The Singaporean whisky collector has more than 500 whiskies in his private collection

Braving a snowstorm during a two-hour taxi ride to visit a whisky bar in Japan? No problem for whisky enthusiast Billy Tham, who counts taking a solo detour from Tomamu to Sapporo while on a family skiing trip in Hokkaido in 2018 as the most outrageous thing that he has done in the name of whisky. 

He paid $800 for a taxi driver to drive him to The Bow Bar and back to the resort after a tipple-happy time at the stalwart bar that is renowned for its extensive collection of old and rare whiskies. 

The 47-year-old justifies the decision made on a whim: “The bar has a great collection of vintage whiskies, and I didn’t know whether I would be returning here.” 

Having visited over 180 whisky bars worldwide, Tham makes a point of checking out watering holes whenever he travels, from Argentina and Canada to China and Japan. 

He relishes the camaraderie of bonding over whisky with fellow fiends. At The Bow Bar, he met a school teacher, reconnected with a fellow whisky collector, and caught up over exquisite whiskies and a 100-year-old cognac. Sometimes, he trades whisky samples, discreetly stored in travel-friendly bottles, with bartenders and fellow enthusiasts at bars. 

More importantly, visiting whisky bars has helped Tham discover rare, under-the-radar bottles, broaden his whisky palate, and spark his curiosity before “starting the hunt”. He tracks online whisky auctions and stores, private collections of influential collectors and bottlers, and attends festivals to keep abreast of developments. 

Over the past two decades, Tham has amassed a collection of more than 500 whiskies. Some of his coveted bottles will be exhibited at The Malt Affair, a whisky festival he co-founded in 2017. The 10th edition will be held on September 5 and will showcase vintage whiskies from collectors, independent bottlers, and specialist bars.

Participants can taste over 400 types of whiskies (two-thirds of the pours are below $50 per dram), ogle at the prized vaults of personalities like famed Ardbeg collector Geert Bero and attend masterclasses. 

Discreet whisky sanctuary

Step into Tham’s ryokan-like, wooden-clad living room, and the only telltale signs of a whisky stash are a cluster of 40 empty whisky bottles on a counter against a backdrop of whisky label artwork. Some bottles are rare age statements, while the others are special collaborations with independent bottlers.

One of them, the Secret Highland 2010 12 Year Old ‘Laksa’, sports an illustrated label of Whisky Mew’s Hideo Yamaoka digging into the spicy noodle dish with Tham smiling in the background. 

Tham’s collection, which is mostly made up of single malt Scotch, is “discreetly” stored in built-in cupboards, which could easily pass off as a kitchenette. 

Open the cupboards, and you’d find 10 entire shelves brimming with whiskies. 

A Glendronach 1970 Reserve Cantarelli 22 Year Old sits alongside Laphroaig 1974 31 Year Old and a Gordon & Macphail bottling of a 1972 vintage from now-defunct cult distillery Brora.

Tucked in a corner are more exquisite finds such as the highly coveted Longmorn 1971 18 Year Old Antica Casa Marchesi Spinola, with a browned tartan label and the Mortlach 1938 G&M, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, which dates back to pre-World War II and is the oldest whisky in his collection. 

Some shelves hold Irish whiskies, such as Redbreast and Teeling, and Japanese whiskies like Karuizawa and Chichibu. The lower cupboards hold opened bottles of whisky, while the side compartments house drams and travel-friendly sample bottles. 

Evolving with time

Tham’s love for whisky was sparked during a business trip to the Czech Republic in 2005. His Irish client offered him a dram of Bushmills 16 Year Old during a late-night chat. He recalls, “It was nutty, chocolatey and fruity and opened up a whole new world of layered and elegant flavours. Until then, I thought that whisky was simply a strong spirit.” 

That experience sparked his interest in understanding how different distilleries, cask types, and production methods can create diverse flavour profiles. 

Over the years, Tham’s philosophy of collecting whiskies has evolved with his perspectives and taste preferences. He reflects, “Earlier in my journey, I naturally gravitated towards bottles that everyone was talking about. Today, I actively look for bottles that are underrated, underappreciated, and tell an interesting story, rather than simply following market trends.” 

His collection also reflects how his whisky preferences have shifted through various phases, from balanced and fruity to peat-filled and sherry-slanted, to a preference for vintage whiskies from the 1960s and 1970s. “Older whiskies have a fine balance of flavours, with lots of depth and character,” he adds.

Tham, whose day job is the Head of Strategic Planning at industrial agri-food company Japfa, collects a varied range of whisky brands and pays attention to historic bottles and modern releases, which he feels will become “tomorrow’s vintage classics”. 

He says, “More importantly, I’ve come to value experiences over ownership. The greatest satisfaction comes from opening a special bottle and sharing it with friends, rather than simply keeping it unopened.” He regularly attends whisky-tasting sessions with fellow connoisseur-friends, sampling a long list of whiskies in one sitting. 

Drinking stories

These days, it is the story behind the whisky, from the provenance to the craftsmanship of the spirit, that captivates Tham most. 

One of them is Michel Couvreur’s 35 Year Old “Forever Young Pristine” Single Malt. During a wine-drinking trip to Burgundy in 2016, Tham visited the estate of the late renowned independent whisky bottler, who is known for ageing Scottish distillates in sherry and port barrels in a damp limestone cellar built beneath his house. 

Tham was so impressed by what he tasted that The Malt Affair collaborated with Michel Couvreur to launch ‘Alamak’, a blended whisky aged in sherry casks, in January. The whisky boasts notes of orange, chocolate, and cinnamon. 

Bringing maltheads together

Launching The Malt Affair was a passion project for Tham, who co-started it with three other whisky connoisseurs. “It started out at the back of a small shoe shop by two of the co-founders, who shared their bottles of older whiskies,” he muses. “Sometimes, they turned away customers as they were drinking whisky at the back of the shop!” Over the years, The Malt Affair has grown into an event attended by a tight-knit community of whisky lovers. 

Tham says, “While we may not be the biggest festival, The Malt Affair focuses on those who are open-minded, want to explore and appreciate flavours, and want to be educated on getting the best whisky experience.”

On how whisky has enriched his life, he reflects, “Whisky is made for sharing; I’ve met so many people with stories to share through this journey and made friends in many countries. The whisky community is smaller, so people are more relaxed and willing to share more information. It has given me so many wonderful experiences that are priceless.” 

Collector’s picks

Billy Tham, co-founder of whisky festival The Malt Affair, selects three significant whiskies from his collection.

Brora 1972 40 Year Old

This whisky is special because 1972 is the ghost distillery Brora’s best vintage. Besides its rarity, it represents one of the greatest eras of Scotch whisky production. The whisky is a perfect balance of elegance, complexity and history.

I took a couple of months to decide whether to buy this bottle in 2016, since it was very expensive and beyond my budget. After some research, I ordered the bottle and picked it up at the duty-free store at Heathrow Airport during a business trip. I hand-carried the bottle, which comes with a handcrafted wooden case and weighs around 10kg.

I planned to buy another bottle when I returned to London, but they were already sold out, so this bottle is very special to me. I am waiting for a special occasion to open it.

Laphroaig 1974 31 Year Old

I was introduced to this whisky, which was bottled for La Maison Du Whisky. I was wowed by the flavour and was advised to buy as many as I could. I bought three bottles. I like that the peatiness comes through in the background, with notes of fruit, cinnamon, and sherry coming through first. 

Highland Park 1955 30 Year Old

I tried this whisky at one of my favourite whisky bars here, The Swan Song, one night before The Malt Affair in 2019. Some friends from Hong Kong generously shared it with me, and I was like, “Man, this is an amazing fruity Highland Park.” After that, I tried to get my hands on a bottle. It took me about two years to find it at auction for a fairly good price.

Photography: Angela Guo
Art direction: Ashruddin Sani
Grooming: Benedict Choo