The surprising things about the spirit once called “liquid sunshine”, from six experts
Whisky Can Often Be Hard To Understand
“Single malt scotch is actually really hard to understand. I’ve been in the industry for 11 years, and I’ve met people who’ve worked for 40 to 50 years. There are still lots of variables that they don’t comprehend. Some people still don’t understand that Glenmorangie is a single malt. That means it’s only from one distillery, this one little pinprick in Scotland, and it’s been made there since 1843. But that’s the magic of it. There are still things to discover.”—Brendan McCarron, Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks, Glenmorangie
Savour Every Sip
“One that really annoys me is people knocking whiskies back, without the respect as they should have. When I look at The Dalmore 35, for instance, I don’t want you to just drink it, I want you to share it with somebody you love. I want you to hold it (in your mouth) for at least 35 seconds and give it the reverence it richly deserves. The first taste will give you the introduction to the style of Dalmore, but the second taste will really fulfill the palate. It’s like chewing food, the more you chew, the more you extract its flavours.”—Richard Paterson, Global Brand Ambassador, The Dalmore
Make Your Own Rules
"The secret to enjoying whisky is to drink it any way you like–there is no right or wrong way: neat, with ice or with a mixer, the only thing that matters is if it’s to your liking.—Mike Miyamoto, Global Brand Ambassador, Suntory Whiskies
They Make Surprisingly Good Investments
"From a collector’s point of view, single malts continue to surprise and can actually make quite a good investment. In particular, single malt barrels from closed distilleries are very trendy in the market though quite difficult to find. Available in extremely limited release, once they’re sold, they’re gone forever. At DFS Singapore Changi Airport, we currently have whiskies from four closed distilleries including Karuizawa and Port Ellen, and we continue to scour the world to bring these precious last bottles to our customers.”—Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group’s Senior Vice President Spirits, Wine, Tobacco, Food and Gifts
Every Minor Detail Affects The Favour Of The Spirit
“Distillery character ‘speaks’ of the flavour of the spirit produced at a malt distillery. Each is unique as a fingerprint. Whisky flavour is derived from each distillery’s unique process—the raw materials, fermentation and distillation all have an influence. When the spirit meets the oak cask, further layers of flavour are added to mingle and merge with the spirit to enhance and elevate the unique flavours. The size and shape of the copper stills can greatly affect the flavour of the final spirit. The longer the ‘copper conversation’ the spirit vapour has within the spirit still the lighter and more delicate the resultant flavour.”—Keith Law, Master Blender, Diageo
Singapore’s First Bottle Of Whisky Came By Boat
“The first bottle of whisky shipped to Singapore by John Walker & Sons is believed to have been a bottle of Johnnie Walker. It reached Boat Quay in 1885. Today, the Johnnie Walker House Singapore is situated very close to that spot—in Diageo’s current offices, just behind Boat Quay.”—James Mackay, Head of Prestige Sales, Johnnie Walker House