Angeltini

Last week I had an insightful conversation with a very famous wedding photographer who happened to be a very old friend of mine. He said I should really work on improving my photography skills if I wanted to take this content generating thing seriously. Because more often than not, it seemed that I don't put in enough effort into the composition of my photos - and readers these days, they love a good picture over wall-of-texts posts any day.

Can't say that he doesn't have a point (double negative!). If it wasn't true, Instagram, Facebook sharing, and Pinterest wouldn't be as popular as it is now. And thanks to Twitter, I'm inclined to think that if a post is > 140 characters, no ones attention span can take it anymore.

Thing is, I'm one of those old-generation bloggers who's used to rambling on and on and on.... and old habits die hard.

So what I really really want to know from you is this:
1. Do really good DSLR-quality pictures matter?
2. Do pictures matter more than words?
3. Long posts are okay, or just keep it short like Twitter?
4. Do you need a good combination of decently okay pictures with some accompanying drivel?

Because if it's #4, I hope I'm already complying by leaving you with Insta Weekly updates like this one:

1. Homemade cocktails of the week - Rum Punch & Canadian Club Old Fashioned.

Growing up, I'm sure you've heard and drank all sorts of "punch"es - it's basically a beverage (could be alcoholic or not) made with fruits or juice. I remember growing up seeing my mum serving her party punch mix in that big glass punch bowl which I only get to see at big parties - it's usually made of sweet liquid and lots of canned fruits.

Evidently, cocktail punches are also considered a classic and something of a must-know should you wish to impress friends at parties. So for a start, I tried making a Rum Punch, following a recipe from my go-to drinks encyclopedia. It's very simple - just rum, bitters, lime juice, syrup. How hard is it to mess up, right?

On the right is my attempt to make a canadian club Old Fashioned with orange bitters to see the difference vs a fresh orange peel. To be honest, it can work. I mean, otherwise how do those guys in Mad Men always get an old fashioned at anytime of the day (Yes I realise it's just tv) without a fresh orange at hand right? But if I had a choice, an orange peel will always be my go-to. Nothing really beats the fragrance of a freshly squeezed orange peel.

And yes, I have finally watched some Mad Men (last month). Yes I do know how much Canadian Club was featured like mad on that series but I already like it even before I watched the show! Canadian Club does make a really decent Old Fashioned (but you must cut down on the sugar by a lot!). Sweet & smooth, it even drinks well on its own. With that insane price at duty free, why don't you already have one in your liquour cabinet?

2. Launch of Hana Dining & Sake Bar @ Sunway Pyramid.

Bad News: Brussels at Sunway Pyramid is no more.

Good News: The lot is now taken over by this very popular Taiwanese restaurant/bar which specializes in Japanese fusion food. In Taiwan, it goes by a different name of 花酒藏 A-Plus 日式和風創意料理 (totally copied and pasted that). With 130 types of sakes, it's one of the biggest sake bars in Taiwan.

As usual, I will dedicate a full blog post about this soon enough. But meanwhile, I must tell you that the food's quite affordable and at very decent portions if you go for the group set menu (for 4 pax , 6 pax...) and they currently serve, wine, Carlsberg's slew of beer offerings and have about 30 odd sakes at the brand new Sunway outlet... which they promise they will expand once they find their feet.

For more:
https://www.facebook.com/hanafusionbar
http://www.hanadining.com/
For the original Taiwan branch: 花酒藏 A-Plus 日式和風創意料理

3. 0% ABV Beer

When I first came across these, I was outraged! WHAT IS THE POINT RIGHT?

But a good friend who is quite familiar with the Japanese culture schooled me about it and I kind of understand its purpose in the world.

Apparently, the Japanese, being the over-accommodating and polite race that they are, will never let you drink alone at a social gathering - especially at business meetings. So as not to make the guest(s) feel awkward drinking alone, the host would accompany the imibibing guest with a can of fake beer. This way, they are "seen" drinking & giving face, while not having to get home drunk and hungover next day for work. Totally made sense to me.

Upon further online reading, it's also meant to target people who want to enjoy malt drinks without the alcohol. Perhaps something akin to our local Nutrimalt I suppose?

For shits and giggles, I got the Sapporo and Asahi to try. Truth be told, the Sapporo wasn't too bad. It was like, flat beer, just lacking that kick, but very palatable. I'm guessing Asahi should be about the same (shall update this bit once I try it). But at close to RM9? If I have to accompany you for drinks and I'm trying take it easy - give me a proper beer, whisky highball or a mizuwari any day.

4. More awesome gins to try!

Some really special stuff we got to try last weekend: Portobello Road Gin, BUSS N°509 Pink Grapefruit, No Ordinary Gin - NOG!, Vor Icelandic gin, Dictador Premium Colombian Aged Gin - Treasure, G'Vine.

Mentions: All of them were great. But - Portobello was so smooth, Buss had a lovely fragrant, delicious grapefruit notes and the Colombian has that unmistakable aged character you can't ignore.

And to pair with all that? Fever Tree Tonic. Oh so much LOVE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between this and the usual brands we find off the supermarket. Sigh. Of course, there'll be a bigger dent on your wallet too la! :(

Until next week, drink safe!

Insta Weekly is a weekly summary of boozy updates from my Instagram.com/fireangel80 with the hashtag #angeltini. Feel free to follow me if you enjoy daily updates on booze, food and other random stuff by a girl from Malaysia. Cheers!

So I "predicted" before that events would be slow during the fasting and Raya months ... and I've been right so far. :)

Not complaining though - it gives me more time at night to practice making drinks and experimenting with stuff like below:

1. Made: Cheapskate giant ice cubes

I keep wishing my ice didn't melt so fast, diluting my shaken cocktails too quickly while not chilling it fast enough. Large ice blocks would fix that. I've been pinning for those expensive silicon extra large ice cube molds available on Amazon for years. But it was very difficult for me to be enthusiastic about forking out RM20 bucks + RM40 insane delivery charges just for some rubber-substitute ice trays.

So this was my cheapskate solution:

Freeze boiled water in the see-through plastic containers that restaurateurs like to use when you takeaway your food with the lid on. I had to actually do it twice - starting with a half a layer first, letting it freeze, then adding a second layer. I do this so that the middle of the block freezes up properly. Once frozen, knock it out and cut them up to size.

Verdict: IT TOTALLY WORKS. sure it's ugly, BUT IT WORKS. The larger blocks of ice takes a REALLY LONG TIME to melt. SO HAPPY. Cost = FREE. #fixedit

You can even use this in place of those ice balls that everyone's clamouring to get their hands on. Ok what, it's rustic and made with your very own bare hands!

P/s: Also made happier to read reviews that the silicone trays also has a smell which transfers to the ice after awhile. So glad I didn't buy them in the end. :)

2. Made: Mizuwari, Sazerac, Sidecar

I keep making this but I've never been able to make a Mizuwari just like how it's describe in this Bartender anime, as if it's the most refreshing life-changing thing which soothes even the weariest of souls. To me, it just tastes like, cold, over-diluted whisky la. I enjoy it, but it's nothing like how the anime described it.

Using a chilled highball, I chuck in ice blocks, stir 1 shot of my whisky 12 times, add cold water, stir it another few times anticlockwise, lift the ice up so that the liquid mix and serve. So what am I not doing right? HELP!

Tried making the Sazerac cocktail using Rittenhouse rye whiskey and Peychaud's bitters - what a great combination! The rye whiskey is sweeter than your usual Bourbon so I didn't even need to put in much syrup. The aftertaste of absinthe wash is pleasant and unmistakable, with my mouth being coated with its milky sensation. I think I'm really learning to enjoy this with lighter bourbons and rye.

Revisited another classic, the Sidecar. I forgot how strong it was until I read the recipe: 2 cognac :1 triple sec :1 lemon juice + squeeze of lemon peel. 2 shots of brandy man, it doesn't taste maddeningly strong because of the cointreau and fresh lemon juice... until it's too late and you feel woozy afterwards.

All drinks last week were made with my cheapskate ice cubes - it worked a treat!

3. #NationalDaiquiriDay & #NationalTequilaDay

19 July was Daiquiri Day and 24 July was Tequila day (which I celebrated belatedly with a margarita). If you were wondering what the origins are and how it came about - it's just marketing and an excuse for imbibers all over the world to stand united to imbibe and hashtag the crap out of each other. :)

This time, my Daiquiri was made with 2.5 shots of Havana Club rum (though evidently, the original version uses Bacardi Superior, but I ran out of it), 1 shot fresh lime (very important that it is fresh, not cordial, 2-3 limes should do it), 1/2 shot syrup (2 sugar : 1 water). Since it's much stronger than usual, I serve it with ice cubes so that I can take my time to enjoy it.... Coz Daiquiri's typically served in a cocktail glass straight up, by the way.

So I've mentioned before that the diabetes-inducing, fruity, colourful slushy daiquiris you get at the tex mex are basically a bastardisation of the original thing - which is already quite perfect to begin with.

Perfectly balanced and refreshing, completely unassumingly strong. Yes it's supposed to be strong - how can it not be, since it's Hemingway's favouritest cocktail ever?

You know, I still haven't got my Margarita right. It should be one of the easiest thing to learn since it's essentially just tequila, lime juice and syrup. But sadly I still can't seem to get it as delicious as the tex mex restaurants do it (think la carrethas, la frontera).

The ones I have outside are always smooth, the agave isn't vulgarly overpowering... but sometimes it does get a little sweet. Maybe it's the 1800 tequila I'm using. It does tend to have a sharper agave taste and a rougher bite on the tongue (the blanco even more - I'm already using a reposado this time). I'll try it again with other tequilas next time and see.

Both drinks I made using my cheapskate ice cubes - LIKE A CHARM IT WORKS. SO HAPPY. OH MY GOD.

4. Whiskies Galore!

Oops. Another accidental whisky tasting party happened. :P

The Kininvie 17 was my least favourite of all. It was spicy, grassy and a little alcohol-ly (it's not even a word, I know, sorry) for my delicate palate. But others who tried it, like it - so it's probably just me.

Gouden Carolus Single Malt is actually made with the mash of the Gouden Carolus Tripel beer from the Brouwerij Het Anker brewery in Mechelen, by Belgium's 1st whisky distillery, Stokerij De Molenberg. All of which I know nothing about and had just learned about using Google at time of writing. :p It had a scent that reminded me of a cross between a flowery perfume and soap. Tasted young, but for a 3 year old, it's something different to surprise your palate with.

GlenDronach Allardice Bottling Note - saved that for the last, because I was a little intimidated purely by its colour alone, which reminded me of soya sauce or sesame oil. At once, you'd know it's from the sherry cask and it easily had the best scent. Tasted heavy, tasty, with a long, dry finish you sherry heads absolutely love.

The Irishman is typically Irish. Smells very good, fruity, upfront, very light in the mouth, with no finish.

I reached out for the Gordon & Macphail most - it was such an easy, breezy, light, tasty everyday-drnking dram. You won't feel "jelak" (bored) even after umpteen drams.

The Master Distillers Reserve - Small Batch is quintessentially Glenlivet. The smell kinda reminds me of its 15... fruity, quite easy to drink with some spice in its short finish. Each batch carries a unique number and released throughout the year. This makes part of the "Master Distiller's" NAS range which is set to replace the 12,15, & 18 in travel retail. I missed the Guardian's launch event for this, sniff, so didn't get to try these other 2:

1. Master Distiller’s Reserve - the entry level expression, and supposedly very value for money (about USD50ish per litre)

2. Master Distiller’s Reserve Solera Vatted - liquid from ex-sherry, American oak and traditional oak casks are mixed into the Solera Vat, which is never empty.

On a separate occasion, I had the The Arran Malt Cask Strength 12 years at home. I've forgotten how yummy it was. I'm going to put my neck out there and declare that this, THIS is my favourite 12 year old to-date! Maybe the 53.6% ABV had a part to play in it, giving it the additional OOMPH, that syrupy mouthfeel that most 12s lack because of how young it is. Just when you think you're done, the heat from the spiciness comes in - SURPRISE! I highly, highly recommend this, and I believe it's (still) not too expensive at all!

Well then, as usual - until next week, be safe!

I turned 35 last Sunday! Happy birthday to me!

It was a bit of a bummer because just a few days before I started coming down with the bug and had the full blown sore throat, flu and slight fever - it was like I was going through a growth spurt but not quite... maybe sideways? :)

It was an excellent birthday. Spent it with loved ones. Had tonnes to eat and drink. Presents are always a great bonus. And lots of wishes on facebook too, lol. I loved it all!

So I went to bed early last night from a full day of festivities and still recovering from the bug.. which is why this post is a day late. I've lost my voice today and am coughing nonstop. :( Not a lot to update from last week anyway because haven't really been feeling very excellent - probably because the bug was coming, lol.

1. Bailey's + Jameson.

This came about when I wanted a strong nightcap. A simple, comforting, not-to-much-fuss-to make drink. But I didn't want a straight of anything.

Milk at night's always a comforting drink, right? And Bailey's nearly like milk because it has cream in it. But it wasn't enough, and that night, I wanted something a bit stronger, something less sweeter.

The fix? Adding more Irish whiskey into it! Since Bailey's is essentially made of cream and Irish whiskey anyway, putting in a bit more Irish whiskey wouldn't hurt right? And by doing so, I have 1) increased my drink to higher than the standard 17% ABV, thus have made it stronger and 2) made it less sweet.

Then I proceeded to have a couple more and had a great night sleep. :)

2. Wedding Planning

So.... I'm eventually going to be getting married, haha. To be honest, I hate the whole planning part of it. I just want to keep it as simple, as fuss-free and affordable as possible. At the of the day, I'd just like to have a big fun party with friends and loved ones.

What's really bothering me now is not the dress, not the location, not the weddings gifts, food menu or even invite list.... But this - WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH BEVERAGE? What should be my "house pour"?

What type of liquor should I provide? Blended whisky? Single malts? From what region? Country? Wine? Red? White? Many different labels? Dessert? Beer? Draught? Bottled? White? Black? All? None? How about gin? It's the rage now! Have cocktails? Serve pre-dinner drinks? Setup a mini bar? WHAT?

So any ideas which doesn't break the bank is very welcomed. I may or may not take it, but I welcome them all. Thank you! <3

3. My Birthday Dinner & Drinks at Kampachi Jaya 33!

My old man (that's the term of endearment I use for the significant other, hehe) surprised me with a wonderful 4-course dinner beautifully arranged by Kampachi @ Jaya 33. Not sure what I've done to deserve it but I WAS SO HAPPY!!! I couldn't stop beaming the whole time!

Except for the part where he blinfolded me all the way from my home to the destination with this white t-shirt which was quite disorientating, lol.

We had the Izumibashi sparkling sake to start (only my current most favouritest sparkling sake!), paired with a 5 piece appetizer (SO GOOD WITH THE SAKE), followed by some lovely sashimi with their homemade fragrant soya sauce. For mains I had the medium-done teppanyaki beef with rice while he had the seafood platter. To end the night, and assortment of fresh fruits with ice-cream served in a heart shape to share which was so darn corny and cute! <3

Being ~~alcoholics~~ appreciators of all things alcoholic, we of course ordered more sake to go with the rest of the food. So a 720ml bottle of Ishizuchi Funashibori Green Label went with our sashimi course onwards. On its own, the sake was very crispy, dry, strong and even spicy! But with the food, all that mellowed down and the sweetness of the rice came through. Though, I wouldn't encourage it with anything sweet like the dessert, because then the bitterness will be more prominent instead. :)

The sake came with this really cool dispenser - which was like a beer tower, but smaller, cuter, and dispenses the sake using a ball bearing stopper instead of a tap. If only my bag was big enough to sneak it home for bragging rights. :p

And that setup was so dreamy! All those rose petals & tea light candles.... Kampachi sure knows how to make a girl feel like a princess. Thank you my dearest old man for making it so, and domo arigatou Kampachi for making it such a lovely, unforgettable dinner! :)

Until next week, drink safe!

In conjunction with Fuego's August cocktails promotion, a few of us were invited for a #TroikaCocktailsCruise event where we were introduced to Troika Sky Dining's bars by docking at each bar to sample their cocktails before cruising on to the next..... I loved this cruise even before it began. :p

For the uninitiated, Troika Sky Dining is located on the 24th floor of The Troika (along Persiaran KLCC) and is popularly known for its insanely gorgeous view of the KL twin towers and fine dining restaurants. It houses 3 restaurants which are segregated by cuisines: Cantaloupe for French, Strato for Italian, and Fuego for South American.

There are tonnes of reviews out there on its food and breathtaking views which Google can ply you with. But with me, you know we'll be paying particularly close attention to (or geek out at) the liquid side of the business, right? So let's get to it, shall we!

Bonjour Cantaloupe Bar!

Our first #TroikaCocktailsCruise stop was at Cantaloupe. Situated a little further down the right from the main entrance, it has a corner cozy bar for pre-dinner drinks or even a digestif or 2 after dinner. We tried:

L to R : Jungle Bird, Negroni, Tommy Margarita @ Cantaloupe Bar (Credit: Troika)

Jungle Bird: This Malaysian cocktail is made with rum, campari, lime and pineapple juice. In Cantaloupe they use freshly blended Sarawak pineapple making the drink extra fresh and fruity! While the Jungle Bird is usually served in a rock glass, it's in a tall glass here. I'm not complaining - it's strong enough and there's more for me to enjoy. :)

Negroni: I'm not usually a big fan of this classic but they made it very well with Tanqueray gin, Campari and Carpano Antica Formula vermouth. Balanced, not overly bitter, it's a great aperitif to get the juices flowing before dinner.

Tommy Margarita: I won't be surprised to see this as a fast moving order simply because it's so easy to drink. A good balance of sweet and sour, it's refreshing and it sits so elegantly in a coupe glass.

As you may have guessed, the Cantaloupe Bar focuses on reviving classic cocktails but for those wanting something a little stronger, there is a decent range of whiskies too. Cantaloupe Bar opens daily from 12pm. Classic cocktails start from RM30++

Ciao Claret!

Our next #TroikaCocktailsCruise stop is Claret - which gets the most face time thanks to its prime location of being right at the entrance. More popularly known for its vast collection of wines, what you may not know is that it also prides itself for its innovative, Italian-inspired cocktails - using a lot of Italian aperitif and liqueurs.

L to R: Rossini, Occio D'oro, Spicy Belluci (top), Bella Boom Boom (bottom) @ Claret (Credit: Troika)

We were greeted with a lovely Rossini, made with fresh strawberries, Prosecco and (surprise!) white balsamic vinegar. It's a nice refreshing twist to the Bellini, Mimosa (or any other sparkling wine + fruit combination). When I asked why strawberries? The answer is because they rather serve something with fresh fruits than canned ones. Nice!

3 brand new cocktails were introduced to us that night. It was so new, we were even tasked with naming them!

Occhio D'oro: Made with Amaro Montenegro, lemon juice, prosecco. Refreshing and light, this was my favourite of the 3, mostly because I have a penchant for sour-ish drinks.

Bella Boom Boom: Gin, Campari, fresh grapefruit, basil. It kinda reminds me of thai food (lol) from the basil. It's stronger tasting than the Occhio.

Spicy Belluci: Vodka, Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, ginger syrup, ginger beer. It has a strong herbally scent and bitter flavour from the Fernet. Makes a great digestif but I would personally recommend it only to those with a seasoned, hardened, European palate

Italian bar bites from Strato (Credit: Troika)

One can also order bar bites from the Italian restaurant upstairs, Strato, while chilling out at Claret's spacious, plush lounge. There's even Stella on the tap, should you prefer having your liquid rice. Opens from 4pm - 1am. Cocktails start from RM30++

Hola Fuego!

The last #TroikaCocktailsCruise stop was Fuego. It's a restaurant-bar which features south american inspired cocktails & cuisine (they're very proud of their guacamole) so expect a lot of rum and tequila in tiki-esque cocktails. We tried:

L to R : Dark N Stormy. Rum Rhapsody (Credit; Troika), Reversed Pina Colada @ Fuego

Rum Rhapsody: Rum, pineapple juice, secret P7 syrup (a house made syrup made using secret ingredients!), chocolate. Tastes? Just like cendol! YUM!

Dark N Stormy: Typically made with spiced rum, lime, syrup and ginger beer; Fuego turned it local with calamansi instead of lime, gula melaka instead of plain syrup and even made their own ginger beer, then topped it up with Gunpower Bitters. An excellent interpretation of a classic.

Reversed Pina Colada: This is a new one on the menu and quite brilliant. Pina colada is usually made with pineapple juice, coconut cream and rum. Fuego used coconut juice and pineapple syrup instead, thus, reversing the density of the mixers. Delicious but unfortunately only available for the month of August. :(

These 3 drinks are on promotional prices for the entire month of August, priced at RM30++ onwards. Fuego is open for dinner at 6.30pm and 8.30pm and only via reservations which can be done here: http://www.troikaskydining.com/#reservation

For more on all 3 bars and restaurants: www.troikaskydining.com

Thanks for the excellent liquid cruise, Troika Sky Dining! I had a whale of a time.
Can't wait to come back soon! #hic

So as soon the the raya festivities ended, the parties came back. I don't suppose a long introduction is needed because last week was quite a happening week, so prepare yourself for a long update ahead:

1. Jager Hot toddy

Caught a nasty flu over the week - sorethroat, flu, slight temperature.. and a little after, the cough came.

Then I remembered reading how Jagermeister was once upon a time marketed as a herbal relief for cough and aiding digestion. Made with 56 herbs and spices, I guess something in there is bound to be good for you (or cause an allergic reaction). I'm actually inclined to buy the cough suppressant part of the story because there was once I attended a Jagermeister Halloween party with a bad cough, but wasn't coughing at all throughout the entire party because I had imbibed quite a bit of Jager (and I had it chilled, too).

So this is Jager, brandy, lemon juice, honey and hot water toddy. I didn't cough at all while I was having the drink. But it came back after I was done with it. :(

2. Rum Fling @ Single & Available

Last week, Single & Available featured rums for a change from their usual monthly whisky flings. This time, Angostura rums were featured. Angostura is a Caribbean rum which hails from the very same company that produces the famous Angostura bitters.

Angostura 1919 had a delicious vanilla scent and a little rough on the side. The Angostura 1824, which is aged 12 years is smoother but the scent of oak kicks you in the face. You could sip it on the rocks like you would whisky. The Angostura Reserva was mixed in a cocktail made with Monin Grapefruit mix, lime and pineapple juice which was fruity & easy drinking but unfortunately clever me didn't try the Reserva (it's a light rum) straight up because I was too busy having another cocktail and 1919 :(

More: www.angostura.com

3. Cuban cuisine party @ Qba the Westin with Matusalem

Last week seemed like a lucky rum week for me. After the Rum Fling, I got an invite for this event which featured Matusalem rums. This is exciting for me because my first taste of the Matusalem Platino (light rum - back then I only had the Bacardi to compare!) was so memorable that I fell in love with the brand.

Matusalem is originally a Cuban brand, which fled Cuba and established itself in the US (because of the infamous embargo) and is now residing in the Dominican Republic. It'll be exciting to see what happens next once the embargo has been lifted. :)

The extra anejo was used for the mojitos we had that night - which I feel, didn't do the rum justice. I'm going to try to get a bottle and see if I can make a better one, haha. Some of us were lucky enough to also have a taste of the Gran reserva 15 neat and it tasted deliciously like a cross between a cognac and aged whisky... If only we could have more.

More: www.matusalem.com

4. Bottle Aged Cocktails @ 44 Bar & the BBB event

Went over to 44 Bar just before the KL City Grand Prix weekend to past the time because if you work in KL you know that you can't go home until late with the mad jam due to the road closures.

Bottle aged cocktails: Negroni & Rob Roy. A new gin-based cocktail made with chrysanthemum tea &
winter melon syrup that is so new, it doesn't have a name yet. Various craft whiskies from Liberty Spirits Asia.

Had a taste of their other bottle aged cocktails which were YUM. Seriously if you go there and you don't check those out you're totally missing out - ESPECIALLY if you're one of those people who only think that cocktails are fluff, wimpy and always too sweet - BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT. They are great reminders of how cocktails can be really strong, manly and why the classics stand the test of time. Also had a sneak peak of the American whiskey options that may be featured in the upcoming BBB (Beer, Bourbon, Bacon) event which I'm taking the opportunity to pimp about now:

So Taps Beer Bar and 44 Bar have collaborated to bring us this event which features (SURPRISE!) - craft beers, craft whiskies AND bacon-inspired dishes which will be held at Taps' Mont Kiara branch.

Both places are selling RM88 tickets on location which entitles you to:

1 flight of 3x American whiskies
1 flight of 3x craft beers
1 pork meal (if you're not into pork, they have other selections too).
discounts on other event-exclusive menu items like beer-infused ice cream and etc.

We're promised to be entertained by a live band and plus, there will be 2 guest bartenders, Angel and Kelvin, whose special cocktail offerings (expect porky, american whisky and beer inspired mixes) will be available for sale at a discounted (correct at time of publication) prices. You can buy the tickets in advance or on event day. If you wish NOT to buy a ticket but wanna show up anyway to try the available ala care stuff (WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?) you could - but all the discounts will not be applied to you. :)

This BBB is a smaller scale of the famous American event of the same name which is like a GIANT FAIR with crazy more beers (more than 50 labels!) and bourbon selections (which are American whiskies made of > 50% corn. the Malaysia version however, will feature various craft American whiskies by Liberty Spirits Asia instead) and with loads of food stalls.

Check out the Beer Bourbon Bacon Facebook event page for more.

5. International Beer Day & Trappist Westvleteren 12

Held on the first Friday of August - of course this is just another marketing gimmick for you to consume more beer which I'm not complaining about.

I take this opportunity however, to share with you about this gem of a beer - Trappist Westvleteren 12. I've not tried a lot of beers in my life, but I will nevertheless declare this - this is the most perfect beer I've ever tasted to date. Not too thick, not too gassy, not too anything. It was just right. It's like the monks found a way to make it one with everything (get it get it?).

Unfortunately, it's tough as hell to get. You literally need to SHOW UP at the abbey to get it. Yes Trappist is made by monks. In the abbey. Who only brew just enough beer to maintain their way of life. There are crazy limitations to getting this eg: each CAR is only allowed TWO cases and you HAVE to book 2 months in advance. These monks refuse to make ANY MORE. This is of course, highly infuriating, but I guess I have to respect how strong-willed and principled these guys are. Also, being able to control the quantity and not pressured by demand allows them to ensure that everything that goes out is quality controlled, I suppose. But I'm still quite sore about it not being easily available, hmph.

6. Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve Bullion 2

Inspired by the recent Diageo World Class competitions that's been going on locally and internationally, I had a hankering to create a cocktail using the Johnnie Walker Gold. Bartenders were also made to use this to create a cocktail in the 1st round of the Malaysia Worldclass league. Well, the generous folks from MHD Malaysia heard my wishes and presented me with a beautiful, super ong, bottle of the Bullion 2. It's only available on selected duty free AND the bottle with this 2015 design is limited edition. Needless to say, my new problem is now not being able to bring myself to use this bottle. HELP. #hoarderproblems

7. Celebrating #sg50 with a Singapore Sling

So our neighbors celebrated their 50 year divorce with Malaysia with a 4 day long weekend. Singaporeans have reminded me before about how sad the late LKW was when he and Singapore were forced off Malaysia but really guys - aren't you all having the last laugh now? *bitter smile*

Well, in the spirit of comradeship, I had a Singapore Sling at Hexa Lounge which happens to be the closest cocktail bar around my location. Prior to the weekend I shared my wanting to make a Singapore Sling (didn't happen as I couldn't get hold of cherry brandy) for #sg50 but ironically, friends from Singapore asked me why on earth would I want to drink something that even Singaporeans don't want to drink.

Unfortunately for this historic Singaporean drink - it's turned into a bit of a joke and tourist trap. Concocted in the Raffles Hotel bar around 1911, it's got a really nice long history behind it (read it here) but today, it's nothing more than some overly sweet overpriced drink to attract tourists to the Long Bar (or so I've heard and read. I've never personally been there myself). Personally, I don't believe in a bad drink - especially a drink which has been around for so long. All it needs is a tweak in a recipe, and a bartender who gives a crap about making a good cocktail. Needless to say, the Singapore Sling with the baked pineapple slice and 2 shots of gin I had at Hexa Lounge was fruity, well-balanced and delicious.

Until next week, drink safe!

Another happening week last week. So much so that I'm already getting a back log of event posts which I haven't publish... oops! So without further ado:

1. The Best Cosmopolitan I've Ever Made

SATC made the Cosmo super popular way back when. It's actually not too difficult to make. All you need is some vodka, cranberry, cointreau and lime juice and an orange peel for its citrus scent. I prefer to put in a touch of sugar syrup for some viscosity. Also, if you don't have an orange peel around, 1-2 dashes of orange bitters work fine too.

Decided to make this on a whim when I had too many frozen cranberries in my freezer (which I use for my overnight oats).... and realised HOW RED THE DRINK BECOMES. Absolutely LOVE the colour on this. The picture doesn't really capture it properly but it's VERY BRIGHT RED. Plus it tastes like no other cosmo I've had before. Now I don't think I can have cosmopolitan in any other way, haha.

Also did you know that cranberry juice is popularly used to prevent UTI? So have more cranberries in the form of a cosmo! :P

2. Nikka Coffey Series Launch

Nikka Coffey Grain has been around in Malaysia for a couple of years now. But it wasn't until the Malt version was brought in did Tong Woh officially launched the series last week. More about the series soon when I will dedicate a post to it. But very quickly first:

1. Coffey has no coffee in it. Coffey is the name of the still that the whiskey is distilled in. I've lost count of how many times I've overhead people saying that it's made from coffee. STAHP!

2. My first acquaintance with the Coffey Grain was from a few years ago. The Coffey Grain then and the Coffey Grain now will taste quite different thanks to the insane shortage of whiskies that Japan is facing right now, but still much better than other grains I've tried :)

For more: https://www.facebook.com/nikkawhiskymalaysia

3. Asahi Is Made In Malaysia #truestory

Launched in Malaysia in 2011, Carlsberg Malaysia owns the rights to distribute AND brew Asahi in Malaysia.

The taste may differ from the original imported one from Japan but the Malaysian version still retains its dry, crisp Karakuchi character that Asahi is known for. Also, It's difficult not to enjoy this with food because it's actually really easy to drink when it's cold.

The pros of having it brewed in Malaysia? Cheaper and more attainable for you and me not just in upmarket grocery stores and trendy bars & clubs but also in kopitiams! Yeay!

More:
https://www.facebook.com/AsahiMalaysia
Press release on Carlsberg's official website from 2011

4. Vom Fass Monthly Whisky Tasting

Tamdhu 23 years old (43%) : Easily my favourite because I'm super pro Speyside in general. Delicious in the nose, thick in the mouth. Yum.

Coal Ila + Blair Athol Blended (41%) : Even though and islay, I could still palate it, surprisingly. Not too peaty for me.

Islay Blend T-spooned with Port Ellen( 41%): This one's interesting. Smoky too but also still palatable. Think it's more smoky than the second one above. Tea-spooning is basically when a small amount of whisky from a distillery is added into a cask from a different distillery to make a blended malt - usually done to prevent cask purhcasers (like independent bottlers) to sell the original cask under the original distiller's name.

This happens every month. Get updated about it here: https://www.facebook.com/vomfassmy

5. Tumpang Glamour #mytigerbites

Was actually invited to go for a media weekend makan/minum road trip to Penang and back which I couldn't attend. But if you're on instagram, you can follow the few lucky buggers who DID go on this makan adventure via the hashtag. Following their trail made me green and jelly. :/

I'm guessing the whole point of this is to remind you how Tiger goes well with street/local food. Well, needless to say I know that already. :)

6. Longrow Red Fresh Port Cask Aged 11 Years

First tasted it back in May when a friend brought his own bottle for everyone to taste (rather, finish).

Well at 51.8% ABV, it's still a BIG kick in my teeth. It's got a sweet wine on the nose with some peat. Tannin in the end. And lots of smoke & peat in the mouth. I'm sure you've love this if you're a Campbeltown / peathead. As for me, my palate's still not mature enough to play with the peat boys. :(

7. Beer Bourbon Bacon by 44 Bar & Taps Beer Bar

So this BBB event by 44 Bar& Taps happened last Sunday! The place was swarming with people by the time I left. It was a interesting event concept and I had some great times shared among good friends which made it even better. Post report to come sooner or later but in summary, craft whiskies were tasted, craft beers were imbibed and special cocktails were chugged. so... WHERE WERE YOU? WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW UP?

8. 1k Followers on Instagram YEAY!

Pictured is a glass of Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX which was YUM.

If you follow me on Instagram, a BIG THANK YOU for contributing to my FIRST K! Hopefully the first of many to come! 1k may not be a big deal for some but it IS to me! I've never in my entire social media life have had so many followers. Not even when I personally blogged back in 2004, not even on my own personal Facebook account. Heck, I don't even think I KNOW so many people in real life!

I strive to take better pictures and share more exciting stories. Instagram is still my favourite social media channel because it allows me to say what I wanna very quickly and spice it up with a picture which I can edit to high hell as quickly! Any tips and words of advise this noobie?

Until next week, drink safe!

Oh my. One of the most surreal experiences of the year happened last Friday. It never occurred to me that someday I'll find myself swimming in a pool filled with popcorn in a dress, but it happened. Read on to find on what on earth happened.

1. International Rum Day - 16 August.

Didn't want to make a common rum drink (daiquiri, punch, mojito) to "celebrate" so decided to make something called a Grog with Sailor Jerry spice rum in.

A Grog refers to a drink made with water mixed with some alocohol (beer or rum) and citrus juice which was introduced to the british royal navy in 1700s. Back then, water on long sea journeys spoil (slimy with fungus) - so that was fixed with alcohol. Lime was added to make the mix palatable - which they found out also helped to prevent scurvy. And the rest, as they like to say, is history.

Grog can be a hot toddy too. Instead of shaking it with ice, just add hot water, stir and serve. Perfect for rainy cold weekends up in the highland, especially if you have a flu and/or a sorethroat, I'd like to think.

2. Kronenbourg 1664 Wednesday - RM10 off voucher until 31 Aug.

Hazards (or rather, bonus) of this hobby of mine is that people who know me (friends, family and even colleagues) tend to give me a heads up whenever something alcoholic-related props up (which I really really like and appreciate, folks. Please keep it up!!)

Case in point - this voucher was given out around KL last week. A couple of my colleagues (who don't drink) took them anyway just to give them to me - which basically offers a discount of RM10 for any Blanc ordered at selected outlets.

I've got 2 extras. Leave me a comment (AND like me on FB) and I'll find a way to hand them to you.

3. Monkey Guest Bartending with Zachary De Git & Launch of Monkey Shoulder Whisky #monkeyshouldermy

Building up to the official launch of Monkey Shoulder in Malaysia last Friday. the brand ambassador of Monkey Shoulder, Zachary De Git (who is he? oh, only like one of Singapore's top bartenders who won the Singapore Diageo World Class competition in 2013), dropped by for week-long Malaysian visit to Hyde at 53M, Ril's & Omakase to introduce Monkey Shoulder whisky cocktails to its patrons. Each guest shift featured different menus. Unfortunately, my liver could only take the omakase shift (pictured above) and it was a great opportunity to see the maestro at work.

If you've followed me on Instagram and FB for at least the past year, you know I already love Monkey Shoulder. The first taste I had of it, I fell in love. So easy to drink, so smooth with all that Speyside fruity sweet character, with a bit of spice in the end. Back then when nobody knew about it, it was going for ONLY RM90/95 for 1L at duty free - what a steal!

Admittedly, what attracted to me to getting the bottle was 1) the price 2) reading the label stating that it was a mix of 3 speysides (you know how I feel about Speysides! Love them!) 3) the cute monkeys on the bottle (I'm born on that year). Now at a hiked price of RM105 (but KLIA is ALWAYS OUT OF STOCK) it's to me, still one of the MOST value for money blended malts available on duty free. Anyway, I'm so happy that it's finally launched itself in Malaysia (last Friday). And true to its brand, it was one helluva of a party, filed with retro arcade games, and open bar AND a swimming pool filled with popcorn to boot. I will write about it at length soon enough. But for now: http://www.monkeyshoulder.com/

4. Glenlivet Guardians BBQ Party.

This happened last Sunday, as part of their monthly The Glenlivet Guardian's event. When I first signed up to be a Guardian a couple of years ago, Glenlivet hosted money-cannot-buy monthly events to pair an experience or flavour with the whisky. Last Sunday was to be a launch of slightly different concept, where active Guardians are now tasked to host personal small parties to introduce the brand to other non-Guardians guests to spread the Glenlivet word and experience. More about it soon when I get details. But if you want to be a Guardian, contact Rachael at rachael@millennium.net.my. For more: www.facebook.com/theglenlivet.my

Until next week, drink safe!

Last weekend, a good friend proposed that I should consider migrating from blogspot to wordpress, because it's more flexible and the layout allows me to come up with a very sleek, magazine-like feel.

He showed me a test site, which I really like. But I'm not sure if I have the time/energy/intelligence to toggle around with the coding. Wordpress, while is infinitely more moudable than Blogger, requires quite a bit of HTML knowledge to mess around with. I find myself not having enough time to even update this blog more than once a week (which I should because I have quite a few feature posts in the back burner argh!).

But I know that with Wordpress, readers would enjoy my blog more simply because it will look better, plus there are even more awesome, cooler usable widgets that comes with it. Oh man. How do I account for the opportunity cost of time vs traffic?

Let me mull over it for a bit more. I'm a really slow thinker. Meanwhile, here, the weekly update which I make myself to commit to (at least!):

1. Maruhi Sakaba - an Iazakaya that doesn't break the bank.

I haven't professed my love for this place on the blog yet have I? I do know that I have multiple mentions of it on my instagram though, coz I always go back there whenever I feel like a good, simple, satisfying meal with drinks (which isn't too insanely expensive) that kinda transport you to Japan.

It's a simple little casual izakaya (Japanese drinking and yakitori place) tucked away in Taman Desa owned by the same guy behind Gerai Makan Japanese BBQ (where you DIY BBQ your own meat). While Gerai Makan has the coldest bottled beer I've had in a hawker place, I like Maruhi just a bit more than Gerai Makan simply because they cook the stuff for you almost always perfectly. Even their non-bbq items like the salads and soups are delicious. Lots of review of it online, just Google it up.

There are also quite a few choices of beer, sake, sochu to go with the yummy food. Pictured here, the ice cold One Cup Ozeki sake is my staple order whenever we visit. It was RM15 (180ml, 15% ABV) once upon a time. Prices of everything has increased when we visited it last week, and I found my sake priced at RM17 now, sigh. That ain't gonna stop me from coming back. <3

Address: 6A, Faber Plaza, Jalan Desa Jaya, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur

2. Visited The Great Beer Bar, again.

Wanted to go to a place for a quiet drink on the way home to unwind. I discovered that this is actually not a bad place to hang out on your own - spacious and comfortable enough for you to ignore people, and there are seats that faces the wall to completely block out everyone else, if you so wish.

Opened since early this year (May 2015), it's already got its slew of regulars. That shouldn't be a surprise since this shop is pretty much the ONLY place in PJ that offers a wide selection of craft beer (next closest place would be in Taps, Mont Kiara) - bottled, canned or on tap. The food, by 2 different providers (Curbside Cantina and the Coolinary Ronins) also changes periodically. On days when the kitchen is closed, TGBB encourages you to bring your own food to pair with their ever-changing craft beer menu.

Craft beers start from rm20 up. Food from rm5-rm15.

Find out what they are up to on a regular basis here:
https://www.facebook.com/TheGreatBeerBar
https://instagram.com/thegreatbeer/

3. More about Tiger Beer's #MyTigerBites

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned in passing about this new campaign that Tiger beer might be running - now I'm confirming it, they ARE running something!

I found out that if you participated in this #MyTigerBites campaign, you can win prizes and even possibly an awesome all-expense paid trip to Taiwan for 2! Plus, there are also prizes for the best street food post on Instagram.

To participate, you'll need to sign up on their microsite. By doing so you could even get exclusive invites for an upcoming street food festival (with lots of beer of course).

For more & to join: www.tigerbites.com.my

4. 44 Bar's various promotions.

I've gone back to 44 Bar a couple of times to try to beat the jam and learnt about these few promos that they run to help you.. well.. beat the jam:

Gintoxicated Happy Hour Promo (5-8pm): Buy 2 Free 1 ( = Rm80 for 3) - 8 gins to choose from, accompanied by its various garnishes then topped up with a full mini bottle of Fentimans (LOVE!). Gins available for happy hour are: Greenhook Ginsmith, Tanqueray No.10, No 3 London Dry, Botanist, Hendrick's, Williams Chase, Martin Miller's and Monkey 47. These stuff are the good high-end stuff, man. In fact, Monkey 47 is so premium that there's a place that actually charged RM100 for a GnT with it, I kid you not! If you're not a regular drinker, I would highly suggest that you share the 3 drinks with a friend or two. While they are delicious and go down easily, they are deceptively strong - you can't taste how strong it is truly until you fall flat on your face trying to navigate down the steps, hehe.

Tiki Takeover - So every Thursday is Tiki nights at 44 bar. Tiki drinks came from when the Polynesian-inspired F&B concept became wildly popular in the States. Think outlets decorated with Tiki god masks & carvings, grass clothes, torches, bamboo, lava, hula girl, palm trees....etc.... A tiki drink is generally made with rum, fruits & bitters and usually served in cute little polynesian-inspired vessels. Almost like you're having a drink in Hawaii. So 44 Bar is currently giving out free drinks every 1st Thursday of the month to the first 3 people who repost their #TikiTakeOver44 FB posters on instagram. Also, this week's going to be quite a treat because Junior, the beverage maestro behind Marini's on 57 and also known as the one of the godfathers of the industry, will be guest bartending this Thursday! You bet I'll be there!

10% discount for selected whiskies for Dram Full Malaysia members - This is pretty much self explanatory right? Just make sure you're a Dram Full Malaysia member already (GET THE CUTE LITTLE LAPEL PIN TOO!) to enjoy it.

Bonus - Made a visit to 44 Bar on a Friday night, had a little too much fun and realised that you can't drive? Until 31 December and if you're new to Uber, you'll get a FREE ride home with this promo code: UBER44KL

They've also told me that something seriously cool will be coming up soon in September, but I'll keep that for the next post. I can't wait to tell you what that is. :)

More:
https://www.facebook.com/44Bar
https://instagram.com/44bar/

5. Neroteca Damansara Height's Weekend Brunch.

Damansara Heights folks can now rejoice! The Neroteca Damansara Heights outlet now offers weekend buffet brunch and it's probably the only (family friendly) place that actually offers this in the neighbourhood (please correct me if I'm wrong).

On its menu, there will be salads, cold meat cuts, cheese cuts, pizzas, soup, various cooked meats, seafood, pasta, vegetables and desserts. From 11am to 3pm every Saturday & Sundays. RM88 without alcohol and RM188 for free-flow wines & prosecco. No prizes if you guessed which one I'd prefer? /Hic

For more: www.neroteca.net & their FB Page.

6. Home Made Old Fashioned - Difford's Guide's recipe.

Tried to replicate Difford's Guide recipe for an Old Fashioned where both rye and bourbon whiskeys are used - totalling a freaking strong 2.5 shots in a drink!

I wasn't happy with my end product because I didn't have an orange peel and used Orange Bitters instead. :( Repeat after me: the orange peel is NOT JUST A GARNISH. It is a VITAL ingredient for a good Old Fashioned!

Until next week, drink safe!

10 August 2015 was the Beer Bourbon Bacon event jointly brought to us by 44 Bar and Taps Beer Bar, held at Tap's Mont Kiara branch.

First up - HOW FREAKING COOL IS IT THAT TWO AWESOME BARS GOT TOGETHER TO HOST AN EVENT?

Sorry about the caps, but this kind of collaboration hardly ever happens in this market, if ever. If you can name me 3 - you win liao loh! But as far as I can remember, ZILCH. But I digress, as usual.

Anyway, using extensive research methods (Googling), I deduced that this event is inspired by annual festivals of the same name held all over America. Imagine a giant pesta with loads of craft beers, bourbons and all kinds of food with pork.

If you were thinking - Ya right, no way an event where you need to pay RM88 would draw any crowd, it's sooooo expensive. Well, I hate to say this but you're wrong from the sheer fact that Taps Mont Kiara was maximum packed (which is unusual for a Sunday afternoon) with locals and mat sallehs alike. Even the floor upstairs was opened and the seats were filled up!

So what went down that day? Read on!

This flight of 3 x craft beers by Taps, featured:

Yeastie Boys Minimatta |(4% ABV) - a pale ale infused with earl grey tea, it's a spicy/herbally tasting craftbeer from New Zealand that had some tea bitterness going on there which wasn't repulsive. Interesting combination of flavours!

Thornbridge American Sister (5.2% ABV) - This pale ale hailing from England, is fruity, light, with a bit of a bitter end. Tastes nice! I liked this the most.

Brewdog IPA is Dead Ella (7.2% ABV) - Brewdog's from Scotland and has quite a following for being the bad boys of the crafbeer industry. I personally stay away from IPAs generally as the bitterness is too much for me to handle. However, this one wasn't too bad at all (maybe my palate was already seasoned by the other 2 before this). The thing with IPA is that it usually smells deceptively good and the upfront is usually sweet, followed almost immediately by this bitterness that stays on forever.

The flight of 3 x American craft whiskies were from 44 Bar. The packaged flight was made of:

Batch 26 See 7 Stars Moonshine - Moonshine is American's version of our local todi, except it's made mostly with corn. Also - the scent kinda reminds me of Chinese baijiu. While moonshine originally means that the liquour is produced illegally, this term is also liberally used as a marketing gimmick for spirits which tries to replicate what moonshine is, legally. So they are typically, harsher, stronger and therefore, packs a punch in your face. This is actually a bourbon whisky which is not aged (ie, a new make) - which is why it's still clear. At 50%, while the strongest of the 3, is the most flavourful to me.

Few Bourbon (46.5%ABV) - a mix of rye, malt and corn, this bourbon has a herbally scent accompanied with sweetness of the corn, unlike any other bourbon I've had before. It's light but rough. I would prefer it more in a cocktail than just drinking it on its own, though. Both of the guest bartenders did use it for their cocktails which I will get to in a bit.

Pinckney Bend Rye & Rested Whiskey - Pinckney Bend is a Misssouri craft distiller that makes this limited release expression. Only 100 cases are available worldwide until the next batch is available. Made with 55% rye and blended with their own American rested whiskey (made with corn, barley, and rye) which is then rested in new oak barrels. On the nose it was sweet - like most rye and corn whiskey are, then it's spicy and rough in the mouth.

There were other whiskies available for sampling too for a price.

Now the advertisements do say Bourbon, which traditionally means American Whiskey made with at least 51% corn.... But that's creative licensing because I don't think Beer - American Whiskey - Bacon would have a nice ring to it, right?

Also not forgetting the BACON inspired brunch to grease up your stomach linings!

The mains of the day (from Taps' kitchen) all had some form of pork in it - from salads to a lasagna-like dish, save for one fish dish which Taps had kindly prepared for those that rather not have pork (BUT WHY?). There were bacon inspired sides & desserts too if one was so inclined to top up their fill. Burp.

Last but not least, the guest bartenders who put the craft whiskies to good use!

Kelvin Lee, from Hexa Lounge created:

Morning After - featured bacon infused Rye & Rested Whiskey in its mix. Savoury, sour, with a nice mouthfeel. It's pretty much a complex whiskey sour - I liked this loads!
Love in Winter Haze - another whisky sour hybrid but this time with wintermelon syrup. Very light, easy drinking - reminded me of chinese cooling tea. That bacon garnish was a nice touch because it popped easily into the mouth :p

Angel, from MixedByAngel created:

Love Lane - a Penang-inspired whiskey sour variant with nutmeg juice & sour plum honey paired with See 7 Stars. This one I really liked. Just enough of the sweet and sour and a bit of nutmeg that reminds you of Penang.
Sea Monkey - bourbon, grapefruit, allspice syrup, the lemon infused salt water and basement bitters. That salt water threw me off! This combination kept me thinking that I was drinking an asam boi lime drink, haha.

I was there with a whole bunch of fellas. With booze, food, entertaining music and great company, how not to have a good time. :)

Am personally looking to like-minded, progressive, bars coming up with exciting events like this in the future. BRING IT ON PEOPLE! MALAYSIA IS READY!

Long post ahead! So no need for a filler introduction! Just go go go!

1. Jungle Bird for Merdeka #58

I've made the Jungle Bird quite a few times already just to practice. Practice practice practice makes perfect! If you're a true blue Malaysian then this is one cocktail you should learn to make (and perhaps an Old Fashioned) to impress guests or a date, because if there are only 2 things that we are all unitedly proud of, it's our F(ood) and our B(everage).

Shawn's (he's only like, Malaysia's representative for Diageo's World Class Competition 2015 and co-founder of Omakase) recipe is my go to, and it's very easy to remember:
45 ml Gold Rum
45 ml Pineapple Juice
15 ml Campari (the original is 20ml, but it's just a bit too bitter for me).
15 ml Lime Juice
15 ml Sugar Syrup
Shake the mix up properly with ice.

I tried using blended fresh pineapple this time. I picked this up from my visit to Cantaloupe the other day and thought I'd give it a go. It's actually more fluffy, more bubbles, more fruity, less sweet and has no preservatives. I do prefer it over the prepacked stuff however, it won't last as long. After a week the live enzymes spoil the juice. Also it's quite a pain to sift out the pulp. Think I'll stick to the prepacked ones and leave the fresh stuff to cocktail bars. :)

2. A tale of a Donated Orange Peel + the Cocktails Made with it.

I smelled my colleague peeling her orange and immediately yelled out - KEEP YOUR PEELS FOR ME. Needless to say, everyone who heard looked at me weird. :P I wanted the peel because it's quite a hassle to get just ONE orange at the grocery's, when ALL I want is the peel to make cocktails at home. I don't even want the pulp or juice! So if you're one to discard your citrus peels - DON'T! Apart from passing it over to your weird colleagues (me), there are so many things you could with it before throwing them away. You're welcome!

Attempted to replicate Difford's version of the Old Fashioned again (the one with the 2.5 shots mix of bourbon AND rye whiskey). The reason why I'm pursuing this recipe YET again is because Difford's recipes usually work for me until this. It's my second time and I'm still not liking the end result. The first time I tried making it, I thought it didn't work because I didn't have an orange peel. But now, even with the orange peel it's just too darn strong, rough and not balanced for me. If after the 3rd try and I still don't like it, I'm just gonna have to write this off and stick to my usual simple, 1.5 shots of plain ol' single whiskey.

With the donated orange peel I also tried making a Cosmopolitan with frozen cranberries again. This time, served with a big homemade ice cube to keep it chilled from the insane hot and humid weather we had last weekend. This also means that I shouldn't shake/dilute the drink too much because when the ice melts in the glass, it dilutes the drink even more. This is the recipe I I'm using:

About 15-20 pieces of small frozen cranberries
30ml citron vodka (citron flavour is optional. just plain old vodka is fine too)
30ml cointreau (don't use just any triple sec please, coz it makes a difference)
15ml lime
1 dash of syrup for viscosity
1 dash of Orange bitters (optional)
Squeezing 1 orange peel is mandatory (flaming it is optional)
1. muddle fruits. 2. put in all the liquids. 3. shake it with ice 4. double strain into chilled martini glass 5. squeeze orange peel and drop into drink. 6. Enjoy.

3. Arran Whisky Fling @ Single & Available

I've written about the Arran before - and have declared how much I love their 12 years Cask Strength (53.6%). So when Single & Available brought some new Arrans to try at their monthly Whisky Fling, how could I not show up?

Longranza Reserve (43%) - this NAS replaces their "original" expression. Easiest to drink for the night. Light, fruity, a little rough but a good easy dram to start with.

Machrie Moor Peated (46%) - Also a NAS, there's is no running from the peat. The saltiness is more pronounced here too.

Machrie Moor The Peated - Cask Strength (58.4%!!!) - It's like the above, but 2 times more! More peat. More burn. More salt! After I had this, I went back to the Longranza, which then tasted like ... water, haha! This Cask Strength really is strong stuff.

Their 12 cask strength is still my favourite. If there is one expression you must try, make it the 12. At 53.6% ABV, it's also quite value for money.

More on Arran: www.arranwhisky.com

4. Junior Guest Bartending at #tikitakeover44

I made it for Junior's (the brainchild behind Marini's on 57 cocktail menu) Guest Bartending session at 44 Bar's Tiki Thursday last week, yeay!

The Twisted Daiquiri was my favourite of the night. It looks very unassuming, this slightly pink drink sitting plainly in a coupe glass. What made it exciting was the Campari which he had infused with coffee beans and dried chilli - it's an explosion of flavour in your mouth!

The Corn Collin with grilled corn syrup was an easy-to-drink cocktail to start the night with, it was like drinking popcorn!

Malaccolada's presentation took the cake. His twist to the pina colada with pandan kaya & coconut water was served with a dry ice steam infused with spices.

Junior's Jungle Bird ala Marinis has a lot of heat from the curry and ginger syrup. You could feel the heat in your mouth, down your throat right down the pits of your belly. This one's great for a really cold day or when you have the flu, haha!

Junior, please come out to play more often la! :D

5. Majestic Hotel's Smoke House Daily Happy Hour

Code 55 and 2 Bulat = 1 glass of Beer + lemonade + 1 shot gin +1 shot whisky.
This signature cocktail is VERY STRONG STUFF.

The moment I read that the Majestic Hotel will be running a daily buy 1 free 1 happy hour session at the Smoke House I KNEW I had to make an overdue visit.

The Smoke House is a really nice cozy, classy lounge which has pool table, cigar room (complete with smoking jackets!), a card room, screening room, and a private dining room. There's even a Truefitt & Hill outlet here and get this - a bespoke tailor if you so require a spiffy suit in a jiffy. Just a tiny thing though - if you don't like the smell of tobacco, you might not feel very comfortable here. BUT stepping into this place transports you to what feels like a part of the Kingsman movie set. :p

The happy hour deal is applicable to all their beers, house pours spirits and cocktails. With the cocktails priced at RM45 nett a pop, I'll go for their cocktails all the time, every time. While the bar is actually known for its signature cocktails, but I believe the bartenders can also whip stuff up out of the menu. Just ask!

Daily Happy Hour from 5pm to 8pm at the Smoke House only.

http://www.majestickl.com/special-events.html
https://www.facebook.com/majestickl

6. Taps Beer Bar KL - The Better Beer Festival 2015

This happened last Saturday! If you weren't there, this is what you missed:

50 + craft beers for just RM20-25 nett each!
(which usually cost nothing less than RM28++ and above)
food & food trucks!
.... I mean there's even a freaking LOK LOK TRUCK!
RM10 Hitachino beer on tap (for charity!)!
RM20 event paraphernalia! Glasses! Clever tshirts!
Awesome live bands!

Even my mum was there! WHERE WERE YOU? Oh well. Now you just need to wait a WHOLE YEAR for the 5th edition to come along. If you were there, how did you find it?

Until next week, drink safe!

Not much updates from me last week as I was called away to "balik kampung" on a family obligation... Also - that haze man. It's getting terrible by the day isn't it? My eyes are already stinging, my nose is full of gunk and I'm getting constant headaches from it already. :/ Please take care of yourselves, drink plenty of water, take the medications you need to take and if you must stay outdoors, mask on ya!

1. L'Officiel Launch & Pavilion KL's #JourneyOfTaste

Was at Pavilion KL for the launch of the L'officiel magazine in Malaysia. Supposedly the oldest one around, this 94 year old fashion luxury magazine from Paris has finally made its way to Malaysia and will feature localised contents. I'm not the most fashionable person, but the invite was not wasted on me because I sure know how to enjoy a good party, especially one which has free flow sparkling wines and cocktails made with Absolut vodka and Martell (from Pernod Ricard). More about the magazine: www.lofficielmalaysia.com and www.facebook.com/lofficielmalaysia

At Pavilion, learnt that the mall is running a September month-long promotion for spending, eating & drinking called #JourneyOfTaste. There are quite a few offers for the month like:

1 free Bruichladdich or Remy Martin drink for every RM1k spent in a single receipt at Couture Pavilion, Fashion Avenue and luxury stores.
1 free bottle of Somersby for every RM100 spent in a single receipt every Saturday as part of Somersby's #thatweekendfeeling campaign

There are also promotions with Asahi, Connor's and Kronenbourg too. Check them out here: www.pavilion-kl.com/offersevents

2. Guinness has been in Malaysia for 50 years.

In conjunction with their 50th anniversary in Malaysia, Guinness has created 3 new limited edition bottlebottle and can designs. They should be available in groceries and kopitiams near you. If you're into collecting Guinness paraphernalia, grab them while they last (pretty girl in picture not included)! Hashtag: #GuinnessMy50

3. Imperial by Zouk

Wow. I haven't been to Zouk in ages and so when we got to the NEW Zouk, I was flabbergasted. It is a HUGE MONSTER with 8 sections. A few of us were there to visit the Imperial lounge which boasts a decent range of whiskies from all over the world. Because it's meant to be an exclusive, premium, high-classed VIP joint, expect prices to be more than what you'll usually pay for anywhere else. Lots of comfortable coaches everywhere and there's even a section which is decorated from floor to ceiling with Dom Perignon bottles. Highlight of the place: you can actually choose to exit the place via a slide down to the floor below. www.zoukclub.com.my

Until next week, drink safe!

Weirdest thing happened to me some time back which I can't figure out. Maybe you can help me?

I was with a group of people, enjoying ourselves at a bar when we were all hankering for a bit more to drink before leaving. Suddenly one of the guys insisted that I chose the next drink - specifically a bottle of whisky. Now I don't know this guy very well, but he was part of the group and we had just met that day. Further, this bar isn't particularly known as a whisky bar, so you can imagine the whisky options were rather sparse.. and even if they had any single malts, they were entry level whiskys.

I couldn't make myself to choose anything that I was willing to drink and pay a ridiculous sum for, and asked someone else to do it instead. However, this guy was insistent that *I* chose a bottle. I insisted that I couldn't. This went back and forth for awhile until I literally forced someone else to choose. Later that night, the guy who insisted I chose a bottle suddenly showed me his phone to reveal my blog on his screen.

I'm not sure what that was about. Until today, it still boggles my mind. It was all very odd, I thought. How would you have managed that situation?

Anyway - a lot happened last week!

1. Kaffir limes

I had to "balik kampung" on a family errand and nicked some of these kaffir limes and leaves from the kampung house. I learnt 2 things from making (rather, spoiling) my daiquiri with the limes:

Kaffir lime juice is very acidic. While the fruit is very fragrant, the bite is very unpleasant. Reading more, I discovered that the fruit is never used for consumption, rather more for perfumes, cleaning or as medicine. People generally use the LEAVES instead, like how one would bay leaf - sparingly. OOPS.
Kaffir limes are very politically incorrectly named. Evidently the word "kaffir" is an insulting term for a black African. SO WHY WOULD THE PLANET NAME THE LIME LIKE THIS? Evidently, it's also referred to as makrut lime - a term I have NEVER HEARD BEFORE. I only learnt about this when an English friend told me off. I really didn't know. :/ I AM SO SORRY! :(

2. Glenglassaugh Single Malt Whisky launch

We fellow Malaysians have a bit to brag about now - Glenglassaugh has chosen Malaysia as one of the first Asian markets to launch its single malt whiskys!

The distillery was founded in 1875 but mothballed for years before it finally started production again in 2008. More about its history and the whisky in a separate feature post but very quickly:

It's considered a Highland whisky but located close to the Speyside river.. you'll find the Speyside characteristics quite evident in the Evolution expression.
3 NAS expressions were introduced: Evolution (easy drinking), Revival (sherry) & Torfa (peat).
2 aged expressions also available from before the distillery was mothballed - 30 & 40 years.

If you can't wait for my feature post, here's their official website for more: www.glenglassaugh.com

3. Tom, Dick & Harry's Live @ Oasis

TDH is one of the very few bar chains that I know of which is doing very well. Owned by the same guys behind Crazy Crab, Ali Ah Hock & Muthu, Durian King, Royal Flush and Hoofed, the original branch in TTDI was so successful that they replicated the formula and took it to Scott Garden, Oasis @ Ara Damansara and Pavillion. Then they took it a step further with the last 2 branches by adding a huge stage to feature live bands.

My family loved their pork knuckle at the TTDI branch and their beer snacks (spam fries! fried chicken skin!) are very addictive. It's a Carlsberg branch so expect to see the usual suspects - Carslberg, Hoegaarden, Somersby, Blackthorn and Tennents (last one is a bit unusual).

These guys aren't just money making machines - they also actively contribute to the community around them. They've running groups, cycling groups, hosted various charity events.... I've personally never seen these places empty during happy hours until late - but it's not much of a surprise to see why, right?

I'm not sure why they don't have a proper website, but here's their FB page for more.

4. 44 Bar feat. Guest Chef Chester Low

Chef Chester Low of Wonder Mama & Bait (Bangsar) was invited to concoct an experimental alcoholic food+drink menu with 44 Bar on 28-29 Aug & 18-19 September that looked like a work of art. With just RM88, the following 4 pieces of gastronomical treats on a polished, rustic, wooden were served:

Oyster with yuzu jelly & edible flowers (FREAKING DELISH)
Cigar smoked old fashioned with heering jelly & citrus caviar
Jungle bird cocktail with rooibos vanilla foam & hibiscus caviar
Godfather cocktail ice cream with chocolate trimmings & crimson amaranth.

It was delectable to say the least, and ridiculously value for money for something that took so much time and effort to prepare. It was a big portion for a single serving so I kept imploring people to order this only when they are with someone if they were lightweights... :p

~~This weekend's 25-26 September session is coming up.~~ There should be another one this coming October with something different, which shouldn't be any less spectacular. If you're not gonna be there to check it out yourself, then be prepared for me to brag about it ~~next week~~... just saying la. :p

For more: www.facebook.com/44Bar

5. Paired @ Toastina, Sheraton Imperial KL

New food menu features: Spicy Sardine & White Egg, Gorgonzola Mash, Beef Pastrami with Pickle, Chili Chicken Tortilla Roll, Baby Lamb Ribs Soup, Baked Chicken Wing, Cherry Tomato Salad, Salted Anchovies Cigar with Peko De Gallo Dipping and 3 NEW CRAFT BEERS!

With the launch of their new Paired campaign, Sheraton Imperial KL's Toastina has extended their cafe/bar menu to include 3 craft beers - Mountain Goat Hightail Ale & Two Step Apple Cider as well as Hitachino Nest's Red Rice Ale - to pair with their new yummy food menu that features 8 new dishes. My top 3 favourite combinations had to be:

Sardine & white egg (open faced sandwhich) + Hitachino Nest
Baby lamb ribs soup + Mountain goat ale
Gorgonzola Mash Potato + Mountain goat ale

For more: www.facebook.com/sheraton.imperial.kuala.lumpur

6. Oktoberfest @ Brotzeit

Oktoberfest: Eat and drink ALL the German food & beer

Brotzeit marked the start of Oktoberfest with their yearly customary "barrel tapping" last Saturday.

From 19 September they'll be featuring Oktoberfest beers - Paulaner and Hacker Pschorr and LOTS of PORKY GOODNESS in the form of big juicy German sausages and a MONSTROUS serving of pork knuckle with ALL the trimmings to feed 4-5 pax a sitting (RM230) to death! Also what's celebrating a Bavarian holiday if not with their many types of shandies (beer + soda mix) and pint-sized Schnapps, ja?

For more: www.brotzeit.my & www.facebook.com/brotzeit1516

7. ASEAN Jazz & Percussion Festival

In conjunction with their 20th anniversary, Souled Out hosted the ASEAN Jazz & Percussion Festival last weekend. Giant setup, dazzling light displays, awesome, awesome, awesome live jazz music. When I finally made my way there on Saturday night I had the privilege of catching Koh Mr Saxman and The Sound of Siam from Thailand who mixed jazz with Thai influences - LOVE. Unfortunately, I missed The Steve McQueens and the Steve Nanda Group featuring Dasha Logan who played earlier. :( Did you catch it? Both days? How did you enjoy it?

The festival kick starts an entire month's KL international music festival so if you have any ounce of love for jazz, you might want to check out www.diversecitymusic.my for the other activities lined up at Alexis and No Black Tie. On the website, you'll learn that their budget was slashed - WHY THE TRAVESTY DBKL & TOURISM MALAYSIA? WHY?!?!?!?!?!

More of such awesome activities in the future perhaps, Souled Out? Please?

Until next week, drink safe!

If you're into whisky, I'm pretty sure you're aware about (and contribute to) the hype on the sudden and terrible shortage of Japanese aged whiskies.

Nikka has been in the limelight quite recently for this reason too. Hearts were broken as selected Taketsuru, Yoichi and Miyagikyo expressions were phased out (and prices increased by a gazillion percent). While these are stuff of legend, what really set Nikka apart from the rest of the clutter (for me at least) is not their aged single malts (because everyone and their grandmother makes single malts), but their NAS blended and grains.

If you follow me at all, you'll know that I've professed my love for the Nikka From the Barrel, Taketsuru 12 and Nikka Coffey Grain.

The Nikka Coffey Grain has quietly been around in Malaysia since early 2014. But it wasn't until Tong Woh (who are the official distributors of Nikka in Malaysia and owns that retail shop in Newtown, PJ selling very affordable wines) brought in the new Coffey Malt whisky did they decide to host an official launch of the Coffey series. Excellent timing too, as the publicity and awareness about Japanese whiskies is at its all-time high. :)

Before I proceed to share with you some background about Nikka and the Coffey series, please let me get this out of the way first:

There is NO COFFEE in the Coffey series.

I'm not sure how or why people have that weird notion that it's made with coffee beans and I've heard too many people saying that it tastes and smells like coffee, or was made to go well with coffee... lolwut? STAHP THE MISINFORMATION GAIS!

So if it didn't have any coffee in it, why does the label say Coffey?
Well, it's COFFEY ... with a Y, not double E. And no, the Japanese weren't trying to be cute by spelling coffee wrongly. :)

It's named so because the series uses column (aka continous or patent) stills in its distillation process. Column stills are also known as Coffey stills after its inventor, Aeneas Coffey, who patented the technology in 1830.

Coffey distillation generally produces cleaner tasting & purer (think rum and gin) spirits, while copper pot stills typically retain complex, rich flavours in spirits (think cognac and your usual single malts). I won't go into too much detail about Coffey Stills vs Copper Pot Stills, but if you would like a 101, this and this are pretty decent references to geek out at.

So Nikka operates two Coffey stills specifically for its grain whiskies and house blends. These stills are supposed to have been imported from Scotland in 1963!

While there have been quite a number of Grain whiskies in the market these days, I don't think there's any whisky that's made with column/Coffey stills. So unless I'm mistaken, this makes the Nikka Coffey series one of its kind.

Now that you got that out of your system, tell me how Nikka came about.
One can't tell the story about the brand without going into the rich background of its founder, because there wouldn't be a Nikka or even Japanese whisky today without Masataka Taketsuru, aka the father of Japanese whisky.

Masataka Taketsuru actually comes from a sake brewer family. He flew to Scotland to supposedly further his studies to help with the family business. Instead, he fell in love with whisky and decided to learn how to make it while apprenticing in the Hazelburn distillery in Campbeltown.

When he finally went back to Japan in 1923, he worked for Kotobukiya (now known as Suntory) to build the first whisky plant in Yamazaki.

Then he went on to open his 1st distillery in Yoichi in 1934, because the location mimicked Scotland's climate and he wanted to re-create Scotch just like the Scots did. Here, he founded the Dai Nippon Kaju company, which meant "great Japanese juice company". While waiting for his whisky to mature, he also produced apple juice products.

Nikka whisky came to be in 1952, which is basically a combination of the company's formal name: Nippon and Kaju.

Google pins mark the Nikka distilleries.

Where are Nikka's distilleries located? I might wanna pop by for a visit one day.

Nikka has 2 distillery locations in Japan:

Yoichi in Hokkaido which uses small coal-fired stills (robust spirits are made here).
Miyagikyo (or known as Sendai then) in Honshu - stills here are tall and powered by steam (resulting in a softer spirit). Nikka Coffey is made here.

Nikka also owns Ben Nevis in Scotland, which they bought in 1989.

"THERE IS NO COFFEE IN COFFEY GAIS!", Guest bartender, Angel Ng said. (Image:TWE)

Thanks for the lengthy history and geography lesson, but what the heck is the difference between the Coffey Grain vs Malt?

Coffey Grain is made from a spirits which are distilled mainly from corn.

Coffey Malt is made from 100% malt (like single malt) from a single distillery (like single malt) but can't be called a single malt because it's distilled using Coffey stills.

The similarity between both? 1) They are both NAS expressions and 2) are produced using Coffey stills.

Give me the official tasting notes so I can pretend like I know what I'm saying when I taste them.

Coffey Grain, 45% ABV:
rich texture with deep oaky notes, fruity and spicy with hints of pear, pepper and balsamic note.

Coffey Malt, 45% ABV:
mellow, fruity and its sweetness character brings to mind citrus, papaya, coconut and cinnamon notes.

It's interesting to note that the ABVs are a little higher than your usual 40% ABV for whisky.

Angel Ng also showcased the taste profiles of the 2 whiskies with a Dessert & Afternoon Tea Cocktail

Now for the important question: how would you drink them?
The Coffey Malt is light, flavourful and pleasing enough to be drunk neat. I wouldn't really want to add too much water or ice into it as it's so subtle, it may lose its character. However, 1-2 DROPS of water does open it up nicely.

The Coffey Grain is rougher than the Malt. You can taste the oakiness and the youthfulness of its spirit. Still, it makes for a palatable, easy, afternoon-drinking mizuwari, highball or even a whisky cocktail. Remember that this type of spirit is usually used as an ingredient for blended whisky - so the fact that you're drinking this on its own (or raw, I guess) is really quite something.

But here's the caveat with the Grain, there's a stark difference between the Coffey Grain from today vs before the shortage crisis. I’m guessing that the newer bottling is likely produced with younger whisky. The first Coffey Grain I tasted (and raved about) prior to the official launch actually tasted closer to the Coffey Malt of today - sweeter & smoother. I'm a little sad about this but it's just the way it is, unfortunately.

You can find the Nikka Coffey Grain & Malt at TWE retailing at RM287 each. It's also available at selected bottle shops, bars, and Japanese eateries like Eau De Vie, Top Drop, Whisky Bar, 44 Bar, Hexa Lounge, Omakase & Appreciate, the Soul Society group, Hyde, Rills, Marini's, Mish Mash (Penang), Nobu, among many, many others. You can also find it at Hock Chun and Jaya Grocers.

More:
http://www.nikka.com/eng/
http://www.nikkawhisky.eu/
https://www.facebook.com/nikkawhiskymalaysia

An interview with the Master Blender about the Coffey series:
http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/07/a-drink-with-sakuma-tadashi-nikka/

Oh dang it. Lost track of time. It's late and I'm typing this while I'm running on fumes. Gotta make this as short as I can before I fall aslee.......

1. Homemade Umeshu @ Kinme

This Japanese restaurant has the best homemade Umeshu I've ever tasted. Well, I haven't had the pleasure of trying everything in the market, but the ones I've tried, I didn't like. This one I tried, I REALLY liked. Maybe because it was the last drink after a night of a wonderful meal and great company, but it was seemed perfect with just the right balance of tart & sweetness. Each glass was served with a full pickled plum which was delicious to nibble at.

Chef Voon (ex Iketeru) ages his own umeshu using japanese plums (ume) and sochu. It's sold in jars too for around RM2XX (I can't remember), and as you can see there are loads of plums in there, likely sufficient for every drink. Need to get back there to get me a jar.

More: https://www.facebook.com/kinmerestaurant

2. Stoked Charcoal Oven Restaurant & Bar

Taking over the ex Ribs By Vintry is new kid on the block - Stoked. This casual fine dining restaurant's been barely opened for a month but they must be doing everything right because it's already packed during peak hours. Since it's still part of the Vintry Wine Group - expect a humongous variety of great wines to go with the food which are mostly curated with their 300kg cast-iron oven named Bertha and locally produced products.

We tried what seemed like close to 20 beautifully plated food that night which were delicious but these stood out for me - the USDA prime rib eye, roasted portobello mushrooms, baby octopus and the sticky date pudding desert. Of course, various recommended wines were paired beautifully with the dishes too. That Chianti man, mmm mmmmum (Oh btw, I have a penchant for soft, feminine, light, fruity, flowery wines)!

This new restaurant & bar also features chilled wine dispensers which dispenses various reds and whites in three sizes: tasting (25ml), half-glass (75ml) & full glass (125ml) which starts at a ridiculous low entry of RM5. Check them out at: https://www.facebook.com/stokedrestaurant

I've been told to expect something interesting to come our way with their wines & flight tasting sessions - I can't wait for it to finally happen so that I can properly share it with you. :D

3. Villa Danieli Wine Dating

Sheraton Imperial KL's hosting a wine tasting session every last Thursday of the month. It's not your usual stuffy, sit down wine & food pairing dinner - it really is more of a journey where guests get to "hook up" with different wines at every "pitstop", paired with food that's specially created for the night. Plus the beautiful setting of the Italian restaurant, Villa Danieli, just sets you in the mood. More about this soon, but in the meantime keep an eye out for it at: facebook.com/sheraton.imperial.kuala.lumpur

4. Kampachi Sake Session

Kampachi aspires to run 2 sake tasting events a month at the Plaza 33 outlet. It's a 1.5-2 hours session packed with sake tasting of various Junmai (pure rice) sakes (officially we had 4, unofficially, the friendly bar manager brought out more to try :p) at different temperatures - warm and cold, paired with Japanese bar bites & impeccable hospitality that Kampachi is known for. This will probably run for months and months times infinity because Kampachi (likely) has the most Junmai labels in the local market. Follow them closely on facebook.com/KampachiOfficial if you want to keep an eye out for the next session, as it's strictly on RSVP basis only.

Until next week, drink safe!

Monkey Shoulder has officially arrived in Malaysia, YEAY!

Selamat datang Monkey Shoulder!

....but boo, because I wanted to keep it all to myself :(

You see, I've been in a secret relationship with Monkey Shoulder since many years ago when I saw the handsome bottle being quietly displayed at KLIA's duty free shops. It was practically hidden somewhere in the corner but it caught my eye anyhow and I knew I had to own it because:

It was called MONKEY SHOULDER! And I'm born in the year of the monkey! Coincidence? I think not! Fate brought us together for a reason!
It was a blended malt - which isn't common.
It was MERELY RM95 for 1L - so super value for money! So even if it tasted nasty, well, it was so cheap I couldn't be angry about it.

However after the 1st bottle, I was hooked. This whisky was surprising really good. For something that is a NAS and a blend of sorts - it was smooth and had all the Speyside characters of being fruity sweet & easy. And for that price? It was more worth it than any of those conventional labels that dominate the duty free shop's shelves.

So for the past couple of years, I felt like I was gleefully keeping this awesome secret to myself... up until this year when it started becoming scarce in local airports. Also, the price had increased to RM105 for 1L (which is still very good value, relatively)...... Seems like the cat's out of the bag. :(

Monkey Shoulder's launch party featured a GIANT pool filled with POPCORN. FTW.

Anyway. Enough of my sob story - let's geek out a little.

So what sort of a blend is it?
It's a blend of 3 Speyside single malts - Balvanie, Glenfiddich & Kininvie. All owned by William Grant & Sons (same guys who own Glenfiddich) located in Dufftown, Speyside. These 3 whiskies get mixed in a marrying tun and then matured in first fill bourbon barrels for about 3-6 months.

Fun fact: the 3 brass monkeys on the bottle's shoulder represent the 3 single malts. Monkeys on the shoulder of the bottle. Monkey Shoulder... Oh My goodness is that a pun? Get out of here guys!

Monkey Shoulder? What's with the name, man.
It's actually the nickname of an affliction experienced by Maltmen where they get stiff shoulders (from shovelling malt) which causes their arms to hang down like a monkey. The whisky was named after this affliction to pay tribute to these men. Because without maltmen, there is no malted barley. Without barley there is no whisky. Without whisky, men will not be happy. So on and so forth.

How many events have you gone for that actually has a working pinball and a Street Fighter machine? THIS ONE.

So how do you enjoy it?
It's surprisingly really easy to drink neat, seeing how young the whisky is (I read somewhere on MasterOfMalt that the whiskies that go into the bottle are around 3-5 years old). No roughness, no peat, no oakiness. Fruity & silky smooth like anything. I just can't get over it.

But our Malaysian weather can be really humid to do too much of neat whiskies so I sometimes drop in a block of ice to cool it down - which dilutes the drink, which then compromises the mouthfeel because of its youth.. which I dont like. :/

I guess the other way to enjoy it is to have it with an ice-chilled glass? Or to leave the bottle in the fridge? I'll update you on that when I try it next time.

Clearly, this bloody monkey doesn't know anything about making a proper Old Fashioned.

The brand has marketed itself as a very mixable whisky (used in cocktails) - which is evident by all the recipes you can find on their website & FB Page. At the launch, I tried making an Old Fashioned with it. I generally prefer a stiff one with some kick. But because Monkey Shoulder is such a soft easy-drinking whisky to begin with, an Old Fashioned made with it is very mild too. This is perfect for people who don't like the "taste" of whisky in their cocktails to begin with. Perhaps people with more fragile palates than mine. Or the Japanese (who loves their soft whiskies).

I'm going to experiment it more with other cocktails soon, but I don't really feel compelled to because I do quite already enjoy it as it is. If I do happen to mix it into a cocktail I'll let you know!

You keep using vague terms like fruity, soft and easy. For heaven's sake give me actual tasting notes please, you amateur:
Official tasting notes:

Nose: zesty orange meets mellow vanilla, honey & spiced oak

Taste: Mellow vanilla with spicy hints
Finish: super smooth

Or if you want to know what the guys at Master of Malt think of it: CLICK!

Zachary De Git, Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador , telling us a story about... I FORGET! WHEN DO WE GET TO PLAY WITH THESE STUFF?

Monkey Shoulder is bottled at 40% ABV and it's retailing about RM280. Available at major hypermarkets and selected cocktail specialty bar such as Omakase + Appreciate, Souled Out, W.I.P, HYDE at 53M, Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant, Splash.

So have you tried it? What do you reckon?

For more:
https://www.monkeyshoulder.com/
https://www.facebook.com/monkeyshoulder

(Some of the images above were provided by WGS)

A few of us were invited for a media preview of Kirin's little pop up beer garden in The Square, Solaris Publika.

Welcome to the Ichiban Bar (Image: Kirin)

The pop up bar serves 2 types of Kirin pours: Kirin Ichiban Draught and Kirin Ichiban Frozen Beer.

Pretty Kirin girls in a row waiting to welcome you (Image: Kirin)

It's called frozen beer but technically, it's the foam that freezes at -5ºC with their very own customised slurpee-like machine. The frozen foam "caps" the beer to trap the bubbles (so that the beer doesn't get flat too fast) and keep it chilled for a little longer.

Ben Ng explaining how the bubbles are trapped underneath the frozen foam. Bubbles bubbles bubbles. My bubbles! (Right image: Kirin)

Inside the bar, you'll even get to make our own frozen beer!

Yup, I spilled myself. Really, it's harder than it looks. (image: jonlow.com)

Bonus: Kirin's also giving out a made in Japan mini frozen beer machine with every purchase of 10 beers. Now you get the chance to own your very own nifty mini "slurpee" machine!

I'm so cute! How can you resist from taking me home? (Image: Kirin)

The Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden will be opened from 5pm -12mn from 1 - 10 October 2015, at The Square, Publika.

Kampai! (image: jonlow.com)

Check it out soon before it packs up and leave!

For more updates on Kirin: www.facebook.com/kirinmalaysia
or look out for #KirinMY on various social media platforms.

1. Kirin Ichiban Beer Pop Up Bar from 1 Oct to 10 Oct at @ Solaris, Publika.

I've mentioned this quite a few times on my FB, instagram and have even blogged about it already, haha. So why haven't you check it out with your friends and gotten hold of your own mini "slurpee" machine already? Hehe.

2. GAB Oktoberfest 2015 begins.

GAB will be starting their roving Oktoberfest parties from 8 October onwards. Enjoy the party, beer promotions, collect the 2015 edition steins, join a contest and win prizes! Details on my blog before the end of the week. Meanwhile, find out what they are up to here: https://www.facebook.com/OktoberfestMY

3. Free Shot Whisky @ The Bar (by Sam) Kinugawa
This cozy Japanese-concept bar at Empire Damansara is 1 year old! To celebrate this feat, they've offered a free shot from the very hard-to-attain & only available in Japanese airports - Nikka Gold & Gold Blended Whisky. All you need to do is like them on instagram, show up & take a selfie with the bottle and voila! Free shot on the house and bragging rights! While you are there already, why not get Sam to whip you up an awesome life changing cocktail and be enthralled by how he works behind the bar.

Now I've been wanting to blog about this place for sometime now. There is a lot to say about this place and I don't want to just focus on just their cocktails. They put in a lot of emphasise in trying to perfect everything they do - which is a default Japanese thing I suppose - from the tools, to freezing their spirits, using crystal glssware and even down to making their own crystal clear ice. I promise I will write about it soon enough. But there are quite a few reviews out there already raving about his cocktails - so you know it's legit. Meanwhile, you can check out their facebook &instagram for updates: facebook.com/thebarkl1 & instagram.com/thebarkinugawa/

4. Happy 3rd anniversary Ales & Lagers!

This craft beer shop (the tiny space was not meant to be a bar! Customers were supposed to buy the bottle and go, LOL.) was just supposed to be opened for 3 months.... and look what happened? Not only are they 3 years old, it's even got a sibling branch, The Great Beer Bar opened this year!

Anyway, in conjunction with their anniversary, get hold of this nifty beer sommelier glass with every RM150 purchase in a single receipt, while stocks last!

Follow them on their facebook & instagram, but only if you can resist dropping everything you're doing at the moment to head over to the bar to grab a bottle of whatever they've posted: facebook.com/AlesLagers & instagram.com/alesnlagers/

Until next week, drink safe!

It's that time of the year to imbibe more beer!

Doesn't matter if it's a Bavarian celebration because we are all international citizens of the world brought closer together by global trade and the internet! Is it any surprise that GAB is down with this? Of course not!

From left, Tai See Wai (Head of Trade Marketing), Bruce Dallas (Marketing Director), Hans Essaadi (Managing Director), Thum Chee Yuen (Sales Director) and Shereen Teh (Trade Marketing Manager) from Guinness Anchor Berhad at the launch of this year’s Oktoberfest celebration. (Image: GAB)

As usual, GAB will be organising roving Oktoberfest parties at selected outlets across country for the whole month. Catch the parties to grab your limited edition 2015 steins and be entertained by Oompah band performances, games and special beer promotions at:

8 October 2015: Souled Out, Sri Hartamas, KL
10 October 2015: Geoventure, Puchong
11 October 2015: Geoventure, Johor Bahru
13 October 2015: Royal Selangor Club, Bukit Kiara
14 October 2015: Salt Lick, Solaris Mont Kiara, KL
15 October 2015: The Patio Bar and Lounge, Resorts World Genting, Pahang
23 October 2015: The Bank, Penang
24 October 2015: Zenzi, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL

If you head to the outlets a week before the actual event date, you can even pre-book your very own personalised stein!

The new 2015 edition steins which you can personalise. (Image: Oktoberfest FB Page)

Fear not, even if you can't participate in the roving parties, you'll still be able to get your hands on the 2 new 2015 edition steins at participating outlets in the links below:

Apart from just collecting them for bragging rights, why not join a simple contest where you will be guaranteed to win a free night stay in Genting?

Everyone wins in this #‎HuntSnapWin‬ contest. EVERYONE! (Image: Oktoberfest FB Page)

All you have to do is:
1. Find a participating Oktoberfest outlet & coaster with the QR code (see image above).
2. Scan the QR Code - this will lead you to the contest page.
3. Snap a photo with the stein & upload it onto the contest page.
4. Fill in your necessary contact details.
5. WIN A FREE NIGHT STAY IN GENTING.

Bonus: The top 10 entries will also win a spot at a private party on 14 November 2015 with 10 friends at GAB's famed in-house bar, The Tavern, where you get to enjoy freshly brewed and pulled beers all night long!

Double fist your beers.

So what are you waiting for? DRINK ALL THE BEERS! PROST!

For more:
facebook.com/OktoberfestMY
Last year's Oktoberfest 2014

Glenglassaugh is relatively unheard of in Malaysia. In fact, it didn't even properly show up in the whisky geeks' community radar up until the BenRiach distillery (also owns Glendronach) bought it over in 2013.

Drink ALL the Glenglassaugh!

However, you might be surprised to know that the distillery is actually 140 years old. Dating back to 1875, it claims to be one of Scotland's oldest distilleries.

The life of this little distillery that could hasn't exactly been a smooth sailing one - having opened and closed multiple of times, changing several hands and it even mothballed for a little over 20 years before it reopened in 2008.

For most of its early life, its spirit was used in blends like Famous Grouse & Cutty Sark. Then in 2009, realising that it had to bankroll itself under the new management, the distillery produced 2 "Malt" bottlings (that most people never heard of) to give the community a peek of its produce to come:

The Spirit Drink that dare not speak its name - a neutral make (almost a scotch minus the aging process) at 50% ABV
The Spirit Drink that blushes to speak its name - basically the same as the above, except aged for 6 months in ex-red wine casks (click on the links for more info).

It's only when their neutral makes were finally 3 years old in 2012, were the ‘Revival’ and ‘Evolution’ expressions introduced. These would be their first single malt NAS Scotch whiskies produced in over 20 years. Torfa, being the youngest and the odd one out (tell you later) of the NAS family, would be introduced 2 years after.

Here lies the distillery.

Like most whiskies with the prefix Glen, the name takes after its water source - Glassaugh springs (now known as Fordyce Burn). It also uses spring water from Durn Hill, about 3kms away.

It's interesting to note that even though it's categorised as a Highland whisky, its location is just about 30km away from the Speyside river. So it's no surprise to catch some fruity Speyside characters in the whisky - especially evident in the Evolution expression.

Glenglassaugh pride themselves for only using Scottish barley (some big boys import them to cope with demand) and for using traditional distillery methods since 1963, ie, many of its processes are still manually done.

The Glenglassaugh Distillery (Image: Glenglassaugh)

On top of that, the distillery only produces a very limited amount of less than 1 million litres a year. Even if Glenglassaugh wanted to make more, they couldn't as the nearby spring can only provide that much water AND they only have 2 stills. To put things into perspective, some of the bigger distilleries can produce 80-90 million litres each year!

So, we were introduced to 3 of its NAS bottlings and 2 aged ones at a recent media preview. This also means that we got to sample the Evolution, Revival & Torfa. However, the 2 aged bottlings, 30 & 40 years old which were available for sale (albeit at a very limited quantity), were not a available for sampling due to obvious reasons. :)

All the Glenglassaugh expressions available in Malaysia. (Image: Glenglassaugh)

Being a Speyside head myself, the Evolution (combination of ex-Tennessee first-fill whiskey barrels) was an easy favourite for me. A fruity easy-drinking whisky at a surprising 50%, I didn't even need to dilute this to enjoy it. Frankly, I could drink this all day and empty the whole bottle if I'm not careful. :p

I found that the sherry-heads generally enjoyed the Revival. It's matured in a mix of ex-red wine & bourbon casks, then finished for 6 months in ex-oloroso sherry butts - which lends a darker hue to this expression. I didn't personally like this because I found the sherry flavour distracting - but it's got some rich depth and complex flavours going on.

Lastly their unique little baby expression - Torfa. Taken from the Old Norse word for turf or peat, this would be their first peated whisky matured in ex-bourbon barrels and at 20 PPM. This one's definitely for the peatheads, as there is no denying the peat in this.

The Glenglassaugh range is available at Single and Available at the following prices:

Glenglassaugh Revival, 46% (no age statement) retailing at RM270 per bottle
Glenglassaugh Evolution, 50% (no age statement) retailing at RM309 per bottle
Glenglassaugh Torfa, 50% (no age statement) retailing at RM299 per bottle
Glenglassaugh 30YO, 44.8% retailing at RM2280 per bottle
Glenglassaugh 40YO, 42.5% retailing at RM8500 per bottle

For more & official tasting notes: www.glenglassaugh.com
An interview with the Brand Ambassador by my good friend, Michael: Star 2

BONUS: GIVE AWAY!

Thanks to the folks from Single & Available, I've got 3 beautiful coffee table books on the history of Glenglassaugh written by Ian Buxton of the (in)famous "101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die" worth RM100 each to give away.

In addition, the 3 book winners will also be able to purchase any Glenglassaugh bottle at a 10% discount.

Be the lucky 3 fellas simply by following these simple steps:
1. LIKE my Angeltini.com FB page
2. Leave a COMMENT on THIS post - u can say hi. U could tell me how you came about this blog or what you enjoy about it. You could tell me what I can do to improve on it. Any comment will do! :)
3. Leave your EMAIL address with your comment.

Note: This "contest" will end at the end of the month - 31 October 2015. I'll be contacting the 3 winners via email - so you MUST leave your email address with your comment ok? Terms & conditions apply, etc etc... GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN!

2 weeks in 1 post this time okay? I was away all of last weekend and by the time I got back it was already mid week. Thankfully, it won't be a long update so don't be daunted and just read on. :)

1. Single & Available's Monthly Wednesday Whisky Fling - Glenglassaugh

Oh man. This monthly thing at Single & Available is getting more and more packed! Not sure if it's because it's a new flight of whiskies to taste at only RM20 per flight of 3 or the monthly whisky fling programme is gaining traction by you drunkards. :) Either way, it was a good night. If you missed it, well, you can read about the new whisky on my most recent post here > CLICK!

2. Drinking in Bangkok

So I was away all of last weekend in Bangkok. Unfortunately, I didn't get to visit ANY cocktail bars this round for 3 reasons 1) am usually too tired by night time from all the walking in the day time 2) the cocktail bars I wanted to go were mostly out of the way (ie, not along the BTS route) 3) the horribly weak Ringgit Malaysia vs Thai Baht (1:8) didn't quite compel me to want to have cocktails. Mind you, having cocktails can set you back RM40 and ABOVE per glass.

For a cheaper and refreshing alternative which is easily attainable at any 7-11, we stuck with beer. Let me give you the break down of prices: THB56 for a big bottle in 7-11, THB105 per large pint of draught Singha for happy hours at our hotel, THB75 per large bottle of Chang at a nearby local restaurant. Not too bank breaking at all right? That's why we stuck with it. :)

We did however, chanced upon a craft beer bar called Hair of the Dog near the Phloen Chit BTS station. 13 beers on tap, umpteen bottles and cans too. Goes from THB200 and up for a glass, though they do run happy hour promotions too. Check them out here: facebook.com/hairofthedogbkk

3. 44 Bar feat. Guest Chef Chester Low

Chester came back last weekend to present us a brand new menu inspired by the flavours of Thailand - fresh herbs, spices and lemon tang together with 44 Bar. From left to right:

Salmon cured in gin skewered with a dehydrated pineapple in a smoking jar - literally served with smoke still inside, delicious!
Liquid somtam with gin, papaya, lime, fish sauce, tomato and cili - it really tasted like somtam, though a tad too spicy for this weakling.
Jasmine sake jelly with white pearls and popping candy - that sail was the crunchiest, yummiest, chicken skin ever. And those popping candy were such a surprise!
pineapple infused rum, lychee, lime and fresh thai herbs - a refreshing, easy-drinking cocktail.
spiced coconut rum ice crease with mango & rice pops - mmmmmm....

RM98 for a set of these 5 delectable goodies is quite a good price especially when you know how much work and care that went into every single item. I hope he comes back again with another palate adventure.

4. Wine wine wine!

Was given the opportunity to try several lovely Italian wines last week -

Carpineto& Canaletto at Eight Gourmets Gala's (EGG) wine tasting dinner event. These wines were delicious, easy-to-drink, soft wines which were paired beautifully with the food spread provided by EGG. It was an excellent evening. EGG does these wine tasting dinners quite often so follow them on Facebook if you wanna be updated about it: facebook.com/8gourmetsgala
Michele Chiarlo at Jason's Food Hall's wine tasting session. Because I came late, I could only try these wines on their own as all the canapes were finished. On its own, their reds were generally drier, had more tannins, strongly flavoured on my tongue. The white was drier too, and sweeter. I'm not into dessert wines but I'm pretty sure many ladies would enjoy their moscato. Jason's Food Hall hosts such FOC wine tastings very regularly too and always have it up on their facebook: facebook.com/JasonsFoodHall

Also took the opportunity to enjoy some house wines at Sheraton Imperial Hotel KL while being introduced to their brand new lounge band - a rare opportunity for me to catch a glimpse of the life of a lady of leisure. Sigh.

5. A Taste of Elegantology's New Food Menu & Chef

Missyblurkit very kindly extended a couple of invites for us to tag along for a preview of Elegantology's new menu by Chef Pele. The gallery side of the shop has been streamlined a little to make way for an up and coming cocktail area which will cater for happy hour customers and regular imbibers alike. The food menu will still feature a mix of Western fusion cuisine with beautiful plating, lots of colours and great flavours, invigorated by the new chef. On the beverage front, cocktails are all priced at RM30 (try the Martell cocktails - each with at least 30ml shot of VSOP in) and you can expect usual Pernod Ricard brands served.

We got to sample 3 mains, a salad, a soup and a dessert to finish. The 3 dishes that really stood out for me was the 24 hours sous vide lamb ribs (so soft and sinful, RM80), soya glazed cod (the soy permeates through the fresh sweet fish flesh, RM85) and the salmon confit salad (all that colours, fresh crispy greens and juicy salmon cubes, RM40). If the preview of the new menu is anything to go by, it's going to be quite a promising new start for Chef Pele. Thank you so much for having us! For more: www.facebook.com/elegantologypublika

6. Imbibing on Long-Haul Flights

I don't know about you, but when I get on MAB (then MAS), I always take the opportunity to have a good ol' gin and tonic. I would usually pair the food with their white wines (I'm not sure if it's the altitude or what, but the white consistently tastes better vs the red on the plane for me). When not having a meal, it's G&T. I mean, they even add in some slices of lemons - just like a proper G&T! Of course one could order other stuff like a screwdriver or coke and bourbon and etc... but I always always go back to the G&T. Sounds weird, but ordering it allows me to pretend like I'm this classy traveller from the 70s, you know? Hehe. What do you enjoy drinking while you're board? I'd really like to know!

Until next week, drink safe!

Insta Weekly: Homemade cocktails - Launch of Hana @ Sunway Pyramid - 0% ABV beer - Gin Madness.

Insta Weekly: Ice cubes - Homemade Cocktails - National Tequila & Daiquir Day - Whisky! Whee!

Insta Weekly: Homemade Drink - Wedding Planning - Kampachi Birthday

Cantaloupe, Claret & Fuego Bars @ Troika Sky Dining

Insta Weekly: Jagermeister remedy - Angostura Fling - Matusalem Rum Party - 44 Bar & BBB event - Beer Day - JW Gold - Singapore Sling

Insta Weekly: Cosmo - Nikka Coffey - Asahi - Vom Fass Whiskies - #MyTigerBites - Longrow - Beer Bourbon Bacon - 1K on Insta

Insta Weekly: Celebrated International Rum Day with a Grog - Kronenbourg 1664 Wednesday - Monkey Shoulder Launched in Malaysia - The Glenlivet Guardians

Insta Weekly: Maruhi Sakaba - The Great Beer Bar - #MyTigerBites - 44 Bar Promos - Neroteca Brunch - DIY Old Fashioned

1. Maruhi Sakaba - an Iazakaya that doesn't break the bank.

2. Visited The Great Beer Bar, again.

3. More about Tiger Beer's #MyTigerBites

4. 44 Bar's various promotions.

5. Neroteca Damansara Height's Weekend Brunch.

6. Home Made Old Fashioned - Difford's Guide's recipe.

Post-event Report: 44 Bar & Taps Beer Bar Presents Beer Bourbon Bacon!

Insta Weekly : Happy 58 Years old, Malaysia - Keep Your Peels - Arran Whisky Fling - Junior @ #tikitakeover44 - Taps' Better Beer Festival

1. Jungle Bird for Merdeka #58

2. A tale of a Donated Orange Peel + the Cocktails Made with it.

3. Arran Whisky Fling @ Single & Available

4. Junior Guest Bartending at #tikitakeover44

5. Majestic Hotel's Smoke House Daily Happy Hour

6. Taps Beer Bar KL - The Better Beer Festival 2015

Pavilion KL's #JourneyOfTaste & L'Officiel Launch - Guinness Malaysia is 50 - Imperial by Zouk

Insta Weekly: Kaffir Limes - Glenglassaugh Launch - TDH Live @ Oasis - 44 bar feat. Chester Low - Paired @ Sheraton KL - Oktoberfest @ Brotzeit - ASEAN Jazz & Percussion Festival

1. Kaffir limes

2. Glenglassaugh Single Malt Whisky launch

3. Tom, Dick & Harry's Live @ Oasis

4. 44 Bar feat. Guest Chef Chester Low

5. Paired @ Toastina, Sheraton Imperial KL

6. Oktoberfest @ Brotzeit

7. ASEAN Jazz & Percussion Festival

Launch: Nikka Coffey Series in Malaysia

Insta Weekly: Umeshu - Stoked - Villa Danieli Wine Dating - Kampachi Sake Appreciation

Launch: Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in Malaysia

Event: Kirin Ichiban Beer Garden @ Solaris, Publika

Insta Weekly: Kirin Beer Garden - GAB Oktoberfest 2015 - Free Whisky @ The Bar - Happy 3rd Birthday A&L

Event: Guinness Anchor Berhad's (GAB) Oktoberfest 2015

Launch: Glenglassaugh Highland Single Malt Whisky

Insta Weekly - Past 2 Weeks in Summary