Quaich Bar Turns 10

I pretty much only drink whisky, and some beer, staying away from cocktails and trendy bars. I like my watering holes casual. Quaich Bar isn't what most people call 'hip' or 'polished', and that's exactly what I love about it. Sláinte! 🥃

A decade ago, it introduced me to the gorgeous expressions from my now all-time favorite distillery Bowmore. The bar turns 10 this September. My goodness, has our happy relationship lasted this long? The bar has always made me feel welcomed and taken care of. Nothing patronizing or over-the-top, but nothing lacking either. I used to frequent the bar a lot more, but have not done so recently, only because I've decreased overall alcohol intake.

Instead of just a night's celebration, Quaich Bar held a month-long series of tasting events. There was one of Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Glenglassaugh, and another of Irish whisky Tipperary and Shetland Reel from the Shetland's Island of Unst, and Springbank which included the launch of a 17 y.o single cask specially bottled for Quaich Bar. Pretty fun! I didn't attend these though. Predictably I popped in to the nights when they brought out Bowmore (owned by Suntory), and Tomatin (owned by Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd).

Bowmore (Islay)

Priced at S$30 per Bowmore tasting set (complimentary for members) of four expressions, it included a beautiful 25 y.o. The Cadenhead-Bowmore small-batch 12 y.o (as an independent bottler, Cadenhead has been churning out really decent whisky), and the official 18 y.o bottling are its staples, and have been fairly consistent through the years.  I love the 15 y.o darkest matured in oloroso casks bottled in 2007. The bottles after that year simply don't taste the same.

I'm most familiar with Bowmore's range of flavors and bottles, and how it has evolved over the years. But it's always nice to taste the ones I'm fond of side by side. Many friends turned up in droves for this event to, probably because they're rather fond of this distillery as well. It was a chance to catch up with those I hadn't seen for a bit. But as with all social events, it was hard to grab everyone for more than a 10-minute chat. It was hilarious how we all called it a night by 10pm. Hahaha.

Tomatin (Highlands, Speyside border)

Topping off the celebrations, the good folks at the bar, Khoon Hui and Joyce, visited Highland distillery Tomatin, and procured a single cask of 1983 and bottled it in July 2017, making it a 34 y.o. The bar launched its special anniversary bottle at this Tomatin tasting event. They also invited Tomatin representative Graham Nicolson to hop in for a chat with everyone.

That night, besides the 1983 single cask, we tasted three other expressions from Tomatin- Legacy, 12 y.o, and Fire. I enjoyed the spice in the Fire which touted heavily charred oak at 46% abv. It holds no age statement, but manages a rounded aftertaste without the sharp notes of typical of younger whisky. Wasn't expecting to like the Fire, but I do!

The 1983 34 y.o single cask is gorgeous. So pleased that they offered a dram of it in the tasting tonight. I was looking forward to tasting it, and it wasn't at all disappointing. It was exactly what I had hoped it would be. It was full of fruits and caramel, lingering long after the last drop went down the throat.

Khoon Hui and Joyce told us that the 250-litre cask was expected to produce between 180 to 190 bottles (750-ml each), thereabouts. However, in the end, they could only fill 158 bottles. Wow. Although it's not unheard of for 30-year-old spirits to lose say 45% of its volume, the angels' share for this cask was still significant.