Not only is Singapore recognised as the cocktail capital of Southeast Asia, it looks like the country could be the next place for spirits and liquors.
Brass Lion Distillery, already internationally recognised for its flagship, award-winning Barrel Aged Gin, has made history by launching Singapore’s first-ever bottled whisky.
Distilled, barrelled and aged entirely locally, the distillery used Singapore’s natural climate to shape the whisky production without controlling the environmental temperature, setting a new precedent for the local spirits industry.
It worked with The General Brewing Co. to tailor-make a wash (liquid at the end of the fermentation) that would accommodate Singapore’s equatorial climate. The country’s tropical conditions, with higher temperatures and humidity, sped up the process due to the accelerated contact between air, cask and spirit.
Top-fermenting ale yeasts and Maris Otter malt were selected to yield a wash with fruity and complex flavours. Fermentation was done at local ambient temperature. The resulting 180 litres of spirit was poured into a bourbon barrel to mature for over three years, adhering to international whisky standards and regulations.
The result is a more mature whisky in a much shorter time frame, with a depth and nuance in its flavour profile that’s often found in whiskies that have aged for far longer in temperate climates.
Only 427 exclusive, limited-batch, single malt bottles are drawn from a single cask, out of which 70 bottles will be drawn at Cask Strength to experience the true taste of Brass Lion Whisky straight from the barrel (both available from Sep 9).
Brass Lion Whisky (48% ABV, $328) boasts a nose of wood-kissed vanilla with notes of dried apricot, opening up to honeyed sweetness with a rich mouthfeel and notes of bitter almond on the palate. It has a smooth and creamy finish with a hint of nutmeg spice.
The Cask Strength edition (65% ABV, $468) brings a nose of warm oak with aromatic notes of creamy vanilla and dried apricot, rich caramel and honeyed sweetness on the palate with hints of bitter almond and nutmeg spice, culminating in a smooth and full-bodied lingering finish.
With this historic debut, Brass Lion Distillery makes its mark on the whisky industry, placing Singapore on the world stage, and proving that quality whisky doesn’t just have to come from Scotland or Japan only anymore.
As for the whisky’s packaging, the topographic lines of the area around Brass Lion Distillery in Alexandra Terrace have been used as motif. The intricate curved lines adorning the sides of the box are reminiscent of wood grain, highlighting both the importance of the cask in the whisky-making process, as well as the unique region where the whisky was produced.
To celebrate the launch of Singapore’s first whisky, – Brass Lion Distillery presents a unique pop-up event, Making History: A Brass Lion Whisky Experience. This is an exclusive journey to gain insight into the whisky-making process through guided sessions and sensory stations.
Participants can also enjoy a whisky tasting at the Brass Lion Tasting Room; and have a guaranteed chance to snag a coveted bottle of Brass Lion Whisky. A limited number of bottles per day will also be available for purchase at Brass Lion Distillery from Sep 9.
Dates for the whisky exhibition experience are on Saturdays, Sep 23 and 30, and Oct 7 and 14 at its 40 Alexandra Terrace distillery. Tickets are available here at $78+ each, with a maximum of only 20 guests allowed per experience.
