Tiffany’s New York Bar calls itself the Capital of Whisky in Hong Kong. Situated on the Intercontinental Grand Stanford Resort, it provides one of many largest picks of whiskies within the metropolis.
Supervisor Lars Ruecker despatched me a collection of their newest bottlings, together with a Mars Tsunuki 2017 and Kavalan Solist 2014 bottled for Hong Kong Whisky Pageant 2024.
Invergordon 36 yo 1988 (48,7%, Cask 88 for Tiffany’s New York Bar 2024, PX sherry end #Z22/07080, 240 btl.)
Nostril: as an alternative of the anticipated vanilla / coconut mixture, I’m getting a sourness of the sherry cask. Then salted peanuts and leathery notes, with bitter plums and pink apples. A wee trace of pipe tobacco within the distance. I in all probability wouldn’t have acknowledged this as a grain whisky.
Mouth: now the buttery vanilla and coconut sweetness is noticeable within the background, however the sherry is on the identical stage. Hints of gingerbread and brown sugar, slightly chocolate and bitter plums. Then again to candy cereals, together with natural tea, baking spice and a slight trace of vermouth. Some salted caramel too.
End: fairly lengthy, with bittersweet sherry notes, some salty wooden and blackcurrant.
Good to see this grain divert from the widespread vanilla / coconut / glue profile. Not the smoothest fashion of sherry maybe, but it surely definitely provides complexity. Attention-grabbing choice. Accessible from the Grand Stanford on-line store.
The following whisky is a Glenlivet 2006, additionally from a sherry cask. Signatory Classic launched dozens of those casks over the previous few years, usually superb. The label was impressed by a well-known automobile photographer who stayed within the Grand Stanford resort.
Glenlivet 17 yo 2006 (54,8%, Signatory Classic ‘Excessive Octane’ for Tiffany’s New York Bar 2023, first fill sherry butt #900795, 153 btl.)
Nostril: a fruitier fashion of sherry. Raisins, redcurrants and raspberry jam, together with floral honey and hints of toffee. Fairly creamy and candied. Then it turns into drier, on tobacco and cocoa coated nuts. Refined hints of leather-based too.
Mouth: actually fruity once more. Extra pink berries and grapes, with orange marmalade, toffee and butterscotch. Then pink apples with honey drizzle, mild citrusy notes and hints of cinnamon. Hints of roasted espresso seem in the direction of the tip, in addition to some (measured) oaky notes. A number of drops of water assist to spherical off the perimeters.
End: lengthy and honeyed, with tobacco, orange peels and oak spice.
Fairly flawless sherry maturation, a method that reminds us of the Nineties when this was widespread in A’Bunadhs, Macallans and 105s. Maybe shining much more after the Invergordon, however actually good whisky in any case. Rating: 89/100
Up subsequent is the Japanese Mars whisky. Really Mars is a common model title for 2 distilleries and three barrel storage amenities. This 2017 classic was distilled on the Tsunuki distillery and aged at (the hotter island) Yakushima. It’s a closely peated spirit of round 50 ppm phenols, marking the tip of a small collection. The label exhibits once more the inside of Tiffany’s New York Bar, taken over by the cats.
Mars Tsunuki 6 yo 2017 (58%, OB for Tiffany’s New York Bar 2024, closely peated, sherry hogshead #2094, 252 btl.)
Nostril: intruiging and fairly spectacular. Very oriental straight away, with this mixture of pine wooden, slightly cedar, camphor and medicinal herbs, and a high quality trace of smoke and incense. Forest flooring. Then loads of mango, smoked lemon and crushed banana within the background, with hints of previous papers and butter cookie dough. Some brown sugar and sherry spice. Mint and Japanese tea leaves too. Fairly nice.
Mouth: candy and vigorous, now leaving extra room for the (top quality) sherry cask. Candy plums, vanilla and dried apricots together with sandalwood and cigar bins. Some maple syrup. Bonfire ashes, cigars and charcoal. Then cumin comes out, with smoked herbs and a salty edge. Tarte tatin, floor espresso and black peppercorns ultimately.
End: lengthy, spicy and candy, with walnuts, bacon and light-weight mentholated notes.
There’s a wholesome dose of peat, expertly matched to oriental spice and a very nice sherry sweetness. A reasonably good mixture, laborious to imagine that is so younger. This may be (pre-)ordered via the Grand Stanford internet store. Rating: 91/100
We keep in Asia with a Kavalan bottling from a single Port cask. Simply in need of 10 years.
Kavalan Solist – Port Cask 9 yo 2014 (60,2%, OB for Tiffany’s New York Bar & HK Whisky Pageant 2024, cask #0140311068A, 147 btl.)
Nostril: flawless and intense. Loads of raisins, pink plums and contemporary figs. Then moist tobacco hints, in addition to some earthy notes. Some lemon zest and solventy whiffs of shoe polish. Anise and clove, in addition to walnuts and brown sugar.
Mouth: highly effective and candy, with bitter pink berries, ginger, rhubarb jam and hints of pink grapes. Some pencil shavings, black pepper, mild coppery notes and cedar. It’s a heavyweight cask affect however on the identical time there’s a pleasant lightness to it. Drying hints of walnuts ultimately, with fairly some tannins and aromatic woody notes.
End: very lengthy, nonetheless tart, with loads of mulled wine, cloves and different spices. A variety of pipe tobacco too.
One for lovers of wine casks maybe, maybe a tad excessive, very in-your-face and drying. Alternatively this can be very fragrant, it exhibits a pleasant tart fruitiness and provides nice complexity. Rating: 88/100
