About Scottish Leader Brand

Scottish Leader Brand is relatively young, although their blends are selling in almost 50 countries worldwide. The company was established in 1976 and still has the same motto – blend it with knowledge. That applies to their extended blending team, focusing on the importance of the right, most harmonious ingredients. With this in mind, the source whiskies for the Scottish Leader blend arrive chiefly from Tobermory Distillery, established in 1798.

About Scottish Leader 25 Years Old

Ian MacMillan blended Scottish Leader 25 Years Old with one goal – present the best of a Scotch blend to the far east. Needless to say that he nailed the task spot on. This blend apparently includes around 40 whiskies and is rounded at 40% Vol alcohol. To present this Scottish excellence, they chose a 0,7L ceramic decanter crowned with wildlife.

Scottish Leader 25 Years Old Tasting Notes

This Scotch has a coppery gold color and comes to the nose with its strong nutty, toffee scent and is indeed full-bodied. On the second go, I got the floral hints and well-rounded oak finish. Speaking of the palate, it is well balanced, rich, and spicey. Hazelnut taste is completed with sweet oaky touch, making it an amazingly well-rounded Scotch. I did expect a bit longer aftertaste, though. Despite that, it is a lovely spirit.

Scottish Leader 25 Years Old Review Card

• 9.3/10
  PACKAGING – BOTTLE – 9.3/10
• 9.2/10
  ON THE NOSE – 9.2/10
• 8.6/10
  ON THE PALATE– 8.6/10
• 8.4/10
  FINISH – 8.4/10
• 9.6/10
  VALUE – 9.6/10

Conclusion

Scottish Leader 25 Years Old is a prime example of a Scotch blend, and I bet it opens nostalgic feelings to many whisky enthusiasts. Also, the ceramic bottle is giving away some sentimental vibes as well. Speaking of design, I love the wildlife theme. How more pure Scottish can it gets, right? Sure, some clan pattern is missing, I guess. This bottle is rare to find, but if you have a chance to get your mittens on it, go for it. The price ended under 100 USD on some auctions, which is a bargain for an asset like this.

The post Scottish Leader 25 Years Old – Scotch Whisky Blend appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

JungleBird Ambiance

This tiki bar is only a few minutes away from Sofitel Damansara but in a more quiet part of the KL. Creative solutions are visible on every step of the JungleBird Bar tiki bar. Rattan furniture, bamboo, rainforest wallpaper, and rather disappointing plastic greenery will surround you.

It can happen that for a moment, you might even forget you are still in a metropolitan city. At JungleBird Bar in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll be at ease in no time. We only missed windows, which would make conditions for real greenery and a fresh air provider.

JungleBird Bar Menu

Tiki cocktails and in-house creations were our primary focus. Nevertheless, if you prefer something else, you’ll be happy to hear they serve beers, ciders, spirits, as well as red and white wines. In addition to that, you’ll also find the abundant rum section on the JungleBird menu. On top of that, add the alcohol-free mixed drinks and commercial soft drinks that everybody loves; tea, coffee, juice, fizz? You name it!

Daily from 5 PM to 9 PM, and on Sundays, the JungleBird KL caters to the Jolly O’clock menu. On the happy hour, the JungleBird menu is a handful of cocktails, rums, spirits, and tap beer. Really, this is just the limited addition to the regular menu at a happy price.

Our JungleBirds

Classic Junglebird

This tiki cocktail is sweet and quite strong on Diplomatico Mantuano rum with apparent Campari bitters. We immediately got the idea of a hot and humid place, where something direct is needed. Our cold indoor situation pointed us towards solving a mystery of bittersweet Campari liquor.

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Trigona Bar Kuala Lumpur

This infusion of 86 ingredients includes herbs, peels, roots, spices all finished with sugar. All the details are in the secret family recipe that is still in use. Well, that medicinal bitters are put on the tropical spin with a squeeze of fresh lime and pineapple juice.

JungleBird Kombucha Coolers

Kombucha is tricky and probably the reason why this mocktail is made in small batches. Also, fragrant lavender, lemongrass, chrysanthemum, and camomile, need some time to develop such a divine smell. Honestly, floral fragrance is part of a wonderful aftertaste that gets wings on kombucha fizz.

Conclusion

And the last words for our JungleBird Bar Review… The reason for such a success of the JungleBird bar Kuala Lumpur are great drinks. With creative mixology comes music, and passion evolves. No wonder this bar is a great addition to Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife. It is unique and away from prying eyes. Still, I can’t stop dreaming of this being the rooftop bar… Hopefully, someday it will be.

However, as a downside, we should mention no side snacks with our cocktails, and a few fails in a presentation.

JungleBird Bar Review Card

• 8.9/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 8.9/10
• 9/10
  SERVICE – 9/10
• 9.7/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 9.7/10
• 8.9/10
  PRESENTATION – 8.9/10
• 9.4/10
  OUR DRINKS – 9.4/10
• 9.4/10
  VALUE – 9.4/10

Price and Location

Cocktails, here at JungleBird, have a pricetag around 11 USD. Here is a link to the location for, you know, convenience.

The post JungleBird Bar Review: Kuala Lumpur’s Tiki Bar appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Ambiance

Bar Trigona is classy! Marble, navy blue walls with golden ornaments, massive tables, again in golden color and same blue comfortable sits. Wait, I didn’t even come to the centerpiece – a large shiny bar. Mirrors and golden plates form a mosaic with a five-tier liqueur shelf, stocked with the finest drinks. The glamour doesn’t stop at the bar. Most of the tables are settled next to floor-to-ceiling windows, from where you can watch nearby Petronas or always busy street with million lights.

Talking about lights, the pillar of every good ambient and here at Bar Trigona, they are aware of that. All shiny décor gets even more exciting and suave feeling overflows the whole space.

Music in the bar is pleasant and the vibe just like it should be – cool and posh. The Bar Trigona is a golden place and they don’t hide that. After all, this is the best side of Four Seasons KL and it should be like this. Anyway, we all know there is not only the ambiance needed to be one of the best bars in Asia, let’s check Bar Trigona Menu.

Bar Trigona Menu

Going through the drinks menu is much more interesting than the word »menu«that applies. In the first manner, the drawings of plants attract the eye. The menu is an art piece by itself. Just by looking them you get to the end without even knowing it and then the joyful moment repeats. So what should I have?

First, there is a short explanation about the name Trigona or Trigona bee to be exact. That is a species of stingless bee, native to Southeast Asia. At Bar Trigona, each cocktail section includes a Trigona honey in the mixed drink.

Cocktail Categorization

Paintings I refer to in the previous lines are based on the key ingredients, whether it is fruit, leaf & flower, stem & seed, or root. The drinks are based on the most important ingredient, with the rest following its lead. Each part includes one drink with Trigona honey and one mocktail.

Wait, There is More

Apart from the house special mixed drinks, there is also a wine and beer section. I believe that at Bar Trigona is the first time I have come across so many wines per glass options when it comes to a bar and not wine bar. In fact, all the available wines are possible as a glass portion as well as the bottle.

The spirits list at Bar Trigona is massive coming from all around the world. From the Gin selection, I want to bring to light the uniquely Malaysian flavors of jackfruit pandan and galangal in De Cort Distillery Gin. These flavored gins are distilled in Belgium in collaboration with the Eiling Lim. She saw an opportunity and combined her childhood memories connected to Malaysia, and launched her first Gin line.

Our Cocktails at Four Seasons KL Bar Trigona

I had a huge dilemma over the Gawky Galangal Gin and Trigona Old Fashioned. When I consulted my dear she quickly sweet talked me into the cocktail. Not only that, she even made sure to get a fair taste of my drink and half of the honeycomb, which comes with it. Women!

Trigona Old Fashioned

Ok, I must admit the cocktail is well executed and greatly enjoyable. The blend of rye whiskey brings woodiness into mind, how wouldn’t it with the presence of the cedar wood essence! Top that with Cynar, the herbal tasting bittersweet liqueur and Orleans bitters dominating in anise, citrusy, cinnamon notes.

It is perfect with sourish sweet Trigona honey. My compliments to the Head Bartender at Four Seasons KL Bar Trigona, Ashish Sharma. I praise him for exploring Malaysia and include its uniqueness to the menu. After all, every artisanal cocktail contains a special ingredient, and here the focus is on honey.

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The Golden Fizz

You can guess Vivi wasn’t in a rush to focus on her mocktail, the Golden Fizz. So I got a good taste of it and stopped complaining. After those mocktails in the Bamboo Bar, I don’t look down at them anymore. As a matter of fact, the booze-less drink can be even more demanding, with nothing to cushion delusion. The name Golden Fizz must capture the turmeric and ginger beer, while cardamom leaf brings the minty, spicy and herbal notes all refreshed by lemon.

Conclusion

Bar Trigona is an extremely well-designed bar with a clear plan – be one of the best bars in Asia. With this approach, they might be there quite soon. All compliments to the head bartender, who took a lot of time and effort before the opening. He traveled around Malaysia in search for the main ingredients that will present the bar. Even the name Bar Trigona is from the local attraction and one of the ingredients for artisan cocktails. Think local, act global!

Bar Trigona Review Card

• 9/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9/10
• 9.2/10
  SERVICE – 9.2/10
• 9.3/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 9.3/10
• 8.9/10
  PRESENTATION – 8.9/10
• 9/10
  OUR DRINKS – 9/10
• 8.9/10
  VALUE – 8.9/10

Bar Trigona Price and Location

Cocktails at Bar Trigona are priced around 13,5 USD for alcoholic and 8,5 USD for nonalcoholic versions. Here is a link to Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur location, in a case you don’t know where it is. Anyway, we haven’t noticed any dressing code policy, but bar like this deserves a nice suit 😉

The post Bar Trigona, Four Seasons KL Review appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

The House of Rémy Martin

The story of the House of Remy Martin started three centuries ago and is part of five generations. Since 1724, the House of Remy Martin is on their quest to produce the best what region of Petite and Grande Champagne can offer. Now two families with equal share run the business – Rémy Martin and the Heriard Dubreuil families.

Rémy Martin’s family understands the importance of time, and how can spirit develop over the years. So called the eaux-de-vie requires a great number of years to fully express its true character. Time is a master that Rémy Martin respects deeply, and counts on when it comes to the future. That might also be the reason they have one of the greatest cognac eaux-de-vie reserves in the world.

Part of the House of Rémy Martin is also an ongoing tradition to distill all its cognacs on the lees in small copper stills. This traditional process creates a perfectly balanced cognac with a subtle blend of fruity, floral, oaky, and spicy aromas. “On the lees” means it has a leftover yeast particle from autolysis which is the self-destruction of yeast cells by enzymes created from fermentation. Indeed, this tradition certainly is one of the reasons for Rémy Martin harmonious taste. But is this Cognac harmonious as well?

Packaging

Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac is made of 90% Grande Champagne and 10% Petite Champagne wine. It contains eaux-de-vie aged between 20 and 50 years. Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac comes in a cardboard box with Rémy Martin Centaur logo, which is Rémy Martin’s recognizable symbol since 1870. The interior of the box has a clean design with a beige color. It is a nice background for a flatly curved decanter, which comes in two different sizes – 35 cl and 70 cl.

Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac Tasting Notes

The dark amber color of Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac immediately stands out. On the nose, I got a bunch of dried fruits with woody hints, and after that a nice subtle cigar tobacco. Entry is an elegant and complex but still well-rounded pallet; warming middle with direct dried fruits and oak that lasts for a long time. Aftertaste of Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac is long more than 20 minutes and keeps the harmonious fruitiness in your mouth. Amazing!

Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac Review Card

• 8.8/10
  PACKAGING – BOTTLE – 8.8/10
• 9.1/10
  ON THE NOSE – 9.1/10
• 9.4/10
  ON THE PALATE– 9.4/10
• 9.5/10
  FINISH – 9.5/10
• 8.2/10
  VALUE – 8.2/10

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When Should I Drink This Cognac

This Cognac certainly is one step further from XO and it should be served with serious respect. Sure you can have it just with your favorite cigar, but my thing is more gastronomical. I would enjoy it with a cocked pear in red wine, accompanied with pan-seared foie gras and crispy jamón ibérico on the top. On the side, some sweet smooth port wine espuma and that’s it.

Price of Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac

Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac can be bought on auctions and also on some spirit seller’s webshops. The price varies with demand, but expect the price to be ranging from 330 USD to 500 USD for 700 ml decanter. Todays’ price is quite high, so the value is not the best. After all, the XO is much cheaper with just a little bit fewer fireworks.

The post Rémy Martin Extra Fine Champagne Cognac appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur is Playground for Grownups

It’s a well-designed playground that brought Vivi’s inner child out in a minute. She kept her eyes and mouth open while checking all the corners. She was like a little girl going about: “Oh, look at this iron fairy figures, she has a butterfly on her feet. See there, it’s fairy dust you know? Wow look at this table it has a holder inside.” …

She couldn’t help herself and the more drinks she had more awestruck she was. How wouldn’t she be? Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur is outstanding! Is it also the drink offer? Check our Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur review and find out.

Atmosphere

The unique combination of heavy dark interior and breezy fairies set this Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur bar in the perfect equilibrium. With the help of clever lighting, the details stand out from the colorful fairy dust bundles. Sincerely, every single item is unique and it is a lot to take in. Custom made are also iron tables with 15 different fairy figures in the middle.

They are irresistible, Vivi played with them all the time, and she wasn’t the only one. The Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur is a bar that gives you more than just the ordinary stuff. It gets under your skin, and you’ll love it. We sure did!

A Little Bit About the Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur Details

Unquestionably it was a hectic time before the grand opening. Just imagine tying the 1.5 million tiny glass bottles to the ceiling. Crazy right? Well, patience is the key, and in two months the idea came true. Now the colorful sparkles on the ceiling are a counterweight to the dark iron interior with cozy leather chairs and industrial touch. It is incredible, not crazy!

If you think that the hard work ended here, you are wrong. At the back, is also the butterfly room, which has 50.000 butterfly figurines on the ceiling. It goes well with the candles and yellow spotlight moving all around. It’s been a lot of work here, and it works like a charm. The ambiance at Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur is marvelous. Every sophisticated drinker should be settled here.

Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur Menu

The Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur drinks menu includes everything people need for the most magical escape from the busy life. We hit the pause button with cocktails, but there is so much more. To go through the spirits, you’ll need a few minutes without reaching the beer and wine section. For the light drinkers, there are non-alcoholic options with a few natural juices and other beverages. Sadly we haven’t found any mocktails, maybe they should think about including them.

Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur Cocktails

First few lines of the Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur review must go to our favorites. Before that, we would like to share the idea of the cocktail menu that suits the outstanding Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur bar itself. Every cocktail is designed to take you on the journey sprinkled with hooch magic. Let’s get the party started!

 The first pair we warmly recommend couldn’t be more different. The first cocktail is strong and smoky, while the second is sweet and floral. Smoky Trapping Tinkerbell is a scotch-based cocktail which comes in a smoking bottle. The first impression is magical, and at every sip, its magic keeps returning. We loved its smokiness which occurs at the end with dry fruit resemblance.

Nymph’s

Nymph’s is vodka-based, full of floral and sweet lychee combined with watermelon. A touch of lime keeps it fresh and inviting, but the rosemary branch won Vivi over. Combining the edible garnish with the drink allows to spruce up each sip as preferred. Rosemary adds floral touch and amplifies sweetness caught in the fruits.

The Strongest Cocktail – Green Fairy

Iron fairies figurines on the table could use some fairy juice, right? We thought so when we gave a try to the second round of cocktails; the Blue Fairy and the Green Fairy. Ian asked for the most potent cocktail here at Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur, and he got it. Together with six spirits, the absinthe came on fire when we got the Green Fairy cocktail.

Yes literally on fire, so your concerns about consuming too much alcohol can burn away. It is strong but also balanced with mint and passionfruit for maximum pleasure. In contrast, the Blue Fairy is a lighter rum-based booze with coconut, yogurt liquor and a touch of bitters. Basil leaf garnish compliments the flavors well and looks beautiful on top of the creamy topping.

3rd KEY

The one for a bubbly toast is the 3^rd KEY, sparkling wine accompanied with grape syrup, elderflower and thyme. On the nose, we got ripe grape notes, while the thyme filled the subtle undertones. It is a sophisticated blend of delicate elderflower and sparkling wine. The only downside is a grape syrup, which can leave this artificial aftertaste in your mouth.

Lets Junglerumble

Once we spotted the hammered copper mug, we simply had to have the Junglerumble. Gladly so, as it turned out this is a twist of Malaysia’s only internationally recognized classic cocktail; the Jungle Bird cocktail. Jeffrey Ong created the Jungle bird in the 1970s for the welcoming drink of the new Hilton hotel in Kuala Lumpur. If you wanna know more, you can check our Junglebird Bar Review we did here in Kuala Lumpur.

The Junglerumble’s twist is in Monin Donut syrup and pineapple puree, while the original recipe calls for rum, Campari, lime juice and pineapple juice. All components come together with sweet fruitiness balanced with Campari bitters and smooth alcoholic presence.

Food @ Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur

We all know a story of uncle Deke who was drinking in a bar for six straight hours and passed out without any warning. To prevent such a situation, some serious action should be taken into consideration. Of course, they serve peanuts here at Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur, but for serious business, we need proper food. Luckily, the menu is full of it – comfort, greasy and salt.

All these are the elements which would save Deke if he wouldn’t be such an amateur. For me, the bar should have good old classics — for example, hamburgers, French fries, chicken wings, and onion rings.

Iron Fairy has it all, so we ordered one lamb hamburger with fries, fried chicken wings and even as recommended – pasta. Somehow impractical and not so usual for a bar, but hey we are Wild’n’Free aren’t we?

Lamb Burger aka Lily’s Lamb Affair

My fairy potions were already kicking in when this massive burger arrived on our table. If this doesn’t sober you, then nothing will. Ok, the taste was good. Well-seasoned with a nice acidity from pickles and juiciness from chargrilled lamb meat married with the sauce and grilled cheese. The most significant problems are coming with a size ™, and this burger is just too big.

Well, it wouldn’t be too big if there would be shredded meat instead of whole cuts. With shredding, they would solve another problem, tough meat. This lamb was too chewy! A man couldn’t make a normal bite out of it. Sure, there was very lovely black stylish cutlery, but hey where is the fun. A bar should aim to simplicity without compromising taste and pleasure.

In conclusion, this could be a fantastic lamb burger, just shred the meat and add some fat to it – an easy solution for a simpler bite.

Thai Style Chicken Wings

Vivi’s option here at Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur was Thai style chicken wings with their secret sauce. The wings were nicely seasoned with a kick of chili and fried till perfection. We dare to say that the sauce is no top secret, is more like a classic Thai chicken sauce. But it is all we need with this all times classic. Spicy, sweet and sour – I love you Thailand and Iron Fairies.

Pasta

America, Thailand and now Italy. We ordered Aglio e Olio and pepperoni pasta. It is nicely served in black bowels, but somehow both looked the same. Both plates of pasta had the same appearance, so we thought at first we had the same pasta. However, that wasn’t the case, but the taste was similar. Maybe that was because the chef put the same shredded meat on the top of both plates. I don’t mind it on pepperoni one, but a classic from Naples – Aglio e Olio, should be clean.

Anyway, this shredded meat put these two dishes lower, which is sad. Despite that, the pasta was al dente, just like Massimo Bottura would make them. Nice creamy texture in both dishes was there, only the clean flavors not. I would recommend restarting this pasta thing if they insist on having them on the menu. Again, keep it simple – garlic, olive oil, chili, salt, and pepper.

Critique

We love that the cocktails are themed and in sync with the Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur bar. The only thing we wish for is to include more natural juices and artisanal approaches to ditching the syrups. Nevertheless, the enjoyment isn’t compromised when the flavors and aromas complement each other pleasantly. That, however, wasn’t the case in Amy’s rose, which had an annoying eggy smell. The foam on top of the drink obscures the delicious vodka gin-based cocktail. Cocktails with egg whites must be taken carefully.

Another critique comes for food. Like I said before, bar food should be simple and ready to enjoy. Fresh ingredients and contemporary approach is the key. Of course, don’t forget greasy and salty touch 😉

Conclusion

Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur is one of the coolest bars here in Kuala Lumpur. The ambient is totally amazing and the drink selection is more than extended. The cocktails are delicious, made of quality liqueur and service is superb. Next time, when you are in Kuala Lumpur make sure you will visit it and give it a go. I guarantee that you will be amazed. If not, then only a fairy who blows cocaine into your nose can save you. For real, this place is magical. After all those cocktails… How will we come to our hotel?

Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur Review Card

• 9.4/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 9.4/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 9.1/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 9.1/10
• 8.8/10
  PRESENTATION – 8.8/10
• 9/10
  OUR DRINKS – 9/10
• 8.2/10
  FOOD – 8.2/10
• 9.1/10
  VALUE – 9.1/10

Price and Location

The price of the cocktails ranges from 10 USD to 12 USD regarding the ingredients used in the drink. An excellent way to start the afternoon is with Happy hours. At Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur you can stop for the Happy hour every day from 5 pm till 10 pm. Here is a link to the location for fast navigation.

The post Iron Fairies Kuala Lumpur Review – Top Bar appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

A Short History of Nikka Distillery

It all started back in 1918 with the father of Japanese Whiskey, Masataka Taketsuru, who had a scholarship in Scotland. While studying organic chemistry at the University of Glasgow, he visited many distilleries. At the same time, his love for whiskies grew bigger and bigger. It seems like Scotland was his life destination. There he met the love of his life, Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan. After their wedding in 1920, Masataka and his Scottish bride moved to Japan to pursue a career in liqueur and start a family. Luckily, she was supporting Masataka’s dream of producing the best whiskey in the world.

Back to Japan

He came back to Japan with two notebooks full of detailed guides on how to produce good quality whisky. However, his comeback didn’t go as planned. Sadly, Settsu Shuzo, the company which supported Masataka’s education in Scotland, abandoned its plan to produce genuine whisky here in Japan, as the recession after World War I hit Japan quite hard.

In the meantime, Kotobukiya Limited (which is today known as a Suntory), was looking for someone who could conduct a whisky production. Masataka was hired there in 1923 to direct the construction of the Yamazaki Distillery. He and Shinjiro Torii produced Japan’s first genuine whisky. Unfortunately, Masataka wasn’t happy at Kotobukiya and after ten years of dedicated work, he resigned from Kotobukiya. Eventually, he established his own company, called “Dai Nippon Kaju“. The company set up in Hokkaido, the northernmost big island in Japan, where the climate is most similar to that of Scotland. In 1934, when the company opened its doors, its main product was apple juice. At the same time, he was secretly making his first “Nippon Kaju Whisky” or shorter, “Nikka Whisky’’.

First Nikka Whisky

Finally, in 1940 the first Nikka whisky, labeled as Rare Old Nikka Whisky, was launched. Nine years later, Takeshi Taketsuru, Masataka’s nephew and adopted son, joined the Nikka Whisky. In 1952, the corporate name Dai Nippon Kaju Co., Ltd. was altered to The Nikka Whisky Distilling Co., Ltd. They extended production to Asahi Breweries’ Nishinomiya plant, where they produce grain whisky. In 1967, their bottling plant in Kashiwa was completed and two years later, they opened a new distillery in Miyagikyo. Here, the two pristine rivers provide a clean and ideal water source. The name of the one river is Nikkawa River, which makes for amazing coincidence with its similarity to the company name.

Tradition in a Production of Nikka From the Barrel

Here at Miyagikyo’s, the pot stills are much larger than those at Yoichi and they are in different shapes, such as a bulge neck and ascending lyne-arm. These pots are heated with by indirect steam at a much lower temperature, which allows a slower distillation. This method results in soft and floral characteristics. This same distillery is using the Coffey Still, imported from Scotland in 1963. However, today Nikka Distillery owns two Coffey Stills. Those were originally installed at the Nishinomiya plant and later transferred to the Miyagikyo Distillery in 1999. The Coffey Still method retains more flavors originating from the grain itself and is one of the elements for Nikka Whisky specialty.

Remember the ‘tradition’ we named in our article “8 REASONS WHY ARE JAPANESE WHISKIES THE BEST IN WORLD”? It applies here as well. At Yoichi Distillery, they are still using traditional coal-fired distillation. This technique is hardly seen today as it is difficult to control the temperature. It is similar to the pot stills at Longmorn Distillery where Masataka had his first practical training. As a result of using this method, there are boldness and toasty burnt flavors trapped in the spirit.

Nikka Whisky From The Barrel is distilled in the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distillery, which gives its complex characters and yet a kind of simplicity.

Nikka From the Barrel

Oh goodie, I have came across another Japanese harmony in a bottle. Every time I fell in love with their spirits and even now is no different. Nikka From the Barrel is a blend of multiple types of malt and grain whiskies from the Nikka reserves. The alcohol is higher (51,4%) as it is not so rare for Japanese whiskies. After blending, they seal the “marriage” for three to six months in used casks.

This liqueur has a no-age-statement (NAS), which is quite common for blends. Above all, why bother with age if the taste is harmonized, rich and full! What surprised me is the size of the bottle, this small and elegant looking square bottle has only 500 mL, which is a rarity. You can consider it a traveling bottle, I guess. However, there are also normal 750 mL bottles. The price in the USA for the big one is about 65 USD. In the UK you can get a small one for only 35 USD, which is a great value.

My Tasting Notes

The color is amber but very clear and the alcohol tears run smooth. On the nose, I got a sweet combination of honey with dried apricots and fresh citrus. Vanilla is at the back accompanied by a spicy peppery touch. I could find also some flowers inside but never overpowering the fruity balance. The palate is amazingly rich, with quite creamy caramel notes. This full-bodied punch of cinnamon gets in right after the candied oranges. On the first ball, it is easy to find some winter time in it. The finish is medium with still sweet notes. Just a bit of smoky oak and caramel right before it dries your mouth. Sadly, I haven’t tried it with a splash of water as well – it will be for next time.

Nikka From The Barrel Review Card

• 8.6/10
  PACKAGING – BOTTLE – 8.6/10
• 9.1/10
  ON THE NOSE – 9.1/10
• 8.9/10
  ON THE PALATE– 8.9/10
• 9.0/10
  FINISH – 9.0/10
• 9.5/10
  VALUE – 9.5/10

Conclusion

Nikka didn’t disappoint at all. Only 70cL would be a much better option, than this traveling 50cL. Anyway, it is not surprising Nikka Whisky From The Barrel won “Best Japanese Blend” at World Whisky Awards 2007 and 2010. This whiskey also won Gold Medal at International Spirits Challenge in 2013. Anyway, Nikka From the Barrel is quite different from Hibiki Japanese Harmony Harmony, but to be honest I can’t say which one is my favorite.

The post Nikka From The Barrel – Japanese whisky appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Secret Door

At night, the café is closed, but there is a huge orange fridge in the center of the room. However, if you are brave enough, open this fridge and go into the unknown. In the first place, Out of Nowhere is a nicely decorated hidden bar with a great atmosphere and an outstanding drink list. This place is chill with dim lighting and an industrial feel. We sat behind the bar so we could be in the center of the mixology that was happening.

The bar was pretty much full so we didn’t even think we could have sat somewhere else… The barmen were all nice and ready to communicate with us at any time. With this in mind, it’s always easier to choose your drink, when barmen help you.

On the bar were displayed some dark bottles with their own infused liqueurs and we were instantly interested in trying these. The cocktail list is tempting and almost every drink sounded perfect for us. Vivi ordered the Roti Satu Cocktail with smoked woodchip rum, coconut Espresso, toasted bread infusion and jackfruit foam.

Vivi’s Drink

Apparently, she chose the strongest cocktail on their list. Not surprised, Vivi is always aiming high… Despite the alcohol content, the cocktail is nicely balanced and the alcohol is well hidden in it. However, it is strong, no argument there. At the same time with some creamy taste of jackfruit and fresh note. It has a toasty taste with a hint of wood in it, well mixed with the jackfruit cream. In other words, this cocktail is a true masterpiece. For decoration, they use pandan leaf and small roti biscuit on top, which is simple and nice looking at the same time.

Ian’s Drink

My choice was a bit more serious. I chose Nikka from the barrel. This whiskey winning the top prize in its category at the World Whisky Awards in 2007 and 2010 made my night much better than it was. As it is in common with Japanese whiskies, it has a nice balance between fruitiness and woody-spice taste, some sweet notes of citruses and cinnamon with the great oak finish. However, I will write an extended review and history of this amazing whisky. Keep it up with us!

Conclusion

If you are looking for a hidden bar in Penang, you are lucky. Why? Because there are many options. We checked one which is supposed to be the best hidden bar here in Penang. Well, we will leave that to you. If you ask us, Out of nowhere is an amazing hidden bar in Penang and you should check their artisan cocktail list.

Out of Nowhere Review Card

• 8.9/10
  ATMOSPHERE – 8.9/10
• 9.5/10
  SERVICE – 9.5/10
• 8.4/10
  DRINK SELECTION – 8.4/10
• 9/10
  PRESENTATION – 9/10
• 9.3/10
  OUR DRINKS – 9.3/10
• 8.5/10
  VALUE – 8.5/10

Price and Location

Cocktails here will cost you about 9 USD, which is the same price for a glass of Nikka Whisky. If you would like to see and try this speakeasy bar by yourself, here is a location link.

The post Hidden bar in Penang – Out of Nowhere appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Probably yes. Lately, they are receiving more awards, than their teacher Scotch. Of course, everything is a preference for the taste. If you ask me, probably yes. I like their approach and overall appearance of this golden drink. Just read the reasons, and you will see what I am talking about. However, to be honest, I do find more pleasant whiskeys from Japan, but I barely touched the offer from Scotland and Ireland. For 100% sure answer, ask me again in 25 years if my livers will survive. Let’s check why is Japanese whiskey the best!

Is it whisky or whiskey?

This might be a huge debate, but let just say both are proper ways to spell it. Whisky comes from Scottish, while whiskey with an additional e comes from Ireland. A difference in the spelling comes from the translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms. Well, Irish people migrated more to America, so whiskey is preferred word in the US and Canada as well.

8 reasons why is Japanese whiskey the best in the world

In the previous post, you read about Shinjiro Torii and how he accomplished his lifetime dream of making one of the best whiskeys in the world. Now it’s time to point out the more psychological and custom related aspects which are equally important in making this outstanding product. They determined the attitude that pushed men like Shinjiro Torii and his stepson Keizo Saji to continue the quest for a method that leads to making the best Japanese whiskey.

1. Jing Jang

Japanese whiskies are different than the Scottish and American ones. Scottish whiskeys can be heavy-handed, American ones are robust with their caramel finish, but the Japanese are pure and refined. The focus on balance and harmony based on the YIN and YANG principle is why you will find more blended Whiskies than Single Malts in Japan.

2. Tsukuriwake

Unlike the standard practice in the West, Japanese distilleries do not share their stocks of whiskey and trade casks between each other. Most of their blends come from their own distilleries and Suntory has one of the biggest collection of different whiskeys in the world. In this manner, they can complete their philosophy of “TSUKURIWAKE”, which is the philosophy of diversity in the making. This basically represents blending different flavors together to create the most balanced whiskey.

3. Precision and detail

There is another thing that is crucial in the production of whiskey: PRECISION AND DETAIL and the Japanese are renowned for those two characteristics. The Japanese pay great attention to the details and for a sophisticated product like whiskey, this is more than important. In western culture, we could stigmatize it as an obsession, but in the land of the rising sun, that is just a principle one should follow to be successful. While we are talking about success, there is another behavior that helps in whiskey production…

4. Honor

The Japanese simply can’t “lose their face”. If they have a goal, they will achieve it or die trying. After achieving that goal (for example, receiving the award for the best whiskey in the world) and resting on one’s laurels is not an option.

5. Kaizen

This is a principle that is behind the approach regarding small-step improvement. The idea is to continuously seek improvement in order to improve efficiency and quality. If something is working that doesn’t mean that there is no room for development. To achieve that, the Suntory has even created its own yeast strain, the Suntoryeus Lactobacillus.

6. Selling starts at the package

We can’t forget some perfect Scottish whiskey that was put in an unattractive bottle right next to an awful package. Maybe it’s a personal taste but to us, presentation matters, aesthetics are important and exceptional product deserves more than a tacky exterior. For example, HIBIKI has 24-sided bottle, which represents the 24 hours in a day, the 24 seasonal divides in a year and the time in which HIBIKI is matured. The HIBIKI bottle has the label, made of handmade Echizen paper and which bears the letter HIBIKI in Japanese, written in calligraphy. That’s a solid achievement of great packaging.

7. Tradition

In the production of outstanding whiskey, they respect tradition. At Yoichi Distillery, they still distill with direct coal fire, just like they did centuries ago. Actually, this is one of the last places where that practice is still alive. When it comes to tradition, we need to look at the origin. Here we wrote a post about the history of one very successful distillery – SUNTORY. Predisposition for tradition is…

8. Nature

The Japanese have a harmonious relationship with NATURE: they feel at one with it and seasonal festivals celebrate the beauty of that nature. They have a special reverence for nature and believe in nameless spirits referred to as the  “eight million gods”. Being aware of nature’s importance can bring new dimensions to whiskey. The soft and pure water is the main key in production and the Suntory distillery is doing their best that it stays that way for generations to come.

Conclusion

The success of the Japanese whiskeys is organic and beyond doubt, they are here to stay. We hope you got a good idea of what stands behind this world-leading industry. Hopefully, you have become intrigued you will try some of the finest samples from this outstanding country. Some healthy competition is always beneficial for the market. With that being said, it is obvious that we don’t fancy one over the other, it is always nice to have more than one option to choose from. The style of Scottish and American whiskeys is different and it feels good to enjoy them on special occasions. The fact is that the good spirit is a good spirit, no matter who makes it.

The post 8 reasons why is Japanese whiskey the best in world appeared first on Wild 'n' Free Diary.

Reading on will give you an insight into the HIBIKI history and philosophy of Suntory distillery With that, you’ll get to know why their HIBIKI whisky is that extraordinarily perfect.

Early Start

Hibiki history starts with an enthusiastic Japanese man,  Shinjiro Torii. Torii finished his schooling at age thirteen and entered into an apprenticeship at a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Osaka, which carried Western liquors. There he mastered mixing techniques and he developed a sophisticated palate and nose. In 1899, he rented a modest house and started pursuing his dream. He founded the Torii Shoten store in Osaka, Kotobukiya. immediately, his Akadama Sweet Wine became a huge success and was sold in large amounts.

By 1907, the company was well established, but he didn’t stop there. His dream was to make the finest whiskey with the essence of Japanese nature and hand-crafted by artisans. His wish was to create a subtle, refined and yet complex whiskey that would suit the Japanese taste. Inspired by the process of traditional Scottish whisky, but set on totally different terrain and climate, he chose the region of Yamazaki, on the outskirts of Kyoto.

Yamazaki Distillery

Finally, in 1923 he invested his family fortune and pursued his dream of building Japan’s first whisky distillery. The Yamazaki Distillery, Japan’s first whiskey distillery, is on a special location, where one of the purest and softest waters of Japan originates from. Yamazaki. Here, Katsura, Uji and Kizu rivers converge, providing a unique misty climate and one of Japan’s softest waters. Equally important, temperatures and humidity create ideal conditions for cask aging, known as the signature “Suntory Maturation”.

First Whiskey

His first Japanese whisky was the Suntory Shirofud, launched in 1929. Sadly, it was poorly received by the market and failed due to its imitation of smoky Scottish whiskies flavors. From this experience, Torii learned that he needed to satisfy the delicate Japanese palate if he wanted to make a successful Japanese whisky. His search for the best Japanese blend was successful with his Suntory Kakubin whisky. This one became the heart and soul of Japanese whisky and the country’s number one seller. After World War II, Kotobukiya changed to the name of Suntory, as it is known today.

Later on, Suntory cultivated the growth of Japan’s whisky culture by opening Torys bars throughout the country. The way to drink whisky was revolutionized by introducing the “Highball” (mizuwari in Japanese). To point out, this drinking style is popular even today and some whiskies are perfect especially for drinking in a Highball. To explain, a highball is a cocktail with one part whiskey and four parts soda water. As a result of this emerging trend, whisky consumption went through the roof. Despite all the money and fame he got, Torii stayed humble and a man of principle. However, he devoted 30 percent of corporate profits to social welfare projects.

After Shinjiro’s death

Shinjiro Torii died in 1962 and his successor was his adopted second son, Keizo Saji. Keizo built a distillery dedicated to the highest-quality Japanese grain whisky on the misty, calm shores of Chita Peninsula. This distillery uses rare production techniques and makes three types of grain whiskies.  To sum up, the heavy-type grain whisky, distilled through two columns, the medium-type through three columns, and the clean-type through four columns. At the start, they were using whiskies from this distillery as the “dashi” (or broth) that enhances the harmony in Suntory’s renowned blended whiskies. Later on, after many years, they achieved an unrivaled sophistication and complexity. As a result, we have the incredible range of flavors in The Chita Single Grain Whisky.

Pushing the Boundaries

Keizo didn’t stop there. Instead, he wanted to achieve his father’s quest to push the boundaries and produce the best whiskey on the world. For the 50th anniversary of the Yamazaki Distillery, he built The Hakushu Distillery. This is one of the highest distilleries in the world, standing amidst the deepest forests of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Japanese Southern Alps. Mountain water there is extremely purified and soft due to the filtration of rain and snow through granite rocks. There are four seasons and the changes between them are slow, which makes perfect conditions for maturation. Keizo honored the memory of his father and succeeded in his quest by presenting to the world some of the truly excellent whiskeys. In 1984, the Single Malt Whisky Yamakazi was released and it was a great success.

Birth of the Hibiki

Only five years later, the HIBIKI blend came out. Important to realize, it is not only Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky, but it is also among the most prestigious and honored whiskeys in the world. Keizo also produces his new style type of whisky in his beloved Hakushu distillery, the Suntory Single Malt Whisky Hakushu. This whisky is fresh and immature on first taste but then it reveals fruity flavors with a lot of complexity. There is a subtle taste of smoke on the finish, which his father had envisioned, but Japanese weren’t ready for this at that time.

Nowadays, the company “is in the hands” of Torii’s grandson, Shingo Torii. He strives to continue his grandfather’s and father’s dreams to challenge what a Japanese whisky could be. Most noteworthy, he released Suntory Whisky Toki, which is a blend of carefully selected whiskies from the House of Suntory’s globally acclaimed Hakushu, Yamazaki and Chita distilleries. It presents the modern and heritage in one spirit.

Another Name

On official site of Suntory, you won’t find the name Masataka Taketsuru anywhere, but let us tell you something about him. He is supposed to be the main actor in the success of Torii’s whisky. He was the third son of a sake brewer and early on, he became interested in western alcoholic beverages, especially in Scotch whisky. In 1918, he went to Scotland to study the process of making proper Scotch whisky. While studying organic chemistry in Glasgow he visited many distilleries. Seems like Scotland was his life destination.

There he met the love of his life, Jessie Roberta “Rita” Cowan. After their wedding in 1920, Masataka and his Scottish bride moved back to Japan. He brought back with him two notebooks filled with notes on the whisky distilling process. His plans to establish a distillery went south, due to the post-WWI depression. In 1923, he found Shinjiro Torii and saw an opportunity to reach his life goal. Above all, he wanted to produce the best Japanese whisky.

Nikka Whisky

Later, he was transferred away from his distillery to a beer factory in Yokohama owned by Torii. This wasn’t a pleasant transfer for him, but he stayed in the company for a while. After all, he had accepted the obligation of remaining there for at least 10 years. In fact,  that’s a big commitment. In 1934, Masataka resigned from Kotobukiya and established his own company, called Dainippon Kajuu KK. The company set up in Hokkaido, the northernmost big island in Japan, where the climate is most similar to that of Scotland. In 1940, he introduced his first distilled whisky, Nikka Whisky. Here, you can read our review of this blend.

Conclusion

This is a short Hibiki history, so you can have some idea about this great spirit. Extraordinary men take extraordinary actions to reach their mission and they find joy in fulfilling it. Creating art doesn’t take place only on a canvas, there are many possible different areas. After all, there is always room for perfection and thanks to these men and their pursuit, we now can choose from some of the finest whiskeys on earth. To achieve this, there must be something greater in the background, the harmony that rounds up every step. Their philosophy and work with nature made the foundation to reach the stars. In conclusion, Hibiki history is rich and inspiring. Maybe you will respect it more next time when you will buy it.

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