises Mortlach, Talisker 11 Year Old(S$200), Lagavulin 12 Year Old(S$240), The Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old(S$215), Cardhu 16 Year Old(S$285), Oban 10 Year Old(S$190), Cameronbridge 26 Year Old(S$475), and Clynelish 12 Year Old(S$310).
Find out more here.
Fuji is a new Japanese whisky brand that was recently launched in Singapore.It takes the less-travelled route by spotlighting grain and blended whiskies besides its single malt counterparts.
Fuji, which is run by Japanese beverage group Kirin, hopes to capture the terroir of the emblematic Mount Fuji by distilling and ageing the whiskeys at the base of the famed mountain in Singapore. The whisky is also made with snowmelt water that has been naturally filtered underground for over 50 years,creating a grain whisky that is soft and precise. Four expressions are currently in Singapore – entry level Single Grain, Single Blended Japanese Whiskey as well as limited-edition Single Blend Japanese Whiskey FUJI 2022 Masterpiece and 30-year-old Single Grain.
Find out more here.
Champagne house Dom Perignon can always be relied on for a delicious bubbly. In 2011, the brand even chose not to declare a vintage if it meant releasing a subpar product.
Its newest champagne, the 2013 Vintage ($338), is a particularly balanced sparkling wine – equal parts acidic and full-bodied. The vintage has also been matured for a decade, which reveals a harmonious balance of flavours and aromas. The 2013 Vintage features notes of Irabelle plums, apricot and orange blossom, as well as pepper, cardamom and licorice sticks.
From now till 13 June, toast to your loved ones at one-Michelin-starred 28 Wilkie following its collaboration with Dom Pérignon, marking the launch of the exceptional Vintage 2013. The restaurant has introduced a five-course pairing menu (S$468++) that includes Intensity, a cauliflower-based dish paired with Dom Pérignon Vintage 2010, and Complexity, a spring lamb-based course, which is paired with the Vintage 2013.
Find out more here.