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Martell Single Cru Collection

The latest release of this Single Cru collection reveals the distinctive taste and unique personality of each terroir in the Cognac region. The launch of this collection is significant in the 300-year history of Maison Martell in that, for the first time, every cognac in the collection is crafted with eaux-de-vie sourced from a single terroir. The four terroirs identified as the four best in the Cognac region — Fins Bois, Petit Champagne, Borderies, and Grand Champagne — provide a distinct aromatic profile and a specific ageing potential linked to the quality of grapes, geographical location, the soil, climate and exposure to the elements. In short, it’s tres complex and tasty.

What’s more, Maison Martell distils only clear wines and ages its eaux-de-vie exclusively in barrels of fine-grained oak, thereby minimising the impact of lees and wood. The eaux-de-vie from these four terroirs are also aged separately in the Martell cellars, ensuring its purest expression with the Martell Single Cru collection. In short, buy the lot.

Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon Whisky

This here is the inaugural release of Maker’s Mark’s Cellar Aged, a blend of 12-year-old and 11-year-old whisky and bottled at cask strength – 58% ABV. Like in Goa or Taipei, it’s hard to age whiskies in Kentucky’s challenging climate, where the summer heat can turn an angel’s share into a robbery and have an accelerated effect on the new casks. The solution is to build a cellar into the natural limestone shelf of the Kentucky hills; the cellar’s consistently cool environment slows down the tannic impact that occurs during maturation, allowing the bourbon to develop a deeper flavour with notes of dark fruits and toasted oaks.

To become Cellar Aged, barrels of the distillery’s classic distillate first spend approximately six years ageing in traditional bourbon warehouses until they reach full maturity and can be called “Maker’s Mark.” Barrels are then moved into the proprietary limestone whisky cellar for another five to six years of ageing before being blended to taste and bottled. (Yes, it’s spelt ‘whisky’ in this instance.)

Cellar Aged will be an annual, limited release available in specific markets worldwide, and Singapore is the only market in Southeast Asia to launch the limited edition. It’s now available at Manhattan Bar exclusively from 21 – 26 March 2024, followed by a rollout to selected establishments islandwide from 1 April 2024.

Additionally, buy it online (S$250) iShopChangi from 27 March.

Hennessy Limited Edition Collection By Yang Yong Liang

Just in time for your Lunar celebrations: this limited edition Hennessy V.S.O.P features lively, understated dragon motifs against classy metallic red, symbolising joy and luck. The deluxe packaging with the vivid golden dragons peeking out of the frame is by Chinese artist Yang Yong Liang. 

Hennessy’s V.S.O.P has a signature blend which has remained untouched since its creation. It is a distinctive classic, unanimously loved for its versatility, whether neat, over ice, in a cocktail or as a long drink — we suggest a Vieux Carre in this case.

You can see the CNY range (X.O and Paradis) and video of the artist and his methods at its pop-up in ION Orchard, Level 1 Atrium B, till 28th January. For the ION pop-up, consumers can write down their wishes at the wishing tree with every purchase of a bottle (S$110) from the limited edition collection. Ten lucky winners and one grand prize winner will be picked from there. The grand prize winner will fulfil their wish and receive a bottle of Hennessy X.O from the collection. 

36 Guardians Sake

Photo ©Joel from Spirited Singapore (used with permission)

First, the unusual name for this sake from the northern Yamagata Prefecture (Shonai Region). 36 Guardians is named after the 36 vassals who protected the princess of the Fujiwara clan in the eastern provinces when it was destroyed in Minamoto no Yoritomo’s conquest of Oshu. (Talk about legacy: Sato Takahiro, the CEO of the Kikuisami Brewery, is a descendant of these 36 namesake guardians.)
Kikuisami uses the Futa-koji method, in which koji rice is made in small wooden containers with less than 2 kg of rice. For the koji mould to propagate well, the rice must be rotated constantly to keep both temperature and humidity control constant. This is a labour-intensive method, but it produces the highest quality koji rice. This is usually reserved for the most expensive sakes, but Kikuisami uses this method for all their award-winning sakes. A highlight is the Daiginjo Hi-Ten (considered the brewery’s masterpiece), whose coffee aroma indicates quality ageing, and its silkiness pairs with uni dishes or flavourful pasta.
36 Guardians is winning awards and fans through age-old techniques and contemporary aesthetics, and you should get your mitts on a few bottles before the world catches on. The full 36 Guardians range is available at theartofsake.com.

Starward Nova Single Malt Whisky

This is one whisky brand that is distinctly of its place. Starward whiskies from Melbourne are made from local ingredients — often less than a day’s drive from the distillery — and matured in wine barrels from the city’s vineyards. For over 16 years, founder David Vitale and his team have produced unique Australian whiskies that are versatile, vibrant and sustainable. The modern design pays homage to the wine-soaked staves they use; the starburst represents the vitality of the spirits within. Nova is aged in red wine barrels and has bold fruit-forward flavours and notes of rich chocolate, raspberry, caramel, spicy oak and orchard fruit. It will pair with any Christmas pudding or roast.

$115 from Malt & Wine Asia.

Hennessy VSOP x TEAM WANG

Pop culture phenom Jackson Wang — Hennessy’s global brand ambassador — has unveiled a new design for the house’s latest launch. This limited edition bottle, imbued with energetic and magnetic lines, is inspired by his visit to Maison Hennessy. TEAM WANG Design chose three colours to represent their shared symbolism: white for modernity; red to represent the signature cognac; and gold for the spirit of showmanship.

The Hennessy V.S.O.P Limited Edition by TEAM WANG design is available at the Somerset 313 pop-up (via the ishopChangi app) and all official outlets.

Westward Whiskey Pinot Noir Cask

Westward’s stunning new custom bottle design and logo celebrate the whiskey’s provenance and indelible link to the culture, climate and natural ingredients of the American Northwest. Their three new offerings are the Stout Cask, Cask Strength and Pinot Noir Cask — the latter our favourite with its fruity fig and apricot notes, rich malt and dark chocolate finish. This is a tribute to Oregon’s legendary Willamette Valley wine country and the region’s premier grape varietal: Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir Cask begins with the original Westward, which is then matured for up to an additional two years in French Oak wine casks from a handful of award-winning producers in the region. (The expression earned a double gold award in San Francisco World 2021.)

Bottled at 45% ABV, this is available from whisky.sg (S$168) and at several bars across the island, such as Underdog Inn, The Secret Mermaid, The Bar at 15 Stamford and The American Club.

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House of Cane Rum

House of Cane is a perfect marriage of mature rums from the Caribbean and Asian regions, blending the taste of two worlds. The first in their collection is a special Singapore Limited Edition, with rums from Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, Venezuela and Thailand — each aged separately for up to 23 years. No sugar, no colourants, no artificial flavourings are added.

Created by industry stalwart Jarek Iwanoski, House of Cane is developed by blending only naturally aged premium rums, with every spirit used in the blend expressing a distinct character of their origin country, aided by the use of French oak and ex-bourbon casks.

SG$98. Buy it here. (The brand donates 2% of its annual sales to certified charities working on sustainable causes.)

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Bago Founder’s Batch Singapore’s Rum

Made of three rum blends: 23-year-old Thai solera style aged rum; unaged pot-still Jamaican rum; and 3- to 5-year-old Dominican rum. (All ageing took place in the respective tropical climates in first-fill ex-bourbon casks.)

Most importantly though, is that it’s a Singapore rum, created by our favourite limin HQ Lime House Caribbean. “I wanted to offer a high-quality, accessible rum that enables us to build a tangible cultural bridge between the rich rum heritage of the Caribbean and its origins here in Asia,” says founder Chris Morris.

The Bago Founder’s Batch has light flavours of tropical fruits, brown sugar, chocolate and some orange and spices. Try it with a Daiquiri or El Prez.

Available at Lime House outlets, various SG bars and from Spun Spirits ($99+).

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Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This is one of the most awarded whiskies in the world. Taste it, and you’ll understand why: All their whiskies are aged at least eight years in new American oak, which results in a long, sumptuous finish with flavours of caramel, dark fruits, mint, toffee and spice. It’d make a great Old Fashioned. The distillery also produces Sazerac Rye, Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon and the impossible-to-buy Pappy Van Winkle. 

Fun fact: Buffalo Trace was originally called ye Olde Fine Copper Distillery until they changed their name in 1999.  

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Hennessy Paradis

When sixth generation Master Blender Maurice Fillioux created Paradis in 1979, he implemented his love for the symphony as a starting point: Maurice was the conductor and the rare eaux-de-vie from the legendary Cellar that Maison Hennessy used to call “Paradis” were his instruments. 

Created through a meticulous blending process and long maturation, Paradis can be considered a “cognac lover’s cognac”. This is a subtle and harmonious spirit with a silky mouthfeel and a nuanced balance of exceptional eaux-de-vie, giving rise to notes of dried fruits, cinnamon, cardamon and jam. There are also hints of peaches and apples.

Consumers can craft their own paradise with bespoke bottle personalisation of Hennessy Paradis through the Hennessy Hands experience — a homage to the Maison’s craftsmanship and innovation — exclusively available at Crystal Wines located at CapitaSpring.

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Glenfiddich Grand Yozakura

Glenfiddich turned to Japan for their latest experimental bottling – the fantastic, limited edition, East-meets-West Grand Yozakura. The first single malt Scotch whisky that’s finished in vanishingly rare Awamori casks, the 29-year-old expression offers up zesty, ripe fruits on the nose, hints of cinnamon and a distinctive herbal zing. As you sip, creamy vanilla blooms on the palate, interspersed with spice and sherbert lemons. Awamori, Japan’s oldest distilled alcoholic spirit with 500 to 600 years of history, lends its unique flavour to the liquid, giving it a finish unlike any other. Collectors of the Grand Series, which includes Glenfiddich Grand Cru — aged for 23 years in American and European oak casks and then finessed in French Cuvée oak casks — will appreciate its elegant, cherry blossom-inspired display box.

Glenfiddich Grand Yozakura is available across duty-free stores at Changi Airport and domestic retailers. The RRP of SG$2,430 is only applicable to duty-free stores at Changi Airport.

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