Sparingly lit and shrouded in secrecy. We were seated at a concealed dining area in a corner of Genting Club – ideal when you want to unwind and don’t want to be bothered. A private whisky pairing dinner is just such an occasion to coax The Singleton of Glen Ord’s annual Forgotten Drop Series from their new confines.
Ervin Trykowski, a global scotch whisky ambassador for The Singleton, describes the series as “a summation of tradition that instantly transports the drinker to the Scottish Highlands and is a representation of finite resources (at the distillery) that have been allowed to reach their absolute peak.” I had no cause whatsoever to doubt that there’s immense pressure to keep the standards set high and to maintain the quality of single malt whiskies produced under the watchful eye of master blender Maureen Robinson.
There are memories that stay with us our whole lives, whether we want them to or not. Here is one that we imagine will make the cut when it comes to imbibing ludicrously expensive liquids and admiring the viscimetric whorls when a dash of water is added. Along with a medium-rare sirloin steak served with Pomme Puree, onion confit and bone marrow juice, taking a sip of Singleton of Glen Ord 41-Year-Old revealed a surprisingly crisp and refreshing blend of apples, creamy toffee and, of all spices, cinnamon.
I also vaguely a hint of oak given the European and American oak casks that contained them during the duration. Said to leave a citrusy aftertaste, there are only 600 bottles available worldwide and only 24 bottles are allocated to Malaysia. They will set you back RM15,193 per bottle, parasitical credit card finance charges notwithstanding.
As a refined drinking experience, the brand proudly perfected the mashing of dried barley with water to produce wort. The subsequent process of fermentation with yeast, distillation, ageing and bottling is where the perfectly matured single blend is worth its weight in burning peat with Trykowski flippantly suggesting that this too would likely be his first (and last) dalliance with the quadragenarian.
On the other hand, the 18-Year-Old Cask Strength celebrates the distillery’s 180th anniversary as a limited edition release. It’s less spicy and hints of walnut and chocolate are evident. There’s a lingering fruitiness as well as ginger and honey. The price tag on this is a rather sensible RM624. Best enjoyed with the aforementioned sirloin or a hearty lamb rack served with dauphinoise and smoked bell pepper salad.
Lastly, the 15-Year-Old rounds up the trio of special releases that takes very little cajoling to get used to as it is medium bodied and has a soft citrus aroma on a mellow finish replete with suggestions of ginger and chocolate.
For more information, visit the Singleton website.
