Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 Y/O Blended Scotch
Posted: December 31, 2011 Filed under: Whisky Leave a comment »
I manage to have a go at the new Johnnie Walker Platinum Label 18 yrs last night. It’s a relatively different scotch from the previous Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18 yrs which I favoured most among the range of Johnnie Walker blended scotch. The JW Platinum Label is a blend of single malt and grain whisky with nothing less than 18 years of age. Created by Master Blender Jim Beveridge, it is said to be inspired by previous Johnnie Walker blends that was crafted exclusively for their company directors and special occasions.
For a start, The Johnnie Walker Platinum Label has a deep rustic brown colour.
The nose is rich and peaty with notable hints of fresh barley and toffee.
Taking my first sip, I realised that this whisky is complex and demands a few more sip before passing judgement. This is a mellow tasting scotch that has flavours of toffee candy, apple and spices.
It then ends with a long lingering bitter-sweet finishing. The finish was a tad too bitter for my liking.
Personally I still prefer the JW Gold Label 18 yrs. However the JW Platinum Label is still a good scotch that deserves to be on one’s shelf.
Slainte!
THE ARDBEG PROJECT
Posted: June 24, 2010 Filed under: Whisky 2 Comments »
If you love your dram with more than a touch of peat and if you’re constantly tempted by the so ever smoky Ardbeg … The Ardbeg Project would be well worth checking out. It’s been done up an Ardbeg enthusiast and the site is filled with information on the Ardbeg single malt and quite a bit on some previous old bottlings. Slainte!
GOLDEN SPRING
Posted: May 16, 2010 Filed under: Recipes 1 Comment »GOLDEN SPRING COCKTAIL
50ml Glenmorangie the Original
5ml Toasted Pineapple & Orange Syrup
5ml El Brezal Spanish Eucalyptus Honey (Diluted)
1 dash Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters
*Garnish candied orange and candied pineapple
Mix all ingredients with ice cube and stir. Strain into an ice filled rock glass and garnish.
*Pineapple Syrup
500ml Water
1200 gram Coarse Sugar
7 nos Pineapple (skinned and cut into 10mm thick wedges)
Bring water and sugar to boil. Make sure sugar is well dissolve and add pineapple wedges. Allow all the ingredients to simmer gently. After 20 minutes remove the pineapple wedges and place them aside.
* Orange Syrup
500ml Water
1200 gram
12 nos Large Navel Oranges (cut into 5mm thick slices)
Bring water and sugar to boil. Make sure sugar is well dissolve and add orange slices. Allow all the ingredients to simmer gently. After 15 minutes remove the orange slices and place them aside.
Toasted Pineapple & Orange Syrup recipe
1. Combine both orange and pineapple syrup together and allow to simmer until it turns into an amberish almost caramel like colour.
2. Fine strain into clean empty bottles and store them in a cool place. The recipe yields approximately 3L of syrup
Candied Pineapple
1. Use the cooked pineapple wedges and line them up in a baking tray and place them into an oven for 180 celcius for 12 minutes.
2. turn the pineapples to the other side and bake again for another 12 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and use a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the pineapple on both sides.
4. Allow to cool and store into the fridge
Candied Oranges
1. Use the cooked oranges slices and line them up in a baking tray and place them into an oven for 180 celcius for 8 minutes.
2. Turn the orange slices to the other side and bake again for another 8 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and use a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the orange slices on both sides.
4. Allow to cool and store into the fridge
* Seems like quite a bit of work, but it’s not really. Once you get the hang of it, it would be quite a brisk task. All you’ll need to be careful with would be to monitor the cooking and baking process of the fruits…over cooked them and they’ll turn undesirably soft and mushy.
Hope you’ll enjoy this one!
Cheers!
BEERFEST ASIA 2o1o
Posted: May 5, 2010 Filed under: Events Leave a comment »
Dates: 16 June – 20th June 2010
Time :6pm to 1am (except Sunday 12noon to 10pm)
Venue : Marina Promenade
For registration and entry CLICK HERE
BEEFEATER SUMMER GIN
Posted: April 28, 2010 Filed under: Industry News Leave a comment »This May 2010, Beefeater Gin will be launching their summer gin which will be release in key global markets in a special edition packaging. According to Master Distiller Desmond Payne, the gin will highlight summer ingredients such as hibiscus, elderflower and blackcurrants alongside the original botanicals used in the Beefeater Gin.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
Posted: April 26, 2010 Filed under: Rum Leave a comment »
The Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is a gem from Venezuela. This ‘industrial rum’ (rum made from fermented sugar cane molasses) with deep amberish colour was distilled in alembic (pot) stills and then aged for an approximate 12 years in oak barrels.
Nose – Deserty aroma with sweet honey, cinnamons and a handful of raisins.
Taste – The Diplomatico Reserva Exclusive has a viscous; slightly syrupy texture. I personally find this rum to be filled with dark chocolates and toffee sweetness. Sink in deeper into it and you’ll find gentle tones of candied orange and spices (cinnamon and cloves). This rum finishes of smoothly with a rich and lingering taste.
Rhum Damoiseau Blanc
Posted: April 25, 2010 Filed under: Rum Leave a comment »
The Damoiseau white rum is truly unique with a distinctive character. Originating from Guadeloupe, this agricultural rum (rum made from fermented sugar cane juice) is available in 3 different alcohol by volume (40%, 50% & 55%). The one that I’ve tasted recently is the 40% ABV.
Nose – On the first whiff and you’ll immediately find freshly pressed sugar cane, floral tones and hint of almonds. Take a second nose at it and you’ll realize that the rum is extremly refreshing and slightly ‘perfumed’.
Taste – Imagine sipping freshly pressed sugar cane juice…Damoiseau white rum is just that! The taste is beautiful with refreshing characters of sugar cane juice, hints of tropical fruits and gentle nutty characters possibly deriving from its 3-6 months of aging under high pressure in wood barrels. It all ends with a soothing and crispy finish. Absolutely brilliant!
APRICOT NEGROSKA
Posted: March 25, 2010 Filed under: Recipes Leave a comment » Apircot Negroska 1 bsp Apricot Jam20ml Russian Standard Vodka 20ml Cinzano Rosso Vermouth 15ml Campari Kumquat reduction* Dried Apricots
Mix all liquid ingredients into mixing glass and stir till well mixed. Add ice cube and STIR. STRAIN into an ice cube filled rock glass. Add 2 drops of Kumquat reduction and GARNISH with dried apricot. *Kumquat Reduction 250gm Fresh Kumquats 200gm Sugar 250ml Water 50ml Matusalem Classico Rum 50ml Grand Marnier Cut kumquats into halves, mix it with water and sugar in a thick base pan. Bring it the ingredients to boil and then allow it to simmer until a very sticky & thick consistency is achieved. Remove the mixture from the stove, allow it to cool and place the mixture into a cheesecloth and squeeze to strain the liquids. Mix rum and Grand Marnier with the strained liquid, place into a bottle and store in a cool place.
PERLINI CARBONATED COCKTAIL SYSTEM
Posted: March 21, 2010 Filed under: Gadgets 1 Comment »This is one is a pretty interesting system that enables one to produce carbonated cocktails. I’ve done several ‘carbonated’ cocktails in the standard soda siphon with either carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen (N2O) gasses, but have noticed that some siphons do not perform well in maintaing the effervescence. The Perlini shaker seems interesting as it enables you to shake the cocktail with the edition of CO2 and looks solid in securing the carbonation within the container.
I have yet the opportunity to meddle with this gadget, but if any of you do, please feel free to post your findings here!
Cheers!
OLDEST SINGLE MALT WHISKY
Posted: March 21, 2010 Filed under: Whisky Leave a comment »
Gordon & MacPhail recently launched the world’s oldest bottled single malt, the Mortlach 70. Presented in a rather contemporary tear drop shaped Glencairn crystal bottle, the content in this bottle is ‘historical’, with its oldest single malt dating back to 1938. This ex-sherry cask aged single malt from Elgin will set you back £ 10,000 and there’s only 54 bottles avaialble.
