The 3-Michelin Star Macallan lunch

Single malt player Macallan  introduced its 1824 Masters Series range through a luxurious dining experience that interestingly, collaborated with Aziamendi 88, Malaysia’s first 3-Michelin star chef pop-up restaurant.

Whisky time

Whisky time

The chefs were brought in from Aziamendi, a 3-Michelin star restaurant in Phuket, Thailand, for the month-long pop-up restaurant experience at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.

Pre-gaming

Pre-gaming in the lounge

As is the trend now, guests were given a whisky cocktail to start. While we were warming-up, a little basket was served to our tables. It’s called the Picnic, and is a mix of appetizers, including some caviar, and a little ball filled with booze that you pop into your mouth. Nice.

I luv picnics

I luv picnics

And there was another cool item once we took our lunch seats, a starter called The Bonsai Tree, which had items hanging on it that we could harvest and eat.

Three of Macallan’s expressions were paired in sequence through the course of the dining experience; The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old, The Macallan Fine Oak 15 Years Old & The Macallan Rare Cask.

Each expression brings about its own unique character and taste profile, complementing the exquisite food that was served. It was a six-course whisky-pairing dining experience.

Eating n drinking commences

Eating n drinking commences

One of the items was a very unique foie gras one, called Foie Gras Ashes.  It had shaved bits that literally melts in your mouth; served with the Fine Oak 15.

Looks like ash alright

Looks like ash alright

 

I particularly enjoyed the smoked tuna, as well as the lobster, which was as juicy as a beach cocktail.

 

Grilled lobster

Grilled lobster

 

The aged duck was well-presented, and had some strong flavours, thanks to the accompanying condiments. This was served with the Rare Cask.

 

Well-presented

Well-presented

The treat for that day

The treat for that day

Macallan is a huge user of seasoned sherry casks to age its whiskies. The casks are made, then sent to Spain to be used by the sherry wineries for 18 months, then brought back to Scotland to age the Scotch. Sherry casks impart notes of vanilla, dried fruit, chocolate and wood smoke.

The Macallan Fine Oak is actually aged in three different barrels. I found it smoother than the 12; more floral even, with some citrus too. It comes in at 43% abv.

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The Rare Cask has an amazing 16 cask profiles, and is sold in a decanter. It holds whiskies that are 13 – 30 years old. I found it a little nutty, with some tropical fruit, and it gives you your money’s worth on the finish! A real long one.

The Rare Cask Black, which comes in a black bottle, will only be available in travel retail.

O yea. Dessert. The chocolates were incredible

O yea. Dessert. The chocolates were incredible

As it was a Monday event, we didn’t drink much. The highlight and surprise of the day was when we were served some Macallan Reflexion, a very rare and expensive dram.

It contains whiskies that are 20 – 30 years old, and is from smaller 250L casks, increasing its intensity. But i found it to be very very smooth and the perfect end to a wonderful lunch.

Having a pop-up Michelin experience was definitely a brilliant idea to showcase Macallan’s top line-up, in an unforgettable F&B experience.

 

Brain damage: 7/10

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The Glenlivet dinner @ Dewakan

Glenlivet scored again with one of their cool events. This time, it was @ Dewakan, a restaurant at KDU in Shah Alam.

The selection for guests were three exceptional triple-cask matured single malt whiskies, which are exclusive to travel retail.

The spread

The spread

A really cool e-book about the whiskies

A really cool e-book about the whiskies

The Master Distiller’s Reserve, the cornerstone of the range, is joined in 2015 by two new expressions: Master Distiller’s Reserve Solera Vatted and The Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch, to become the new permanent range.

Interestingly three types of wood are involved with all the whiskies, contributing to their the multi-layered characters.

Interesting..

Interesting menu… (sorry about the spots – camera issue i think!)

The food at Dewakan was a treat for sure.

All whiskies involve the highest quality Traditional Oak, American Oak and Ex-Sherry Oak casks.

The first whisky was the Master Distiller’s Reserve. I got leathery spice on the nose, spicy in the mouth, with a sweetish end.

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The second one, New Master Distiller’s Reserve Solera Vatted, seemed drier, and gave me a citrusy nose. While New Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch was sweeter in a fruity way, with hints of marmalade.

The characteristics of various wood

The characteristics of the various wood

Dewakan is run by popular chef Darren Teoh. He’s a young dude that’s done well for himself.

Darren in action

Darren in action

Fried bread sticks, which were served with budu mayo!

Fried bread sticks, which were served with budu mayo!

Various species of shrooms being prepped

Various species of roasted shrooms being prepped

Lamb breast. Portions weren't big

Lamb breast. Portions weren’t big. Marinated for a day then cooked in a wood-fired oven. Amazing stuff

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Giant cockroach with ice-cream

The fortunate guests

The fortunate guests

All the whiskies are exclusive to travel retail, and are available at KLIA from US$51.

The meal at Dewakan was exceptional and new. Glenlivet and Pernod Ricard Malaysia have yet again done an amazing job with a really cool event, and was worth the drive to KDU University College in Glenmarie.

Lionel and his PR/event team at Millennium Associates aced it again. As usual, i look forward to the next one.

 

Brain damage: 8/10

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Absolut Andy Warhol

Absolut threw another cool party at another cool spot recently. This was to introduce the limited edition Absolut Andy Warhol, celebrating creativity and pop art.

The design replicates the original Absolut Warhol artwork, which Andy created for in 1986 in Absolut’s very first artist collaboration campaign.

The spot was Vallette Gallery, a large house among fancy residences in Damansara Heights. It represents a local and international spectrum of artists, reflected in paintings, sculptures, installation art and photography.

Comes with a pool too

Comes with a pool too

Old skool

Old skool

Done by a Malaysian artist

Done by a Malaysian artist

The bottle features mostly a black facade, with blue, pink and yellow details.

According to Absolut’s Director of Storytelling Nodjame Fouad, the original Absolut Warhol painting hangs safe in a museum, but this bottle brings Andy Warhol’s artwork to the world.

Looks pretty cool

Looks pretty cool

There were several Absolut cocktails for guests to enjoy of course. Blue on Blue is a pretty nice cocktail to enjoy, tho i usually avoid blue cocktails. It’s 1.5 parts Absolut, 1 coconut water, 1 cranberry juice (never use a brand called Ocean Spray), 0.5 Blue Curacao, 0.5 syrup.

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Don't drop it Andy! An art piece that was done on-the-spot

Don’t drop it Andy! An art piece that was done on-the-spot

The limited edition Absolut Warhol is available in both the domestic and duty-free market. For those who are travelling, it’s available at The Absolut Brand Store located in Contact Pier Zone F, KLIA.

Funny guy

Funny guy

Brain damage: 8/10

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World-first: Absolut Brand Store launched @ KLIA

Post written by my buddy and fellow alco Paulie:

I was invited to attend the launch of Absolut’s 1st ever retail boutique in the world, in KLIA, representing The Thirsty Blogger of course.

At the event, we were accompanied by cocktails (they had a virgin drink, didnt interest me) made from Absolut Hibiskus, mixed with pomegranate, etc.

Thats all it took for me to get into my comfortable mode, which meant only one thing, Absolut Drownme. You usually get it at Absolut events. Limited edition if you ask me.

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The PRM big guns gave their respective speeches and MAHB’s GM gave the last one followed by the official launch (ribbon cutting) of the outlet.

Pretty nice set up, the event. The outlet itself is located right at the entrance and exit of the sky train platform. Convenient.

I was impressed with the layout of the place. Its the only place in the world that you can find all the flavours of the Absolut family, after their Swedish warehouse of course. However they didnt have the Absolut Pepper and Absolut blue on. There was a couple of their limited edition Absoluts on display.

The highlight of the launch of course, for me was their bar. Yes, you heard me right. The brand store actually boasts a bar that, beat this, sells Absolut cocktails with duty free prices!

The bar that day was run by Mark Tay, the founder of BarSmiths Singapore  and according to him, will be run by one of their boys during normal operations.

Pretty impressive set of cocktails they had. Absolut Calamansi, Absolut Hibiskus Gingerlime, Absolut Hibiskus Chilli, Absolut Hibiskus PomRose and Absolut Hibiskus Tropical Passion. I rated the Absolut Chilli as the best tasting one. I thought that the Gingerlime was good too.

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The rest, just tasted normal to me, though the preparation looked pretty interesting, with Mark scooping out pomegranate seeds for the PomRose and using melted gula melaka for the tropical passion. Picture chilli seeds boiled in hot water and the liquid later used as a flavouring for the Absolut Chilli. Pretty neat eh?

I was so engrossed chatting with Mark and getting high (prepping myself for the next party, (Arthurs Day at Sepang) by the time i turned around, i was the only person still standing there.

Said my goodbyes to the nice people of Absolut and made my way to the main KLIA lobby nice and buzzed.

 

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