Spirit Forwardis a series documenting the latest releases in the world of drinks. In this edition, we check out the latest offerings from Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, and Suntory.
The Bruichladdich Eighteen
Bruichladdich has officially added an 18 Year Old expression to its permanent range, marking it a first in the high age statement offering from the Islay whisky brand. The Bruichladdich Eighteen is a culmination of the distillery’s resurrection in 2001, where 18 years ago the team began working with their first farming partner to produce a crop of locally grown Islay barley. The result is what you see today: The Bruichladdich Eighteen, a high-provenance single malt that is a testament to the distillery’s commitment to its raw ingredients, local community, and more.
In keeping with the provenance agenda, Bruichladdich took it a step further by making changes to the 18 year old’s bottle and packaging. The Bruichladdich Eighteen uses the brand’s new proprietary glass bottle, which subtracts any unnecessary weight; the secondary packaging, on the other hand, is made from fully recyclable paper pulp and moulded to the shape of the whisky bottle. This negates the use of a box, meaning that the overall packaging will be lightweight, reducing CO² impact from transportation.
On the spectrum of flavours, Bruichladdich stays on point. This whisky is non-chill filtered, with no added colouring, and bottled at cask strength of 50% ABV. It is matured primarily in ex-bourbon casks, with a small number matured in Sauternes and port casks. These are later vatted together for nine months before bottling. The result is a full-bodied and fragrant whisky with notes of honey, butterscotch, and citrus orange on the nose. On the palate, you’ll get tropical fruits, mellow oak, and a lingering finish.
The Bruichladdich Eighteen is available for purchase at The Chamber (The Starhill, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Sunway Pyramid), Kedai Ubat Dan Runcit Yong Xin, Fook Cheong Seafoods and Medical Trading & other retail stores nationwide.
Kilchoman Batch Strength
Another whisky making it to the core range is Kilchoman’s Batch Strength—a strong one coming in at 57% ABV. This is a no-nonsense peated whisky: matured in a combination of re-charred red wine casks, oloroso sherry butts, and bourbon barrels, it’s rich and smoky, not for the faint at heart.
“At 57% abv, Batch Strength is a giant of a dram, it has a raw intensity that I love. But importantly, that power is balanced by a delicacy and finesse that speaks for the quality of our production processes in the stillhouse and also the quality of casks used for maturation,” said Kilchoman Founder Anthony Wills.
The Kilchoman Batch Strength has a great combination of peat smoke and citrus with dark fruits, heady spices, and a sweetness reminiscent of salted caramel. The red fruits and caramel qualities are thanks to the re-charred red wine casks, which, combined with Kilchoman’s signature fresh, citrus, peaty smokiness, makes for a solid whisky that lingers for a long time—whether in your palate or memory.
The Kilchoman Batch Strength is available for purchase at RM509 from Single & Available’s retail outlet in Bangsar Shopping Centre and Plaza Damas, as well as online.
Suntory Tsukuriwake series
Every year, Suntory releases its Tsukuriwake series to the anticipation of whisky enthusiasts worldwide—it is, after all, a limited-edition collection that showcases the best of Japanese whisky-making. The proof is already in the name, with “tsukuriwake” meaning “partisanship through a diversity of making”. This year’s collection is just as good, featuring four distinct expressions: the Yamazaki Golden Promise, Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara, and the Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt.
First—the Yamazaki Golden Promise—is named as such thanks to its raw ingredient of Golden Promise barley, a premium grain from Scotland. Aged in American oak casks, this whisky is rich and malty with notes of orange marmalade and custard with a long, sweet finish. The Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt is the first of the two peated expressions in the series, combining Yamazaki’s water and maturation process for a balanced sweetness to complement the smoky notes. Its flavour profile reveals notes of brown sugar and bitter orange.
Moving on, we have the Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara in a special Tsukuriwake 2024 Edition—it has a deep flavour profile that features the spicy, sandalwood aromas that Mizunara is typically known for. On the palate, you’ll also discover notes of spiced orange, clove, and dried coconut with a long, lingering finish. Finally, we have the second peated expression in the series: the Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt. The smoky whisky has undergone a lengthy maturation process and as a result, unveils a spicy, peppery flavour profile with lingering herbaceous notes.
The 2024 Tsukuriwake Series by The House of Suntory will be available at select premium retailers and exclusive venues across Malaysia, including Kampachi EQ Kuala Lumpur and The Chamber. The entire Tsukuriwake Series collection is available for purchase at The Chamber for RM29,999.
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