Part 6 – Chinese New Year's Cake & YAMAZAKI Sherry Cask

 

Known as Nian Gao, this is one that I just had to get in, this is only available at the Chinese New Year period and is a great snack, the cake is  made from glutinous rice powder and can be cooked by dipping it into an egg batter and pan frying it.

 

I just had to add it in and eat it while sipping on the YAMAZAKI Sherry Cask, sweet and sour with heavy sherry.

 

 

 

Part 5 – Yuan xiao & BALBLAIR 1990

Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), people have had the custom of consuming ‘Yuanxiao’ during the lantern festival. They are a kind of rice dumpling made from glutinous rice powder with various fillings, like bean paste, brown sugar and all kinds of fruits and nuts.

 

Generally eaten on the last day of the Spring Festival, since they are also named ‘tangyuan’ or ‘tuanyuan’, pronounced like ‘tuanyuan’ (reunion).

 

Balblair 1990 and the dumpling soup go very well together, amazingly well giving you sweet and spicy characters with zesty fruits.

The BALBLAIR 1990 will be reviewed in February.

Part 4 - Crispy Chicken & Aberlour A'bunadh

Ok this one is almost a staple part of all Chinese set menus, its available everywhere and is amazing, it’s not just a normal chicken deep fried its specially prepared and not easy to do, also it is time consuming.

 

Keeping the head and feet as well as the chicken whole when serving represents prosperity, togetherness of the family, joy and completeness for the Chinese New Year festivities. Then you can cut it up.

 

 

 

 

Is considered as an after dinner drink or an on its own Malt but for me with the crispy chicken and a sip of this wee dram it gives you spices like cinnamon, ginger as well as a sherried cherry palate, it cuts through the fat of the chicken very nicely. Remember this is cask strength.

 

If you do not like it crispy then it can be steamed.

 

 

The Aberlour A'bunadh will be reviewed in February.

 

Kung Hei Fat Choi!!!

 

 

Happy New Year!!!!

Part 3 - Noodles & Springbank 15 year old

 

 

Ok Whisky with noodles?

 

Well yes but these are not just any noodles; E-Fu noodles have a very unique taste. The noodles are soft and have a naturally sweet and nutty taste. The silky noodles coated with a smooth sauce. These noodles or other noodles are served at Chinese New Year and should not and must not be cut, they symbolize long life, and cutting will shorten your life.

 

I guess the cutting will shorten your life long before the Whisky does. This Dram with the noodles adds that tongue coating of praline smoke with black pepper and fruit.

 

The Springbank 15 year old will be reviewed in February.

 

Part 2 - Black Moss & Lagavulin 16 year old

 

Black moss, is traditionally consumed as a symbol of wealth, the dish is Braised Black Moss, Pork Knuckle and Mushrooms, so as I mentioned the this vegetable that resembles a clump of black hair symbolizes prosperity because it sounds like “fat choi,” the Chinese words for the phrase “be prosperous”.

 

 

 

 

With this wee dram you still get the creaminess and orange marmalade with the silky moss, with hints of barbeque on the pork.

The LAGAVULIN will be reviewed in February.

 

 

 

 

Part 1 - Dried Oysters & Ardbeg 10 year old

Oysters are not only popular aphrodisiacs but are also considered lucky in Chinese culture, Dried Oysters or in Chinese 蠔豉 (háo shi) is especially popular during Chinese New Year because of the sounding of its name when pronounced in Cantonese, which means good deeds, good fortune, or prosperity.

 

 

Generally Braised they have a pungent taste, rather or should I say completely different from fresh oysters, when they are braised they taste slightly sweet and with the Ardbeg 10, Amazing. They are usually served with vegetables such as mushrooms.

 

The Ardbeg will be re reviewed later in the month or early February.

 

 

Drams for Chinese New Year

 

 

 

I am partial to a Dram and with so many holidays and so many food dishes associated with these holidays and with the luck of being in Hong Kong where we get the best of both worlds, the western and the Asian, where we see both traditions.

 

I know this is of the Dram subject but as they say “knowledge is wealth” so here is a wee list of food items and there definition.

 

Abalone - definite good fortune

Bamboo shoots - wealth

Black moss - wealth

Chicken (whole) - prosperity, togetherness of the family, joy (note: chicken with its head, tail and feet symbolizes completeness)

Fa Gao steamed "Prosperity Cake" - means either "to raise/generate" or "be prosperous"

Fish (whole) - The word yú, meaning "fish", is "remain or surplus", 'having leftover money', an increase in prosperity

Lettuce - prosperity

Mandarins - gold, wealth

Noodles uncut - long life

Oyster, dried - all good things, good luck

Nian gao, Sticky (Rice) cake, Chinese new year's cake. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao because it has the symbolism of increasing prosperity every year

Shitake, Black mushroom - longevity, sizing opportunities

Yuan xiao "round dumplings in soup", sweet dumplings - togetherness, reunion

Tofu, dried - fulfillment of wealth and happiness, blessing the houses

 

 

Beware:
Presenting a ‘whole’ chicken with its head, tail and feet symbolizes completeness

Fresh bean curd / tofu is not included as it is white and unlucky for New Year as the colour signifies death and misfortune.

Fresh fruits symbolize life and new beginnings.

Sugared fruits are supposed to sweeten one’s upcoming year.

Sweets and fruits are served on a round tray, the form resembling togetherness, hence the tray is called the 'Tray of Togetherness'. Sweets offered on the tray add up to the number 8, because eight is a lucky number and symbolizes fortune.

A coin might be hidden in one dumpling, and the person who will find it is supposed to be showered with good fortune and wealth.

 

So without further adoo and talking crap see tomorrow my first Chinese New Year menu dish with a wee dram pairing.

 

The pairing I have to add here is not my scene but a wee dram with some of these food items brings you many things………………..

 

Food to China is as important as Whisky is to Scotland……………

 

 

 

 

 

Unlock the Secrets of Chinese New Year

So as the festivities end and the households and shops have pulled down the tree and decorations, with the leftovers long gone and winter sales in full swing, here in Asia or should I say China everyone is getting ready for another festival, yes were getting ready for Chinese New Year on the 31^st of January, this festival is the biggest, even bigger than Christmas and New year in the west.

 

So starting on the 30^th of January, more than 1.5 billion people around the world will celebrate the Lunar New Year; generally this is a time for gathering with family, honoring ancestors, and eating! As I mentioned it is one of the most important Chinese holidays. Traditions include giving children lucky money in red envelopes, hanging lanterns, setting off fireworks, and performing the iconic dragon and lion dances.

 

As we enter the year of the horse, Hong Kong is no different with traditions and celebrations. This is a major holiday for 4 days with some parts over 2 weeks, it also gives me another opportunity to Blog a little more and talk about some Lunar New Year traditions, foods and sample some Drams, so this holiday I will be trying some with food and some on their own.

 

So begins my 2014 whisky journey.

 

Watch the coming blogs for the Dram pairing.

 

 

 

 

 

Burns Night

 

 

So its Burns night, and a wee dram and Haggis with neeps and tatties is in order, so the dram of Choice is the Arran Burns, a single malt from the Isle of Arran distillery, celebrating our Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

  

 

 

Raise a glass, Happy Birthday Rabbie…………………

 

 

This special celebratory Single Malt is the official Scotch whisky commemorating Robert Burns' legacy, from the Isle of Arran Distillers. A five years old bottling, matured in both fresh and refill bourbon barrels.

Now, Rabbie on a bottle? Well Arran Distillery was in 2001 by the World Burns Federation to become a patron and so received this endorsement.

Even though Robbie Burns may never have stepped onto the Isle of Arran, the distillery is the closest one geographically to Ayrshire, his birth place. The Robert Burns and Arran affiliation also has a blend.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A lot of vanilla on the nose, fresh Madagascar pods with a nice whiff of spices and oak.

 

Palate: An initial burst of spiciness, floral and vanilla with hard summer fruits.

Finish: A long lingering finish of fruits, you can tell here that they are using great casks.

 

Comments: This is almost one of your everyday drinking drams, inexpensive and with Rabbie on the bottle you can share wee stories on him, overall not wow but a good dram, nothing really to rave about but goes well with the Haggis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Wee man called Rabbie Burns

So the world tomorrow the 25th of January will be celebrating a birthday.

 

That of Robert Burns, Scotland’s best-loved son. His inspiring poetry has influenced thousands of people, some of which don’t even know it.

 

No matter which corner of the world you come from, you’ve raised your voice in a chorus of Auld Lang Syne originally a poem and known under a different title. Burns left a legacy celebrating the immortal memory of Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns has become an institution in Scotland and for the Jocks who are scattered around the world. Celebrating what has become known as Burns Night was first created in 1801. This then a club was established to commemorate the life and works of the Bard by reciting his poetry; something which has been carried on to this day. So, whether you’re into a wee bit of poetry or your there for the haggis, neeps and tatties, I hope you enjoy your Burns Night where ever it may be.

 

 

Sláinte Mhath!

 

The Macallan ‘M’

The Macallan

 

 

Not surprised a new world record is set.

 

A Six Litre Decanter of ‘M’ Produced by LALIQUE Achieves a New World Record Price at Sotheby’s here in Hong Kong.

 

 

 

 

 

The bottle went under the hammer for a record-breaking sum of $628,205, The Macallan M Decanter 6-litre Imperial attracted global interest at a Sotheby's auction, the firm said in a statement which identified the buyer only as an Asian private collector.

 

This puts the former British colony on the Malt map and will certainly lift the cities profile.

 

Sotheby's said the bottle sold on Saturday broke the record for any single malt whisky bottle sold at auction, surpassing the $460,000 paid in New York in 2010.

I was at the launch of this Dram and reviewed it in December of last year, you have to give it To Macallan, a job well done on the marketing.

David Cox of The Macallan commented : We are absolutely delighted at the generosity of the successful bidder of the “M” 6L decanter Constantine in securing such a wonderful contribution to a number of Hong Kong charities and at the same time setting a new world record for The Macallan. It is testimony to the craft, quality and passion underpinning the creation of this great decanter.  It is a very proud moment for us”. I bet it is.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highland Park Loki

The journey continues……….

 

Loki

 

Woooowhooooooo!

 

Yes its another stormer from the +Highland Park Whisky  Valhalla range, bloody hell they know how to do it amazing, now I'm talking about this one before I write any notes. God I'm blown away really, this puts them firmly on the map as one of the best distilleries around.

 

When I tried Thor I skimmed over it and wrote little in the way of tasting notes but this is a breezer.

 

Firstly what's it all about? Well this is the second release, Loki is Thor's adoptive brother, a mischievous soul, possibly even a shape-shifter and certainly an enigmatic character.

Highland Park I think looked to better last years release or at least match it and well they did just that , matched it and bettered it, this is a wee 15 year old single Dram bottled at 48.7% ABV and unusually, some heavily peated casks were used for part of the maturation, also I might add could be some older whisky in this it is more mature than a 15 year old.

 

Again the packing is shaped like a Viking inspired long ship, impressive, but will the malt be as impressive, the bottle is like an old hand blown bottle coloured glass.

 

Now reading around about this before I bought it, there is a lot of tension on the pricing, I tend to agree to a certain extent yes its pricey, but lets face it, I look at it like…. I want to try it and yes HP has never let me down in any bottling I tried to date so if its to much leave it or if your in a wee whisky club then get it!

 

 

Location…

HIGHLANDS

 

Where…

At Home.

 

Why…

Can’t leave to the crocodile tear mob at my funeral.

 

Tasting…

Nose: Porridge-y, Spicy sour apple juice, grainy.

 

Palate: This gets the taste buds juicing up at first with spicy smoked wood, then custard, woody spices and boiled sweets.

 

Finish: Smoked vanilla pods, winter spiced toffee.

 

Comments: Completely different to Thor, Highland Park released only 21,000 bottles of this, however its more mature than a 15 year old bottling and with two more coming over the next couple of years it will be interesting to see what they come up with trying to top the 2 already released.

Tick Tock Highland Park.

 

Get it…

At lillionwine.com here in Hong Kong or Online at the Whisky Shops.'

 

 

 

 

Whisky Cabinet Part 1

Well I set out to build a cabinet for my Whisky collection which currently spans Europe, Hong Kong and Philippines. So what to do with all those Gems hidden in cupboards or under beds and in boxes?

 

Well its simple I thought I would build myself a cabinet to show these and basically to see what I have and what I want to add and most importantly what I want to open and try.

 

So here are the first pictures, initial build as the cabinet is built and the doors go on, as I am between cities, the time for building this is long and slow as I have lights to go in, locks to go on, handles and painting in the colour scheme of the house but so far all good, so Malt fans this is the first pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

What it will sort of look like before the gems are added, but 4 door..................

 

 

Highland Park Thor

 

In 2010… It all began……….

 

Thor

 

This then was the first episode of +Highland Park Whisky new Valhalla range,

 

So here we see the mighty Thor.  I had seen it but at the time could not afford to buy it sadly but since I purchased it and thought lets give it a taste, yes indeedie its all about enjoying the malts since I read about the guy who died and never enjoyed his collection, I have been opening mine slowly, yes slowly in moderation, so Highland Park lent towards there Viking side.

 

Thor is the first release that Highland Park is calling the Valhalla Collection.  It will be a four part adventure of limited editions, so the first is bottled in a number rather large but totaling a production run of 23,000 bottles.  So lets get a look at it, as it’s the first edition in honour of Thor, the Norse God of Thunder and supposed creator of the Cliffs of Yesnaby on Orkney's west coast.

At this point it looks amazing coming out of the box, the packing is shaped like a Viking inspired long ship, impressive, but will the malt be as impressive, the bottle is like an old hand blown bottle coloured glass, it’s a cask strength 16 year old Dram bottled at 52.1% ABV, thus far impressed, it was a little steep in price for a 16 year old but hey what the heck!

 

Location…

ISLANDS

 

Where…

At Home.

 

Why…

Cant leave to the crocodile tear mob at my funeral.

 

Tasting…

Nose: Porridge-y, Peat with sweet honey.  Old cigar box. 

 

Palate: Pepper burst then peat and smoke, scotch toffee, ash.

 

Finish: Smoky espresso with sweet highland toffee.

 

Comments: I have to say if the rest of the collection is like this then WOW I can’t wait. Just got another bottle and put it away for a rainy day.

 

Get it…

At lillionwine.com here in Hong Kong or Online at the Whisky Shops.