Drinks World Asia | Singapore #5

THE MAGAZINE FOR MANAGERS, SOMMELIERS AND BARTENDERS SINGAPORE NO. 5

2nd Gin Jubilee

PLUS: • Bacardi Legacy kicks off • La Maison Cointreau continues • The World of Beer

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AT T H E O L D E S T B REW W ER RY in n S C OT L A ND D, W E C O MB B IN N E O UR R AU T H E N T I C B E E R HE E R IT T AG E with S CO OT L A N D’S WORL L D CL L ASS R E P U TA AT IO O N in W H ISK K Y. E V E RY D RO P of T E N N E N T’S BE E E R AG E D with W H I SK K Y OA K I S CA A R E FU U LL LY C R A F T E D at the W EL L L PA ARK BR R E W E RY, G L ASG G OW.

w w w.te e nn n en n t sw w h i s k ybeerr.cc om m

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For m o re e i nff or orm m atio o n p le e ase co o nta a c t D re@m m f ie e l dss P t e Ltd on +6 6 5 6 243 8996 DRINKS WORLD or in nfo@ d r ea a mASIA fieldss .com m .sg

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Welcome Welcome to 2015! It’s really amazing how quickly time flies and before you know it, another year is over. To kick off the Year of the Wooden Sheep, we bring you yet another exciting edition of Drinks World Asia – Singapore.

Since our last issue, there’s been a plethora of events taking place on the shores of Singapore. Starting with the 2nd East Imperial Gin Jubilee.

Celebrating all things gin, the week-long event showcased a variety of activities providing gin lovers a smashing time. Meanwhile, Cointreau Singapore launched a series of one-night-only collaboration parties offering consumers a unique cocktail experience.

Of course, we make sure that you are on track on some of the world’s prestigious mixology competitions. We’ve covered herein the highlights of the first-ever Bacardi Legacy Singapore. Find out what cocktails made it to the top 15 and who among the top 5 finalists will represent Singapore in the global finals in Sydney on pages 46-52.

The past few months have seen new products being launched in Asia.

Learn more about them as we bring you profiles on Beam Suntory’s small batch bourbon, Mount Gay’s Black Barrel rum and Tennent’s whisky oak beer. All you need to know about rum, beer, whisky and wines – especially from Tasmania – are also featured herein.

In this edition, Zac de Git from William Grant & Sons gives us a glimpse into the frenetic life of a brand ambassador. Zac will be a regular contributor to the magazine and will keep us posted on everything that’s happening at William Grant & Sons. Check out also our How To pages to learn a few bartending terminologies.

Following on the successful launch of the Top 25 Bartenders in 2014, DWA is gearing up again for the 2015 edition. Stay tuned on who made it to this year’s list.

Lastly, browse through our facebook page or check out www.drinksworld. asia to keep up to date on the many events that are going in the drinks world. Until then, get stuck in and enjoy the next hundred pages or so of everything drinks.

Cheers!

Drinks World Asia - Singapore is distributed to 3000+ bars, restaurants and hotels in Singapore. If you would like to have your brand represented or would like to contribute or comment please contact: marc@hipmedia.com.au

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Credits CREDITS Publisher Marc Rodrigues marc@hipmedia.com.au EDITORIAL Publishing Editor Ashley Pini Editor Miracielo Broñola DESIGN Senior Designer Ryan Andrew Salcedo ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Sasha Falloon SALES Sales Director Marc Rodrigues Writers: Miracielo Broñola, Zachary Connor de Git, Chris Middleton, Vijay Mudaliar, Gaz Regan, Logaraj, Winsor Dobbin, Matt Kirkegaard Publication MCI (P) 198/03/2013 Sponsor

COVER: In this graffiti by Clogtwo are some of Singapore’s leading bars that took part in the 2nd Gin Jubilee. Story on pages 18 to 20.

Produced and published by

Editorial Enquiries: If you, your bar, or your brand and company have news or events you would like to share with Drinks World Asia please contact: ashley@hipmedia.com.au Although Hip Media Asia endeavours to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information and drinks trade and drinkstrade.com.au, we do not accept any liability or responsibility for any inaccuracies or missions. The views expressed by authors of publications or event presentations, published drinks trade, do not necessarily represent the views of Hip Media Asia. Decisions or actions based on the information and publications provided by Hip Media Asia are at your own risk.

drinks world asia @drinksworldasia drinksworldasia

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Contents

46

18

66

12

100

Feature

12 18 21 26 46 64

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A Brand Ambassador’s Life 2nd Gin Jubilee

La Maison Cointreau Collaboration Parties World Class History

Bacardi Legacy Singapore Mount Gay Black Barrel Asian Launch

Profile

66 71 74 78 96 100

Gaz Regan’s Mindful Bartending Part 2 Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer Beam Suntory Small Batch Bourbon Collection Whisky Live

World of Beer

How To (The Basics of Bartending)

24 42 45 62 80 82

Bulleit Bourbon

Cubaney

Bacardi - The World’s Favourite Rum Mount Gay - The World’s Oldest Rum Champagne Bollinger

Champagne Salon

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Contents

85

30

32

Meet

Drink

30 60 68 88

Kae Yin - World Class Taiwan 2012 Champion Knut Randhem

Miquel Sabrià Bernabeu

Clovis Taittinger

32 36 54 91

60

The World of Rum

91

Visit

85

Tasmania Wine

Rum Drinking Culture

Cocktail Club

Beer Styles

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° FEATURE °

A Brand

Ambassador’s

Life

M

y name is Zachary Connor de Git, William Grant & Sons’ Regional Portfolio Ambassador. Some of you may know me as Chua Jing Lu or that guy who comes into your bar and drinks all your Monkey Shoulder. So how’s life as a brand ambassador? The simple answer is “Great!”

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Eight months ago, I made a life-changing decision to give up my post as head bartender at Tippling Club in Singapore. The decision was not an easy one – the bar was my first home in Singapore when I moved here in 2010. I have learnt so much from Chef Ryan Clift and loved every moment of that experience. But when the opportunity arose, I took the leap and came onboard with William Grant & Sons as their Regional Portfolio Ambassador.

Call it what you will, “Going to the dark side”, whatever. I now have the honour of representing some of the finest spirits, including Monkey Shoulder and Hendrick’s Gin. It has been a great eight months so far. I have had bartenders making drinks in boxing gloves, been pulled up at customs in Bangkok for a flight case filled with foam dart guns (only to be shot at by Dean Callan, the Global Brand Ambassador for the game changing triple malt whisky, whilst the officers laughed at me), and fed Asian elephants cucumbers whilst going on wild rides on them at the Annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Bangkok for Hendrick’s Gin, which brings me to the topic of this article: how is life as a brand ambassador?

Life as a brand ambassador It is a question that I have been asked repeatedly by friends, bar owners and managers since I began working for William Grant & Sons. The simple answer is “Great!” And truly it is. I have the opportunity to travel the region and sometimes farther, spreading the good word of cucumbers and demystifying the pretentious unwritten laws that surround Scotch whisky.

Life certainly has changed drastically since hanging up my apron; instead of arriving home in the predawn hours from a bar stint, I now wake up, shower, shave and head to the office by that same time. It is a parallel life I’m leading to what I have been familiar with for the past eight years. I still struggle with this concept, but I have come to embrace this lifestyle and the countless opportunities this role avails.

As a bartender (I still consider myself one), it was a goal of mine to represent a brand that I was truly passionate about; to go on board to brands that would not suit my personality was never a question. To truly bring to life the essence of each brand, you really need to believe in what these brands stand for. Many of us in the industry have this goal also.

When you look at it on paper, you develop an image of it in your head as this mystical character that travels the world delivering knowledge and being a general bad ass.

This is a much romanticised version of what actually goes on. For instance, the jet-setting lifestyle that accompanies the job description of a brand ambassador is not as glamourous as it’s cracked up to be. I have had to pull all-nighters after events only to sleep out at the front of my gate just so I don’t miss a 6:30am flight to Bangkok – for work of course.

In addition, a big part of what brand ambassadors have to do is to account and report for our ambassador duties, including copious amounts of admin work – evidently all done behind the scenes.

But none of this is anything to complain about; the joy and perks of being a brand ambassador eclipse the office work and long hours.

Through my experience in the last year, I have had the pleasure of

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° FEATURE ° meeting hundreds of bartenders new or old every week. Every training session I host where someone takes something away makes my job so much sweeter. As a young bartender back in Australia, brand ambassadors were scarce, cocktail books were few and far between, and the only way we were able to discover and learn about a product was through word of mouth (which can be very misleading at times) or the primitive process of reading the description on the label.

I have shared with you what it is like to be a brand ambassador. But what makes my job most exciting is the opportunity to inspire and bring my passion for these products to those that share the same in our industry, with a whole lot of fun on the side.

A week in the life of a brand ambassador We had just wrapped up at Whisky Live in October – the biggest annual pilgrimage to whisky tribute in Singapore. It was a fantastic day thanks to all the brands that came and to the organiser, La Maison Du Whisky, for bringing us all together to celebrate.

It was the biggest whisky event on the calendar year and was made all the more fun since I got to spin some awesome tunes (horribly) while serving up some fun Monkey Shoulder cocktails. It was a real challenge doing both simultaneously, but I had a great time meeting and interacting with whisky lovers who are passionate about the same things as I am. I apologise though for the out of beat mixing.

The very next day saw me in Malaysia for Juice Revolver. Sponsored by Sailor Jerry, this event aimed to bring local artists together – the artists were paired with someone they have not rehearsed nor played with ever, and the spontaneity led to some great performances.

After mixing up some no-nonsense Sailor Jerry serves, I am off to catch some of the bartenders around Kuala Lumpur before getting some much needed rest and hitting the Philippines for three days to promote what I call the Cucumber Awareness Program (CAP) with some Hendrick’s Gin trainings back to back. My day finished off with a bang out guest bartending shift with none other than the smooth-talking and engaging Giancarlo Mancino. You may remember him from such vermouths as Mancino Vermouth.

But that’s just the surface. I still need to fit in time to catch up on emails, planning for upcoming events, answering media questions so our PR team won’t get grumpy with me, and meeting all the stars of Manila – it’s a market I rarely get to visit so this is exciting for me!

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° FEATURE ° Cocktail Highlights Over the months, I have had the chance to try many mixed drinks from bartenders all over. It sounds horrible I know, but somebody has to do it. One drink in particular really stood out, even though it was made with just five ingredients.

The balance was perfect and the unique, not often mixed together ingredients, created such an interesting and complex flavour profile.

So for this issue, I would like to give a shout out to Mark Graham Thomas. I have known Mark for almost three years now; we have competed in competitions together, travelled to Taipei with my close friend Peter Chua and slowly developed a strong friendship. I won’t lie; when he made me this drink, I was dubious. But Mark mixed this drink up for me and essentially blew my mind.

Peter Chua

WILLIAM WALLACE Ingredients: • 20ml Monkey Shoulder Whisky • 20ml Hendrick’s Gin • 10ml Cherry Brandy • 10ml Rosso Vermouth • 2 Dashes Peach Bitters Method: Stir with ice until chilled.

Strain into a coupe glass with orange disc.

Cocktail: William Wallace

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What does it taste like? Like diving head first into a hot spring in the middle of the Antarctic.

It’s simply delicious. Go hit up Mark at Ah Sam’s Cold Drink Stall located in Boat Quay. To continue your journey up flavour mountain, allow the crew in the kitchen to be your Sherpa with a serving of their Hokkien Mee. What’s on the Horizon Events seem to be lining up every day. At the end of the month, we will be off to sponsor It’s the Ship, Asia’s first music festival onboard a cruise ship. We’ll be mixing up some cocktails and holding activations throughout the event. For now we are just tying up Reyka’s sponsorship with Digital Fashion Week, where I have been hosting cocktail masterclasses with influencers from all around the world (teaching really pretty girls how to make cocktails).

That’s all from me for now folks. I look forward to seeing you all out and about tasting your amazing Monkey Shoulder cocktails.

Cheers!

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° FEATURE °

GIN JUBILEE

2nd

I

t’s a week of merriment and drinks as Gin took centerstage once again at the Second East Imperial Gin Jubilee. Celebrating all things gin, the annual event gathered a world-class lineup of Singapore’s best bars and bartenders, mixing superb Gin & Tonics with their favourite gin brand.

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Held from September 8-12, this installment of the Gin Jubilee showcased a host of activities – from pop-up bars to masterclasses and tastings – providing a true gin experience. This year also saw 15 of the city’s top bars compete for the bragging rights of the best Gin & Tonic on the island and the Silver Jubilee Tankard Award.

Among the bars that took part in the weeklong event were 28 HKS – recently awarded the No. 1 International Bar by Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans – Anti:dote, Manhattan, the World’s Top 50 Bar Tippling Club and Bacchanalia B Bar, the winner from last year’s Gin Jubilee.

The stellar lineup also included Cufflink Club voted top 10 high volume cocktail bar this year at the Tales of the Cocktail - Potato Head, Oxwell and the new Nutmeg & Clove.

Over the week, a number of bars popped up around town during and after the Gin Jubilee.

Music and entertainment had lent a festive atmosphere as people went from one bar to another sampling G&Ts and joining in the fun and excitement.

Hendrick’s Pop-up Bar At Ann Siang Road, Hendrick’s pop-up bar showcased Oxwell & Co’s Gin Jubilee entry, the Eau de Vie G&T, and Hendrick’s & Tonic.

Meanwhile, over at Keong Saik Road, Hendrick’s went all out fancy with its signature bathtub dispensing drinks and mini photobooth to take a few snapshots of the celebration. A no rush hour society also went around enjoying life and a cup of Hendrick’s.

The Providore Gin Tasting With a limited seating, the Providore Gin Tasting took participants into the world of gin. Diageo Reserve World Class Singapore representative and international finalist Peter Chua gave the talk and shared samplers of a variety of artisan gin labels.

Proof & Co Pop-up Bar Themed ‘Brooklyn Street Party’, Proof’s pop-up featured bartenders from six participating bars serving their competition drinks:

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° FEATURE ° • Mark Thomas from B-Bar, Bacchanalia using G’Vine Floraison Gin • Stuart Danker from Jigger & Pony using Fords Gin • Jeremy Chua from 28 Hong Kong Street using St. George Terroir Gin • Hilda Tan from The Spiffy Dapper using Death’s Door Gin • Tom Hogan from Anti:dote, Fairmont Hotel Singapore using St. George Terroir Gin • Ricky Paiva from Manhattan, Regent Singapore using Citadelle Reserve Gin

Tanqueray No. TEN Pop-up Bar Located just outside of Ding Dong, Tanqueray’s pop-up was the same as last year – but bigger.

Kamil Foltan mixed up four gin and tonic creations, and cocktails served included the Bobkbun gin, a mix of Tanqueray No. TEN gin, raspberry, lime juice, Korean bokbunja raspberry wine and East Imperial Tonic water. Nutmeg & Clove was there on the street too – making it a full Club Street.

A booming success, the East Imperial Gin Jubilee was sponsored by Tanqueray Gin and sub-sponsored by Hendrick’s Gin and Proof and Co, with the support of the Singapore Tourism Board. Since the inaugural East Imperial Gin Jubilee, the gin category has grown by 20 per cent.

East Imperial offers a range of premium tonic waters and mixers produced the traditional way and made using all natural and sustainably sourced ingredients. Based in Singapore, the brand is currently available in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, California, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

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° FEATURE °

LA MAISON

COINTREAU

COLLABORATION PARTIES

C

ocktail lovers have one more thing to look forward to. Fueled by the overwhelming response of the inaugural La Maison Cointreau Cocktail Competition last year, Cointreau Singapore has thrown a series of collaboration parties set to provide consumers a unique cocktail experience.

A one-night-only happening, each La Maison Cointreau collaboration party will be hosted at a different venue. And unlike any other event, each will be specially organised to reflect both the spirit of La Maison Cointreau and the essence of the partner establishment. Two guest bartenders from the 2013 La Maison Cointreau alumni will helm the bar of each party, delighting guests with two limited edition creations exclusively available on that night.

Kicking off in October with “A Night of Cocktail & Food Pairing” at Tess Bar & Kitchen, the affair recorded over 120 attendees filling the 60-seater modern and plush establishment decked with little touches of Cointreau for the evening. Guests were treated to delectable food pairings of cocktails by guest bartenders, La Maison Cointreau Singapore’s first-ever champion, Mike Cheong of Woobar - W Singapore, and media favourite, Alex Tan of Manor, and amuse-bouche specially created by Tess Bar & Kitchen’s Head Chef Martin Wong, alumnus of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

“La Maison Cointreau was first introduced to inspire mixologists to push their creative boundaries and explore limitless cocktail variations with Cointreau, the heart of cocktails,” said Elisabeth Tona, Regional Marketing Director of Rémy Cointreau Southeast Asia, Middle East and India. “After witnessing the amazing talents of our local mixologists at La Maison Cointreau Singapore last year, we knew we had to share the experience with our consumers. These parties are the perfect opportunity for us to bring the avant-garde spirit of La Maison Cointreau to cocktail lovers and

party-goers in Singapore, while at the same time supporting our thriving local bar scene”, she added.

One Night in Paris Well known for its themed nights, Bitters & Love took guests to the French capital in November as it hosted the second edition of the La Maison Cointreau collaboration parties. Reflecting the theme “One Night in Paris”, the place exuded Parisian elegance for the evening. The event brought together three of Singapore’s fine bartenders: Steve Leong from Tess Bar & Kitchen, Mohammad Ashur from Lucha Loco and Naz Arjuna, Head Bartender of Bitters & Love. These bartenders created two Cointreau cocktails each, along with two Cointreau shots prepared by the Bitters & Love team, providing guests a rare night of cocktail experience.

Cocktails & Nails Night It was truly a Christmas celebration as La Maison Cointreau hosted its third installment at the bespoke cocktail bar Jekyll & Hyde, located behind Manicurious Nail Bar. At the “Cocktails & Nails Night”, ladies were treated to an indulgent girls’ night out of nail pampering while sipping superb Cointreau-infused cocktails prepared by guest female bartenders Bannie Kang of Nutmeg & Clove and Kino Soh of Hopscotch Bar.

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° FEATURE ° COCKTAILS BY BANNIE KANG LA VIE EN ROSE Named after French cabaret icon Edith Piaf’s signature song, this twist on the gin & tonic will make you feel like you just put on a pair of rose tinted glasses with its colour-changing qualities.

SUMMER IN ANGERS Summers in Angers – home of the Cointreau Distillery – are hot, beautiful and verdant. Hence, this cocktail is the perfect citrus quencher as you enjoy the long days with your friends and family in the garden.

Ingredients • The Botanist Gin • Cointreau • Homemade Butterfly Pea Syrup • Fresh Lime Juice • Tonic Water • Citrus Bitters

Ingredients • Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum • Cointreau • Homemade Fruit Shrub (Korean Muscat Grape Vinegar, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Citrus Peels, Berries) • Fresh Mint Leaves • Fresh Lime Juice

COCKTAILS BY KINO SOH ELIXIR OF BEAUTY Known for its rejuvenating properties, antioxidant-rich beetroot juice features as a main ingredient in this elixir and lends its stunning scarlet colour.

TEA WITH LOUISA This cocktail pays tribute to Louisa Cointreau, the wife of Cointreau orange liqueur’s creator Edouard Cointreau, who was famous for holding women’s gatherings where they would discuss everything from politics to art.

Ingredients • Skyy Vodka • Cointreau • Homemade Beetroot Cordial • Fresh Lemon Juice • Piper Heidsieck Champagne

Ingredients • Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum • Cointreau • Earl Grey Tea • Milk • Pink Himalayan Salt • Citrus Bitters

Watch out for: La Maison Cointreau ZuiHongLou Kitchen Bar’s Party in February Just in time for the Lunar New Year, the fourth installment at cheeky Asian-inspired bar, ZuiHongLou, involves a one-of-a-kind fusion of Chinese tradition and Parisian style.

La Maison Cointreau Regional Finals in Bangkok In January 2015, Mike Cheong, the champion of La Maison Cointreau Singapore 2013, will represent Singapore at the very first La Maison Cointreau Regional Finals in Bangkok. His technique and creativity will be pitted against La Maison Cointreau winners from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia (Bali), India and Dubai in a series of challenges in the bid to be crowned the very first winner of La Maison Cointreau Regional Finals.

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° PROFILE °

BULLEIT

®

BOURBON WHISKEY The Dry Rye Flavour Re-born T

he story of Bulleit® bourbon whiskey goes all the way back to the 1800’s when Augustus Bulleit made the long journey from France to the USA. The Western frontier was opening up to anyone tough enough to take a gamble on this unforgiving expanse. Augustus wasn’t afraid of a challenge, he found his way to Louisville, Kentucky where he picked up work as an inn keeper.

He served bourbon, lots of bourbon, and while he understood that the rough and raw spirit matched the palate of the working man, he had a taste for a more refined spirit, such as Brandy. So, he set about developing a more subtle recipe, one that would borrow methods from the brandy making craftsman of Europe.

The result was a hit and news of this new style of whisky spread fast through Kentucky and Indiana, business boomed and Augustus continued to refine his recipe, that is... until he disappeared. He was on a trip along the Mississippi, transporting his spirit to New Orleans, but he never made it to his destination.

His fate is still a mystery today - for the next 120 years the Bulleit® bourbon name remained dormant.

The Great-Great Grandson of Augustus was Tom Bulleit and he was responsible for breathing new life into the Bulleit® brand. The year was 1988 and Tom felt it was time the Bulleit® bourbon whiskey stills were fired up once more and he would use a recipe that was almost 175 years old. The original mash bill had been passed

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down through the generations and, with the full weight of his family’s expectations, he took on the role with a fierce dedication to producing only the finest spirit.

A key distinction with Bulleit® bourbon whiskey is its high rye content. The modern incarnation has a slightly lower rye content than that of the original brew, but at the present level of 28% rye it makes up more of the mash bill than any other bourbon whiskey on the market - making Bulleit® bourbon the driest available. A further point of difference is in the distillation where the hotter tasting phenyl alcohols are removed in place of phenyl alcohols. This offers a fresh, clean nose and with a relatively long period of ageing the result is a complex, spicy bourbon whiskey that has a flavour all its own.

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A WORLD CLASS™ HISTORY N

ow in its sixth year, World Class™ has become the industry’s most prestigious and respected mixology competition and a landmark week in the luxury calendar. What began as a bartending training programme is now an internationally recognised annual event transforming fine-drinking experiences and cocktail culture around the world and elevating the skill of the bartender to be on a par with other celebrated craftspeople such as chefs.

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° FEATURE °

2009: Diageo Reserve World Class™ is launched, providing an international platform to celebrate the skill and craft of the world’s best bartenders.

The first final is held in London and the winner is Aristotelis Papadopoulos from Greece, beating competition from 24 countries. Marco Pierre White, the Master of Ceremonies at the final stated: “The bar is the most important aspect of any hotel or restaurant and it’s time that bartenders receive the same acknowledgement as chefs.”

2010 & 2011: World Class™ grows in ambition, scale and profile, expanding to showcase fine-drinking experiences and inspire drinkers to embrace quality cocktail culture around the globe. The second and third Global finals take place in Athens and New Delhi and are won by Erik Lorincz and Manabu Ohtake respectively.

Speaking after the final in 2010, winner Erik Lorincz said: “This is a dream to win such a prestigious award, to be judged by some of my heroes such as Salvatore Calabrese and Dale DeGroff has really inspired me. I’m really excited about the year ahead.”

2012: The World Class™ TV Show is launched, a TV special putting a spotlight on the World Class™ bartenders and elevating a new generation of mixologists to celebrity status. The TV series brings cocktail culture into the homes of millions of people after its broadcast by 16 major TV networks across nearly 120 countries.

Tim Philips from Australia is crowned Bartender of the Year at the finals held in Rio de Janeiro. Judge Ueno Hidetsugu commented on his win: “To succeed within Diageo Reserve World Class™ you must possess boundless creativity, precision, a sense of showmanship and an innate ability to connect with the customer. Each year I am astounded and inspired by the level of talent, skill and innovation that the participants bring to the Global Final Week.

Tim sums up what his win means to him “World Class™ has helped me settle into being a person. I’m happy that bartending, for me, is a job for life.”

2013: With past Global finals taking place in London, Athens, New Delhi and Rio de Janeiro, the 2013 finals takes to the open seas and is hosted on a

cruise ship. David Rios from Spain wins the title this year.

David commented after the final: “It is not possible to compare other competitions to Diageo Reserve World Class™. There are no other competitions that have a similar scale, outstanding reputation or level of bartending excellence.”

Following the final, World Class™ unveils the Definitive Drinking Guide, online go-to for the discerning drinker who wants to be in the know of the best fine-drinking experiences all

around the world. Hosted on both Tumblr and Pinterest, the Guide is curated by the best in the bartending industry and provides 50 unique stories: how to hunt down the best drinks, the best ways to enjoy these drinks, and the best things to see, hear, and do that make for a richer fine-drinking experience.

The TV show goes from strength to strength, being screened in 180 countries across 26 global networks and is now viewed by 40.7 million people – celebrating the skill and craft of the 43 bartenders who have competed.

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2014: Now in its sixth year, World Class™ has become the industry’s most prestigious and respected mixology competition and a landmark week in the luxury calendar. What began as a bartending training programme is now an internationally recognised annual event transforming finedrinking experiences and cocktail culture around the world and elevating the skill of the bartender to be on a par with other celebrated craftspeople such as chefs.

Since its launch, over 15,000 contenders have

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participated in and been trained through World Class™ events, heats and seminars and this year more than 50 mixologists from around the world will compete in the final in the UK. For the first time, consumers will also be able to participate in the World Class™ experience via the World Class™ House. The elegant Georgian townhouse at 33 Fitzroy Square will be home to a series of immersive, engaging and inspiring experiences created by World Class™ spirits and very special guests. These will include multi-sensory, gastronomic tasting

sessions hosted by Ron Zacapa® 23, ‘sonic tastings’ from Ketel One® Vodka, and a Mexican speakeasy basement bar complete with a secret nightclub by Don Julio®. There will also be an art deco inspired martini bar from Tanqueray® No. TEN™ and a Johnnie Walker® Blue Label™ cinema experience, ensuring the World Class™ house will have something even for the most discerning drinkers.

With a new generation of bartending superstars to look up to, World Class™ is helping restore the role of the bartender, making

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° FEATURE ° World Class™ winners over the years (L-R): Aristotelis Papadopoulos (2009), Erik Lorincz (2010), Charles Joly (2014), Manabu Ohtake (2011), Tim Philips (2012) and David Rios (2013)

World Class™ is committed to elevating the craft and skill of the bartender to gain the admiration and recognition the profession deserves – our TV show is a great example of how we can raise the profile of our World Class™ bartenders and give them a global stage to showcase their talent. We know that a great bartender doesn’t just serve drinks, they define a customer’s whole evening; when they get it right, their customers remember their experience and their bartender long after they’ve taken that final sip. A bartender’s expertise and knowledge is on a par with great chefs but they also have to be part maitre’d, part host, part ambassador, part craftsman and much more…it is a multi-faceted job that deserves great respect and World Class™ wants to make that happen.

it an attractive and aspirational career. The early pioneers, like ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas or Harry Johnson, would be proud.

And while there can be only one winner, the talents on show throughout the World Class™ experience show how knowledge of quality spirits, the provenance of ingredients, pioneering drinks-making techniques and cooking methods, and drinks as an art form, are incentivising a new breed of creativity.

If, as part of our programme, we can help bartenders in the region stand tall and say with pride to family, friends and peers that they are a World Class™ bartender and be celebrated for that, then that means we are doing our job. If we can motivate bartenders just entering the business to view this as a career and a profession for life where they can continually learn, travel the world and be inspired and to join the 15,000 plus who have participated in World Class™ since it began, then I feel a genuine sense of pride.

JOHANNA DALLEY World Class™ Director

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° MEET °

KAE YIN World Class™ Taiwan 2012 Grand National Champion

K

ae Yin sees World Class™ as the ultimate learning opportunity, and focuses on himself as his greatest competitor. He was bar captain of Marsalis Home when he won the World Class™ Taiwan 2012 Grand National Champion. From Taipei, he moved to Singapore where he is currently the head mixologist and general manager of Nutmeg & Clove.

I first got involved with World Class™ in Taiwan in 2009, and was disappointed I didn’t make it to the global final in London. I didn’t enter again until 2012, which is when I won champion of Taiwan and went to Rio for the global finals. It all went so quickly, but I learnt a lot and had a wonderful experience.

When I first entered World Class™, I loved being part of the most highly regarded cocktail competition in the world. The standard of bartender increases every year, and entrants are able to compete against excellent bartenders from all over the globe for the honour of being named World Class™ Champion. Now, I love the technical processes of the competition, I love preparing for the tasks and throwing myself into the unknown. You grow so fast as a bartender during World Class™, and I like to sit down and enjoy some ‘self examination’ after I finish, where I think back to what I did well and what I need to improve on.

My creative cocktails are inspired by the little details all around my life, and myself, which is a very wide range. More specifically, I like to focus on drawing inspiration from the arts. It might be a painting, a movie or anything that can light a spark in my mind and allow my imagination to run wild. From there, I try to make these things in my imagination into something tangible, and try to come out with an interesting way. I am also inspired by culture, both my own and those around me.

I never want to forget where I come from.

I believe World Class™ is very important for bartenders at any phase in their career. A bartenders’ ability increases every year, and the World Class™ challenges get harder every year, so giving it a shot and doing your best while making an effort to learn makes the whole experience worthwhile.

If I were to offer bartenders a piece of advice, I’d tell them it is important to keep their curiosity and passion intact, because every new experience will open your eyes. If you find something that ignites a fire of passion, don’t let it go easily; take some time to get to know your passion on a deeper level and allow it to bring out your wildest imagination and your untapped creativity.

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° DRINK °

The World of

RUM R

um is one of the three great brown spirits, along with brandy and whisky, that accompanied the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. While the three original rum-producing empires – England, France and Spain – all had a profound influence on the rum we drink today, the pre-history of rum can be traced back to Papua New Guinea. It was here that rum was domesticated over 7,000 years ago.

WORDS ° Chris Middleton

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Known as the noble cane, Saccharum officinarum was selectively cultivated over thousands of years from grass to intensify its sweetness. Many of our favourite alcoholic beverages such as beer, whisky, bourbon, gin and even vodka, evolved from early grass grains including barley, wheat, rye, and later corn.

Grass grains are rich in starch so they can easily be converted into sugars, from which yeast makes alcohol. Sugarcane is one of the highest sources of sucrose in the world, with about 1215 per cent sucrose content.

Europeans began to develop a sweet palate at the same time the three quintessential hot beverages arrived in Europe: coffee from the Levant, tea from China, and chocolate from the Americas – all of which required sugar to mask their bitterness. So, Christopher Columbus took sugarcane to the West Indies, after which plantations slowly began to populate the islands and the mainland Americas. Soon after this, the process of distilling rum to utilise leftover molasses expanded, effectively kick-starting the industry.

The West Indies were quickly exploited by all the major European naval powers – the Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and the Dutch – who all seized colonies to grow sugar and later, coffee.

On the Brazilian coast, the Portuguese were probably the first to distill a protorum in the 1540s on primitive alembic still heads, and the term cachaça was coined there in 1555.

While the Caribbean, along with Central and South America, became the centre of rum production and remains so today, rum is made wherever sugarcane is grown – all in tropical climates and across the globe from the Americas to India, Asia to Africa and also in Australia. Molasses can be shipped between tropical countries that lack a sugarcane industry and even cold-climate countries for distilling.

Five hundred years after its discovery, rum remains the world’s second most popular spirit; 60 countries produce rum at over 170 commercial distilleries, with another 30,000 small cachaça distilleries in Brazil.

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° DRINK ° WHAT IS RUM? So, what exactly is rum? Definitions vary by country. The accepted definition is: “distilled from fermented sugar juice, syrup, or molasses (under 95% ABV), possessing the taste, flavour and characteristics attributable to rum, with minimal age in wooden casks.”

Unaged rum is termed cane spirit, or aguardiente in Spanish, and much of the Brazilian cane spirit cachaça is unaged cane spirit. Because all cane spirits are distilled from sugarcane, they are categorised under the broad term – rum. After cachaça, over 97 per cent of rum is made from molasses, a by-product of the sugar making process.

It is interesting to note that the first set of standards guiding rum’s distillation, including

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a rule for maturation, were developed in Australia back in 1906 to protect local distillers from inferior imports – that the spirit “must be stored in wood for a period of two years” indicated Australian distillers and drinkers knew age mattered for mellowing, smoothness and drinking pleasure.

Rum is arguably the most versatile of all spirits; it is manufactured as white, gold, dark, spiced, and can be found in many flavoured varieties. It can be drunk straight, mixed with carbonated beverages and blended with anything from milk to spices, fruits or other liquors. Since its discovery, it has undergone adaptations, improvements and many reinventions; such is the versatility and popularity of rum.

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Some Rum Factoids: • Last year, the world drank 1.75 billion bottles of rum or 1.45 billion litres. Brazil made another 1.5 billion litres of cachaça. India drinks 25 per cent of the world’s rum (not including rum as whisky).

• Another 2.4 billion bottles of Asian whisky is mostly flavoured rum, sold as whisky.

• The top five selling brands Bacardi (US, made in Puerto Rico), McDowell No. 1 (India), Tanduay (Philippines), Pirassununga 51 (Brazil, cachaça) & Captain Morgan (British, made in Virgin Islands) collectively sold 880 million bottles last year, half of the world’s rum sales.

• The most expensive bottle of rum was sold in 2007 from Wray & Nephew in Jamaica, and sold for $40,000.

• The oldest rum distillery in the world, Mount Gay in Barbados, was built in 1705 (distilling in the area was active since 1663), followed

by Jamaica’s Appleton Estate in 1749.

• The world’s worst rum disaster killed 21 people in Boston in January 1919 when 10 million litres of molasses ruptured from a holding tank for making rum and sent out an 18-metre wall of molasses.

• The greatest loss of rum was when 33 million litres of rum were accidentally ignited at Rum Quay on the Thames River London in April 1933; it took four days to put the fire out and was the equivalent to a year’s production in Barbados.

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° DRINK °

Much more than

Yo-Ho-Ho and a

P

Bottle of Rum

irates, prohibition, and Polynesian décor. That’s pretty much the history of rum and its culture summed up in a few words. And while it may be tempting to immediately picture a bearded pirate on the beach with a vintage bottle in hand, there is a lot more to the history and culture of rum than what you read in books and see in movies. While it is impossible to know the full history of rum, it is possible to trace its history through the way it has been enjoyed, and how drinking culture has shaped the history of this versatile spirit.

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I pity them greatly, but I must be mum, for how could we do without sugar and rum?

WILLIAM COWPER

The Planter’s Punch One of the oldest cocktails on record, the Planter’s Punch hails from the rum producing island of Jamaica, one of the oldest known sources of rum in the world. Many attribute this concoction to The Planter’s Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, although this has been disproved. The full history is hazy, however the name and recipe first appeared in the London magazine Fun way back in 1878. It listed a poem of instructions for creating “Planter’s Punch! A West Indian Recipe: A wine-glass with lemon juice fill, of sugar the same glass fill twice / Then rub them together until / the mixture looks smooth, soft and nice. / Of rum then three glasses add, / And four of cold water please take. A drink then you’ll have that’s not bad - / At least, so they say in Jamaica.”

The ditty evolved from here to a more Americanised version that allowed the recipe to spread like wildfire. Planter’s Punch stood the test of time through Prohibition and even made its way into the Tiki trend a few decades later. It appears this one is here to stay – just make sure you make good use of nice, dark Jamaican rum.

The Cuba Libre With its mix of white rum, cola and lime, it would be easy to accept this drink as a simple concoction with little history. However, the Cuba Libre has one of the richest histories of any cocktail. It is believed a member of the U.S. Signal Corps mixed the first Cuba Libre in 1900; two years after the war of independence that liberated Cuba from Spain and the time Coca-Cola became widely available in Cuba. The story goes that the American soldiers mixed the famous Cuban rum with Cola, creating a trend

eruption among locals. Eventually, a wedge of lime was added for a native twist and the drink became known as the Cuba Libre, which of course translates to “Free Cuba”.

Cuba is synonymous with a cool and refreshing tipple that no doubt involves rum, the most famous being Bacardi and Havana Club, which makes it no surprise that Cuba has often been dubbed the ‘Isle of Rum’. Cuba’s climate, Caribbean soil and abundance of sugarcane make it the perfect environment for creating tropical, authentic rum.

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° DRINK °

The Mojito

Rum, n. Generically, fiery liquors that produce madness in total abstainers

AMBROSE BIERCE

Like most cocktails, it is impossible to know exactly where the Mojito began. But the commonly accepted story is that British sea captain and pirate Sir Francis Drake developed the original recipe to soothe nausea on the high seas with a concoction of high-octane cane spirit known as firewater, lime, mint and sugar to cover the putrid taste of the spirit.

The frightful Sir Drake landed on Isla de la Juventud in Cuba, and quickly became known as El Draque by those who feared him. And fear they did, although the concoction became a hit with locals and soon became known as the Draquecito or Little Drake once it was replaced with the better quality rum of Cuba. So, how did this transform into the modern Mojito? Food, mostly. In Cuba, a mix of ingredients to create a sauce is known as a mojo, and it is likely the term evolved from there.

The Daiquiri Now a staple on many cocktail menus, the first Daiquiri was a result of a rise in tropical diseases, namely malaria, which were wrongly attributed to drinking unhygienic swamp water. The original drink is widely credited to two gentlemen: Jennings Cox and Harry E. Stout, two American mining engineers based in Santiago, Cuba around 1898. According to legend, the gentlemen boiled up some drinking water, added a little rum, a squeeze of lime for taste, a dash of sugar to modify the acid, and a cube of ice to keep it refreshing. They named it Daiquiri after the Cuban village they resided in, and found themselves with a drink in hand that could help stave off scurvy, keep malaria at bay and cool them down in the tropical heat.

While this story is widely acknowledged, many cocktail historians assert that Jennings did not necessarily invent the drink, but rather popularised it. There is no way to know the real story, the only thing to remember is the words of cocktail writer Charles H. Baker, author of Jigger, Beaker and Glass: Drinking Around the World, “In spite of all the loud speeches on the subject we claim, there is no ‘best’ place for Daiquiris. The only thing that can go wrong, besides insufficient chilling, is that it is often made too sweet”.

1920s - 1930s – Prohibition By this time, Prohibition was firmly in place from which plenty of underground speakeasies popped up. Bootleggers would deliver cheap, mass-produced and foul tasting spirits to

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All roads lead to rum

W. C. FIELDS

appease thirsty citizens, and would cover these spirits with an array of juices, bitters and fruits to mask the foul taste and throw police off the trail when they came to inspect the bars. Although this proved functional for a while, many grew tedious with having to hide their tipples and sought to find a place to legally and openly enjoy a drink.

Cuba was one of these very places, and the 1920s saw an influx of wealthy American tourists flock to Cuba on the hunt for an alcoholic escape. Cuban bar El Floridita, and its bartender Constantine Ribalagua, is often credited with taking the Daiquiri from local favourite to time-honoured cocktail status, so much so that drinking legend and famed journalist Ernest Hemmingway would drop by as often as possible for the only bar he believed could make a quality Daiquiri. To this day, El Floridita stands in Havana, Cuba and a bronze statue of Hemmingway can be found in the bar.

1933 – Prohibition Repealed Thirsty Americans that were tired of hiding their hankering for a cocktail breathed a sigh of relief when Prohibition was repealed. Not that anybody had lost their taste for a tipple, and many of the drinks on offer during prohibition made their way into the legal bars that started to sprout post-repeal. Joe Russell, owner of the Cuban bar Sloppy Joe’s quickly jumped at the opportunity to open a second venue in Florida, another bar frequented by a certain Mr Hemmingway. Russell brought the Mojito to the USA, and from there it evolved into the tall, Collins-style drink we enjoy today.

Around 1934, the Cuba Libre made its way to America and picked up popularity in the southern states thanks to its refreshing taste and exotic image. In his 1934 publication Gentlemen’s Companion, Charles H. Baker noted that the Cuba Libre “caught on everywhere throughout the [American] south … filtered through the north and west”. The drink saw another spike in popularity after American swing group The Andrew Sisters recorded a song titled ‘Rum and Coca-Cola’.

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° DRINK °

The Hurricane This bright and sweet cocktail has one of the more plausible stories. It goes that Pat O’Brien, owner of a New Orleans speakeasy called Mr. O’Brien’s Club Tipperary, where guests could only enter if they knew the password: “storm’s brewin”. After Prohibition was repealed, Mr. O’Brien’s continued to thrive and at some point in the 1940s Pat found himself with a load of unpopular rum that needed to be sold before the good whiskies could come in. He mixed the light and dark rums, passionfruit syrup and grenadine together before pouring it into a hurricane lamp-shaped glass. To this day, the Hurricane is synonymous with New Orleans’ French Quarter, so much so that it is not uncommon to see locals and tourists walking the streets and carrying a Hurricane in a plastic cup.

counterparts. Its origin has ignited a fierce debate that culminated in a court case. One story involved Victor Bergeron, head of Trader Vic’s chain of restaurants, who claimed he created the drink for visiting friends, and after the first sip a lady cried “Mai Tai-Roa Ae!” which translates to “Out of this world! The best!” in Tahitian.

On the other hand, Donn Beach, owner of Don the Beachcomber, claims he invented the same drink in 1933 and dubbed it the Mai Tai Swizzle.

Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber enjoyed a healthy competition, but both claimed they were the original creator of the traditional Mai Tai, to the point of a court case. No one knows who the real inventor was for sure, but they’ve certainly gifted the world with a time-tested cocktail.

The Mai Tai

The Piña Colada

Another time-tested rum drink, this retro tipple is a few decades ahead of its timeless

Literally translating to ‘strained pineapple’ in Spanish, the Piña Colada has been the official

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beverage of Puerto Rico since 1978. Not unlike many famous cocktails, a few people have sworn they invented the Piña Colada. Ramón ‘Monchito’ Marrero Pérez claims he pioneered the drink in 1952 by adding Coco López Cream of Coconut, while his colleague Richardo García also asserts he invented the cocktail, and many believe Ramón Portas Mingot created the Piña Colada in 1963 at Barrachina Restaurant in Old San Juan, a claim the restaurant supports to this day.

The Zombie Another Don the Beachcomber special, this one is certainly not for the cheap drinker. Legend has it that the Zombie was created by Donn Beach himself, when a hungover businessman stumbled in and asked for something to help his ailment and prepare for the busy trip ahead.

Mr Beach whipped up a Zombie on the spot, and the man proceeded to drink three. A few days later the businessman returned, wondering

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what on earth was in the concoction, as it turned him into a ‘zombie’ for the entire trip.

From here, the zombie found its place on the menu at Don the Beachcomber and continued to spread. It must be noted though that due to its potent mixture of three different kinds of rum, overproof rum, apricot brandy, falernum, and a few juices and syrups, a rule of maximum two per customer was enforced.

1935-1960 – Tiki Culture While it was inspired by Polynesian culture, the Tiki concept grew to fame in America, more specifically the opening of Don the Beachcomber in California around 1934, which quickly gained a following from locals and celebrities alike. Don the Beachcomber mainly served Cantonese cuisine and rum punch style cocktails, and was completely decked out with Pacific-style cane furniture, torches and flower leis. Donn Beach, the owner of the chain of restaurants, has been credited with creating

several Tiki cocktails that have stood the test of time. From here, Tiki establishments started to pop up all over the place, sporting cocktail lists full of fruity, tropical cocktails with a lot of rum.

One establishment that went on to challenge the famed Don the Beachcomber brand was Trader Vic’s, a similar chain of Tiki restaurants that spread to international fame. The Tiki rage spread all the way to Hollywood with the Mai Tai heavily featured in the film Blue Hawaii, starring Elvis Presley.

The beauty of tiki bars and tiki culture was in its nostalgia. People wanted to feel the joy of a holiday when at home, experiencing the relaxed lifestyle of tropical cultures and focus on the beauty of the world. The end of World War II saw the tiki trend pick up again, as soldiers sought to remember the good times and forget the bad. By this point, the décor had shifted from strictly Polynesian to incorporate elements of culture from Hawaii, Tahiti and the Philippines.

As trends tend to do, the tiki culture spread

from hospitality into the home, and having your very own tiki bar in your home became the ultimate symbol of trend and style. All good things must come to an end, and by the 1970s tiki culture was seen as kitsch. It seems, however, that this trend is on the rise again, with Tiki bars and restaurants popping up and giving life to this ongoing trend.

So there you have it, a different perspective on rum through drinking cultures and cocktails.

Next time you find yourself with a Mai Tai or a Mojito in hand, you’ll know the incredible history of rum and how it has had a hand in shaping cultures throughout history. What is next for rum remains to be seen, but you can definitely have some fun finding out.

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CUBANEY ° PROFILE °

C

uba has always enjoyed a reputation as one of the world’s foremost producers of rum. In the late 19th century, some of the finest examples of Cuban rum were being produced by the Oliver family.

LEFT: The solera ageing system originated in Spain as a way for producers to maintain consistency in their bottlings, regardless of yearly variances in weather or harvests.

CENTER: Cubaney Centenario, a multiple gold medal winning ultra-premium sipping rum. RIGHT: Pedro Ramon Lopez Oliver - world renowned for his creation of quality rums.

Juanillo Oliver, a Catalan and Mallorcan, arrived in Cuba in the mid-nineteenth century as a Spanish soldier, establishing his family on the island. After finishing his military service, Oliver decided to settle near the town of Las Placetas, in an area that later became known as Oliver.

It was here that he and his family began to cultivate tobacco and sugarcane. The Oliver family soon built a mill to grind sugarcane for the production of sugars and alcohols, and Oliver soon found himself creating local, artisanal rums and brandies.

That was to change once revolution gripped Cuba. During the War of Independence, separatists attacked and burned farms, and destroyed the famous Oliver family distillery.

After independence in Cuba, the family abandoned sugarcane production, focusing on the cultivation and production of tobacco and other businesses. They continued peacefully until 1959, when revolution struck Cuba again.

In the years following 1959, many members

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of the Oliver family fled the country and their descendants spread throughout Europe and the Americas.

In the late 1980s, a member of the new generation of Oliver descendants returned to Cuba. Pedro Ramon Lopez Oliver’s curiosity led him to explore his family’s history, and while examining family archives and papers, he discovered the original formulas developed by the Olivers for the production of unique Cuban rum.

Encouraged by the discovery, the family committed to reviving the rum brand that had disappeared in the violence of revolution. In the early 1990s, the Oliver family began to develop their rums, this time in San Francisco de Macoris in the Dominican Republic. It was here that Ron Cubaney – named after its rediscovered Cuban ancestry – was born.

The Dominican Republic shares many of the same characteristics of climate, topography, and geology as Cuba, and was chosen as the ideal

country in which to resume the manufacturing of the family’s previously lost Cuban-style rum.

The distillery sought the advice of a group of Cuban Maestros Roneros who were living in exile in the Dominican Republic at the time.

These Maestros Roneros Cubanos brought with them decades of experience in the production of Cuban rum.

Cuban experts were hired to help create the new plant for the production of rum in the pure, traditional Cuban style. The Oliver family had recreated the same process, heritage and formula used in the nineteenth century.

Those techniques are still used by the present Maestros Roneros Cubanos and technicians.

The plant began by purchasing 100,000 litres of distillates and malts that had been aged for 15 years from a Demeraran source, forming the first stock produced under the new Cubaney name. This was the basis of their mother rum and the single point of origin for the rums being enjoyed today.

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TASTING NOTES

Ron Cubaney Plata Natural

Cubaney Spiced Rum

Ron Cubaney Solera

Ron Cubaney Plata Natural is a white rum that has been aged for three years. On the nose it shows flavours of chocolate, barrel notes and vanilla, while on the palate there are hints of vanilla, dark chocolate, and marzipan. Sweet and rounded, the finish is lasting, with a pleasant sweetness, and a slight toffee note. It was a recipient of the Gold Medal at the Madrid International Rum Conference.

Cubaney Spiced Rum is solera-aged for up to 15 years, infused with cinnamon, anise, black pepper, vanilla and clove. The finish is settled, yet smooth with cinnamon, with a slight hint of vanilla. This classic spiced rum is perfect sipped neat or mixed with dry ginger ale or cola and lime. Cubaney Spiced Rum was awarded a Silver Medal at the Madrid Rum Festival.

Ron Cubaney Solera Reserva 8 Años has been aged for eight years in the solera system, giving it a sweet flavour with slight barrel notes, pepper, dark chocolate, vanilla and oranges. The palate is very soft, mild, sweet and lasting, with spice notes, and touches of vanilla, chocolate, pepper and toffee. It won a Gold Medal at the Ministry of Rum – Miami, and was a multiple Gold Medal winner at the Madrid International Rum Conference.

Ron Cubaney Exquisito

Ron Cubaney Centenario

Ron Cubaney Exquisito 21 Años Solera is a dark amber coloured rum that has been Solera-aged for 21 years. The spirit has a strong bouquet that is sweet with touches of dark chocolate, vanilla, honey, oranges and wood. On the palate there is balanced oak and sugarcane notes, along with complex, full-bodied flavours from its long ageing. The finish is long lasting, smooth and mild – perfect served straight with a Cuban cigar on the side. It received a Gold Medal at the Beverage Tasting Institute of Chicago, and a Gold Medal at the Madrid International Rum Conference.

Ron Cubaney Centenario Ultra-Premium is aged up to 30 years and has an extensive, balanced bouquet that shows flavours of vanilla, chocolate, and toffee, as well as fruity notes of orange, plum and mango. On the palate, the rum is warm, firm and complex, with a creamy consistency, and is best drunk neat in a snifter or balloon glass. It won the Special Gold Medal at the Beverage Tasting Institute Awards Chicago, Double Gold Medal at the Madrid International Rum Conference, Gold Medal at the German Rum Festival and a Gold Medal at the Internationaler Spirituosen Wettbewerb.

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campari orange 1 PART CAMPARI 3 PARTS ORANGE JUICE ICE

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Enjoy responsibly

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° PROFILE °

The World's Favourite and Most Awarded Rum

B

acardi is the world’s first premium light rum with a heritage that withstands the test of time. Its unique taste and consistent quality – which is a product of a secret recipe and rum-making process pioneered by founder Don Facundo Bacardi Masso – has made it the world’s most favourite rum. Bacardi has spurred many iconic cocktails, including the Daiquiri, Mojito and Cuba Libre, and its annual Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition.

A Tale of Triumph Against Extraordinary Odds Originating from a humble tin-roof distillery in Santiago de Cuba, Bacardi has weathered earthquakes, fires, disease, financial setbacks, US prohibition, rebellion and exile to emerge as an iconic global brand. Its impact on the spirits industry and pivotal role in the cocktail culture we enjoy now is evident in the drinks served in bars, clubs and restaurants around the globe. Today, Bacardi is one of the largest selling premium spirits brands worldwide, with a market presence in more than 160 countries.

Most Awarded Rum and Spirit Since it began its quest for quality in 1862, Bacardi has never wavered in its pursuit of excellence. This commitment is demonstrated by the more than 400 awards it has won, making it the world’s most awarded rum as well as the most awarded spirit. Its secret to blending has been passed on from generation to generation held only by the Maestros de Ron Bacardi. It is their passion that makes Bacardi tastes the same as it did more than 150 years ago.

The Bat Symbol It was Don Facundo’s wife, Doña Amalia, who suggested using the legendary bat symbol, which became known by the people as el Ron del Murciélago or “the Rum of the Bat.” According to Cuban and Spanish folklore, bats symbolise good health, good fortune and family unity.

Bacardi Today More than 150 years and eight generations later, Bacardi remains a family-owned business. Originally known for its eponymous Bacardi white rum, it now boasts a portfolio comprised of more than 200 internationally recognised brands and labels covering a wide variety of spirits categories. To this end, the signature strain of yeast is still utilised, the family recipe is still a closely guarded secret, and the spirit which saw Bacardi through every challenge and adversity is still in every bottle that it makes.

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° FEATURE °

B

acardí has marked yet another milestone in its cocktail competition history with the launch of the Bacardí Legacy into Singapore. An annual event, Bacardí Legacy is a renowned cocktail competition established to challenge the best contemporary bartenders in the world to create a drink that will stand the test of time.

Drinks World Asia was delighted to be part of the inaugural Bacardí Legacy Singapore and was honoured to be one of the judges. DWA’s very own Marc Rodrigues opined “I was pleased to be involved in Bacardí Legacy Singapore this year after collaborating with Bacardí in Hong Kong for the last two years. It was great to have the Legacy launched into Singapore, one of the world’s most thriving cocktail markets and another home of DWA.” An overwhelming success, the competition showcased 40-plus cocktails in the first round, which were judged based on the recipes only. From this number, 16 advanced to the next round. Over the course of two nights, the judges toured Singapore’s bars to give competitors the opportunity to make the legacy drink along with a Daiquiri in their own bars – another Bacardí concept that was mirrored in Hong Kong.

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Marc said “The standard of cocktails was outstanding, together with the personal stories behind each drink. There was a great spread of styles from elegant Daiquiri inspired cocktails to more long refreshing drinks, with ingredients as varied as condensed milk and green peas.

Selecting the top 5 to compete in the final round was extremely difficult for me and my fellow judges. However, I believe that these five capture the talent of the finalised group and can challenge each other to deliver a great legacy champion for Singapore and a superb cocktail to take on the world in the global final in 2015 in Sydney.”

Speaking on behalf of the Bacardí family in Singapore, Caryn Cheah expressed “It’s extremely heartwarming and touching to know that there was such an overwhelming response from all the bartenders here for Bacardí Legacy considering that this is the first year that we

are holding the competition in Singapore. I was blown away by the high standards of our local bartenders. It was the hardest thing to do selecting the top 16 from the pool of great recipes that we receive, even more so to pick the top 5.”

“The bartending scene has really evolved into a refined, delicate and professional one; one that I am proud to be part of. One observation I have is that, with everything, the simplest cocktails are always the most difficult to perfect. We found that with the Daiquiri, some bartenders had problems to finely balance the cocktail or shake it cold enough. That said, I am thoroughly impressed with the cocktail top guns that we have on local shores. I think with the right tweaks and a strong promotional campaign, we stand a very good chance at the global final”, Caryn added.

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TOP 5 FINALISTS Alvin Au Yong THE LIBRARY

Alvin got into bartending in late 2010 while taking his Bachelor’s degree in Management & Marketing in Adelaide, Australia. His initial plan was to earn extra money to pay off his rent and tuition fees. Since he had no prior bar experience, landing a job proved difficult. So he took a short course at a local hospitality school and signed with a freelance hospitality provider.

He ended up receiving irregular shifts to work at sports matches, wedding functions, birthday parties and the likes which mostly involved tapping beers and pouring wines.

Then came the break at one of the best cocktail bars in town. He started barbacking and waiting tables at Fumo Blu, followed by a 3-month stint at a new cocktail lounge where he got the chance to create a cocktail menu and set

up a bar. While unemployed, he participated in a local Bacardí flair bartending competition and did fairly well. It landed him a job at RedLove and TGI Fridays.

After graduating in 2012, he came to Singapore for the first time. It’s here where he got his dream gig with The Library as part of their opening team. He spent a whole year with them and was exposed to all aspects of the cocktail bar by working with Stefan Ravalli. During his tenure at The Library, he was a finalist in both the 2013 Diageo World Class and Bols Around The World competitions, and winner of the Vedrenne Cocktail Grand Prix Singapore.

In September 2013, he got an offer to manage the Golden Monkey, an award-winning cocktail bar in Melbourne. He resigned from his post at

The Library and embarked on a trip to Europe sponsored by Diageo to visit the Ketel One distillery in the Netherlands, followed by bar hopping in London before landing in Melbourne.

There, he spent six months learning how to run a venue.

In 2014, he came back to Singapore to assist with the set up of a new bar, Nutmeg & Clove.

After four months, he returned to The Library for a second stint as Assistant Bar Manager.

Three months since rejoining them, Alvin is in the finals in both the Bacardí Legacy and Diplomatico World Tournament.

COCKTAIL: Eastern Remedy Ingredients 50ml Bacardí Superior 10ml Creme de Cacao White 5ml DOM Benedictine 10ml Lime Juice 30ml Coconut Water

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Russell Cardoza TIPPLING CLUB

Russell found his calling in the hospitality industry at the age of 18, firstly working as a part time waiter and later as a bartender. His experience behind the bar includes working at some of the top nightclubs in Singapore.

Eventually, his thirst for mixing cocktails led him to Club Street Social. These days, you’ll find Russell at Tippling Club, where he is developing his skills under owner Chef Ryan Clift and Head Barman Kamil Foltan.

COCKTAIL: Smashin’ Good Thyme Ingredients 50ml Bacardí Carta Blanca 2.5ml Yellow Chartreuse 25ml Lemon Juice 15ml Rich Simple Syrup (2:1) 3 tsp Unfrozen Green Peas 4 Sprigs of Thyme

Method Muddle green peas and slap thyme into a shaker tin. Add the rest of the ingredients and give it a few hard shakes.

Double strain into a rocks glass over ice.

Garnish Thyme sprig

Peter Chua

28 HONG KONG STREET Having worked in a string of bars and clubs, Peter Chua finally found himself a place to call home at 28 Hong Kong Street (28HKS) in 2011. This was where Peter found the love for bartending and started carving out a career for himself in this profession. Being privileged enough to be mentored under the likes of Michael Callahan, Zdenek Kastanek and Joe Alessandroni, this young barman has achieved a few accolades in his budding career. He was the winner in the Bols Around 2013 Singapore Competition, won the coveted Diageo World Class Bartender 2014 title and declared Southeast Asia Champion 2014. Needless to say that this is only the beginning, and Peter is looking for all that the industry has to offer.

COCKTAIL: Sugar Man Ingredients 45ml Bacardí Superior Rum 15ml Fresh Lime Juice 15ml Rich Ginger Syrup 45ml Top-up Ginger Beer 2 Dashes of Absinthe Cucumber Slices Pinch of Salt

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Method Shake and strain Garnish Cucumber Glassware Collins

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Ricky Paiva

MANHATTAN BAR Bartender extraordinaire, Ricky Paiva honed his craft at some of the world’s leading bars. These include San Francisco’s Rickhouse, voted “Best High Volume Cocktail Bar” by Tales of the Cocktail 2011, and Local Edition, known for house-made syrups, drinks that reflect the 1950s/60s drinking culture in America, and an intriguing “Pho Bloody Mary”.

As Head Bartender of Manhattan, Ricky combines his creativity and expertise to revive classic and forgotten cocktails that leap from the pages of history. His tools? Manhattan’s carefully curated selection of artisanal spirits, the world’s first in-hotel rickhouse and a remarkable collection of housemade ingredients.

Ricky is particularly skilled and passionate about house-made ingredients (You could say the Ingredient Room at Manhattan was built for him.). He got his start in bartending while at culinary school in Portland, Oregon a decade ago. In 2012, he was crowned “Best Personality” at G’Vine Gin Connoisseur Program Global Finals in France. His mantra – attention to detail – is beautifully translated in every cocktail he serves. As he aptly opines, “I place great emphasis on every detail, from quality ingredients to the perfect garnish on an ideal glass.”

COCKTAIL: Los Reyes Ingredients 45ml Bacardí Silver 15ml Condensed Milk 22ml Coconut Milk Bar Spoon Maple Syrup

Method Shake and double strain

Glassware Small coupe

Garnish Grated cinnamon

Vijay Mudaliar OPERATION DAGGER

Vijay is currently one of Singapore’s bartenders in the rising cocktail scene. Starting out as a student looking for extra cash, Vijay’s career began in 2008 at Zouk, one of Singapore’s leading clubs. He then honed his skills at some international brands such as Supperclub. In 2012, he decided to focus more on the cocktail scene, joining Michelinstar chef Jason Atherton in the opening of Pollen Restaurant and then on to Jason’s first cocktail bar in Asia, The Library, a fun, quirky and very progressive bar. He has also done shifts in acclaimed bars such as the Blind Pig in London. Currently, he works with Luke Whearty at Operation Dagger, a forward-thinking bar.

Over the course of his bartending career, Vijay has received various recognitions. He placed 2nd in the 2013 Diplomatico Rum Competition, named one of DWA’s Top 25 Bartenders and contributed an article in DWA magazine. When he is not busy, he loves traveling, reading and finding little cosy, hidden spots to hang out at.

COCKTAIL: Crazy Train Ingredients 50ml Bacardí Superior 25ml Lemon Juice 15ml Maple Syrup 10ml Campari Dash of Coffee

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° FEATURE °

FINALISTS’ COCKTAILS D.Spoke BY: SATOSHI IWAI BAR: ORGO Ingredients 45ml Bacardi Superior 15ml Lillet Blanc 10ml Fresh Lime Juice 2 tsp Coconut Syrup (Homemade) 3 Dashes Cardamom Bitters (BOB’s) Lime Peel Method Together with lime peel, shake all ingredients and pour into a chilled martini glass Garnish Red cherry, lime peel, grapefruit peel Glassware 4oz Martini glass

Spring in Hamarikyu Garden BY: KNUT RANDHEM BAR: KU DE TA Ingredients 45ml Bacardi Superior 15ml Yuzu Shochu 10ml Galliano L’Autentico 10ml Lime Juice 5ml Sugar Syup 20ml Egg White 5cm Celery 1 Dash Celery Bitters Method Muddle, shake and serve in a small sour goblet Garnish Thin celery rind, giku flower

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Symphony

Facundo Legacy

BY: MUHD RAFII BAR: ICE COLD BEER

BY: STEVE LEONG BAR: TESS BAR & KITCHEN

Ingredients 30ml Bacardi Light 30ml Midori 60ml Chilled Bitter Lemon 3 pcs Rock Melon Balls Method Chill martini glass. Fill Boston glass with half ice and put three pieces of rock melon balls. Pour Bacardi and Midori and stir for 10 seconds. Strain into a martini glass with lemon rim. Skewer rock melon balls with cocktail pick and put into the concoction. Add bitter lemon, garnish and serve.

(Suggested enjoyment: Drink the cocktail then have a bite of the soaked rock melon.)

Garnish Rock melon stick Glassware Double martini glass

The Orient

Ingredients 45ml Bacardi Superior 10ml Aperol 30ml Pink Guava Juice 1 Lime Wedge 3 Bar Spoons Orgeat Syrup

Garnish Mint, Angostura bitters mist Glassware Highball

BY: KELLIE CHIN BAR: POTATO HEAD Ingredients 45ml Bacardi Superior 15ml Bacardi 151 10ml Pure Yuzu 10ml Pure Mirin 20ml Cinnamon Syrup 5ml Pimento Dram 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves 1 Cinnamon Stick

Method Swizzle

Tropical Thunder BY: MITCH LAGNEAUX BAR: POTATO HEAD Ingredients 60ml Bacardi 20ml Lime Juice 15ml Lemongrass Ginger Syrup 15ml Passion Fruit Puree Aromatic Bitters

Game Changer BY: AKIHIRO EGUCHI BAR: SUGARHILL Ingredients 50ml Bacardi White 45ml Jasmine Tea Infused St Germain 8 Green Grapes 15ml Lime Juice Method Muddle grapes and shake all ingredients vigorously. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass with double strain. (For Jasmine Tea Infused St Germain: Infuse 4 jasmine tea bags with St Germain overnight.)

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BY: MIKE SELVAM BAR: PRIME SOCIETY Ingredients 45ml Bacardi Superior 20ml Vedrenne Vanilla Liqueur 05ml Cointreau 30ml Cold Lipton Black Tea 10ml Fresh Orange Juice Orange Peel Zest Method Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass Garnish 3 golden raisins, 3 mint leaves and orange peel on skewer

Pink Ruben BY: ANANDHA RUBEN BAR: OSTERIA MOZZA Ingredients 88ml Bacardi Light Rum 44ml Watermelon Juice 14ml Lemon Juice 7ml Agave Nectar 2 or 3 Basil Leaves (Depending on the size) Top-up Ginger Ale

Clockwise from above left: Mike Selvam, Mike’s Mambo cocktail, Anandha Ruben, Pink Ruben cocktail

Mike’s Mambo

Method Muddle, shake and double strain Garnish Nutmeg and 3 coffee beans Glassware Pilsner glass

Chiroptera BY: MARTIN AMBROSE LIU BAR: 28 HONG KONG STREET Ingredients 44ml Bacardi 14ml Maraschino 14ml Aperol 22ml Lemon Juice 14ml Orange 14ml Bianco Vermouth Method Shake all ingredients with 4 green basil leaves.

Double strain into an absinthe washed coupe.

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° FEATURE °

THE

JUDGES

Marc Rodrigues With over 10 years in liquors and prior experience at Coca-Cola, Marc Rodrigues has a wealth of knowledge in the industry. Having worked for companies in Australia, including Beam Global, Constellation Brands and Diageo, Marc has held titles of National Sales, Customer Marketing Director and Head in such category. He left the corporate world in 2012 and founded Drinks World Asia, the leading drinks trade magazine in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. In addition, Marc also consults for brands in Asia or those wanting to launch in Asia to which he brings a lot of valuable knowledge and connections to the mix.

Caryn Cheah Caryn started out in the wines and spirits industry as Sales and Marketing Personnel for a boutique spirits wholesaler, introducing to the local market and managing luxury spirits such as Patron and Sagatiba. It was here that she learned the ins and outs of the alcohol wholesale and retail business, and became familiar with the processes involved to take a spirit from grain to bottle.

Starting a cocktail bar – Barkode – she not only learned to bartend, but also how to run and manage a business. After the first two months of bartending, she participated in a major bartending competition – Diageo World Class Singapore 2012. The 6-month-long training and competition was what sparked her passion in mixology. She went on to qualify for the finals and came out the 3rd runner-up. This gave her exposure and confidence.

From guest bartending and cocktail-food pairings at Mozaic in Bali to conducting masterclasses and demonstrations at Jakarta Culinary Fest 2013, she has not looked back since. She was recently named Top 25 Bartenders in Singapore in Drinks World Asia 2014. These days, she runs her own bar consultancy outfit along with three other bartenders, helping others who have the same passion as they do. She is also currently the trade ambassador for Bacardi-Martini Singapore.

Lucas Swallows Lucas has 10 years combined behind the stick – as a beverage professional, bartender and sommelier. He boasts a range of experiences from New Mexican margarita joints to Las Vegas super-clubs to esteemed hotels and casinos in Southeast Asia. As a drinks educator and developer, his style is based on the slow food philosophies of the Italian food and wine world, which focuses on simple quality and resourcefulness.

In less than four years, he has developed over 10 unique and successful bespoke bar programs in three major international markets. Currently the Property Mixologist for Marina Bay Sands, he intends to continue in the assistance and evolution of beverage excellence in Southeast Asia and beyond.

James Michael (Jimi) Tegerdine Britain-born James Michael “Jimi” Tegerdine was enticed into the culinary world in 2001 and went on to work in leading kitchens around the world. He honed his skills among others at The Relais De Coche, a fine dining restaurant in the South of France. It’s here where he built his foundations for old world cuisine, thoroughly immersed in the creation of classic French dishes. He then moved continents to join Australia’s Wagamama international group of restaurants.

With his passion and creativity, he quickly rose up the ranks, and in 2008, was considered for the position of “Executive Chef” for Melbourne based Cho Gao, a new restaurant concept. His role was to give a fresh interpretation of traditional Asian dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Indonesia and Japan. Combining traditional styles, foods, and techniques and mixing them with Western presentation, is where his European and Asian cuisine skills come together.

He admits that although Australia was an eye opener, “Foodie Central” Singapore has presented him with exciting new challenges. This 30-year old Executive Chef leads a team that delivers a unique dining menu showcasing modern interpretations of European cuisine at LeVeL33.

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째 DRINK 째

Cocktail Club D

aiquiri

INGREDIENTS: 60ml Mount Gay Eclipse Rum 30ml Lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup

METHOD: Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a coupette glass.

GARNISH: Lime wheel GLASS: Coupette

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ointreau Fizz Strawberry & Mint INGREDIENTS: 50ml Cointreau 15ml Fresh lime juice 4 to 5 Fresh strawberries 3 Fresh mint leaves 50ml Fever-Tree Soda Water

METHOD: In a boston shaker; muddle the strawberries, add mint, Cointreau and lime juice. Fill with ice. Shake until the metal tin is frosted. Strain into the glass over ice, and top with soda water.

GARNISH: Mint sprig GLASS: Wine Goblet

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째 DRINK 째

G

arden Delight

INGREDIENTS: 30ml MIDORI 30ml Gin Mare Top with Fever-Tree Tonic Water METHOD: Build ingredients over ice, top with tonic water and stir.

GARNISH: Cucumber slices and a pressed rosemary sprig GLASS: Highball

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Z

acapa Runs for President INGREDIENTS: 50ml Ron Zacapa 23 15ml Sweet Vermouth 15ml Pineapple juice 5ml Grenadine

METHOD: Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled coupette glass.

GLASS: Coupette

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° DRINK °

S

loe Gin Fizz

INGREDIENTS: 45ml Hayman’s Sloe Gin 15ml Fresh lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup Top with Fever-Tree Soda Water

METHOD: Shake all ingredients except soda water and strain into an ice filled highball glass.

GARNISH: Lemon wedge GLASS: Highball

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T

he Cîroc No.15

INGREDIENTS: 30ml Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka 15ml Campari Top with sparkling blood orange

METHOD: Build ingredients over lots of ice, top with sparkling blood orange and stir.

GARNISH: Orange slice GLASS: Highball

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Knut ° MEET °

Randhem

B

orn and raised in Sweden, Knut has always wanted to become a chef. He got into a restaurant school, but he soon realized that working in the kitchen was not for him. Initially he worked as a waiter, eventually ending up behind the bar. He never stepped out of it since. Currently, he’s the Head Regional Mixologist at Ku De Ta.

Drinks World Asia: Tell us about your background behind the bar and the bars and places you have worked. Has any stood out for you and why?

Knut Randhem: I’ve always wanted to become a chef. So I enrolled in a restaurant school, but soon realized the kitchen wasn’t for me. Initially I worked as a waiter, eventually ending up behind the bar. Right after I finished school, I moved to Copenhagen in Denmark. It was here that I really learned the trade. I spent a few years behind the bar at Hotel Twentyseven, as well as worked in bars around Copenhagen, such as 1105 and Ourselves Alone. My experience extended to doing consultancy, both for the brands and the bars. It was enjoyable for me since I’m interested in the operations side of the bar. After almost 10 years of working in Copenhagen, I decided that it was time for a change. Ku De Ta came, and I took the opportunity to do something different.

DWA: Tell us about your current role. What’s great about it and what are the challenges?

KR: As Ku De Ta’s Regional Head Mixologist, I am in charge of the bar programs for all venues.

It started with Bangkok. Gromit Eduradsen, my former boss from Nordic Bar Syndicate, and I did the initial staff training and menu development.

When he went back to Denmark, I stayed on to maintain it. Then I moved to Ku De Ta Singapore to handle the new bar program here while sitting with the project in Hong Kong. It’s really a challenging job because of the volume and the number of people working behind the bars.

I learned that creating the world’s best cocktail is a lot easier than getting 60 bartenders to make an Old Fashioned in the same way. But I’m fortunate to have good teams that are very eager to learn and have a drive to improve.

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DWA: What is inspiring you and your drinks at the moment – a trend, a flavour, a style, etc?

KR: I’m a very classic inspired bartender at heart. I think that most great drinks have already been invented, but you can still adjust and improve them to certain style or atmosphere. At Ku De Ta, we have used a lot of Asian influences both for our food and our drinks. For me, Asian flavours are very clean and crisp. That’s why when creating drinks for our venues, I always keep these in mind. However, I still base signature drinks on classic cocktails or drink formulas. Normally, I balance our light signature cocktails with heavier classic drinks on the menu.

DWA: Describe what you think makes a great bartender?

KR: I think the difference between a good and a great bartender is confidence. And, behind that confidence is a wealth of knowledge. I’m not only talking about knowing 600 classic drinks or everything about the history of American whiskey. I am talking about knowing your bar, its surroundings and how it functions, what kind of experience are you looking to offer your guests, and what kind of music fits the place. Knowing all these provide you with the tools to make a great impression on your customers.

DWA: Ku De Ta continues to grow with Hong Kong next on the agenda. Tell us about Singapore and Bangkok, and what can we expect for HK? KR: Bangkok was my first project with Ku De Ta. We have a total of five different themed bars that highly focus on providing quality drinks and service over there. And I’m very proud that we are able to offer superb cocktails in all our bars.

Even during busy nights, guests can enjoy great drinks from our team.

In Singapore, Ku De Ta has been operating for four years now. Although the place has a successful bar program running, we still feel that we can take the cocktails to another level.

Currently, we are in the last phase of re-training all the staff, and implementing a more modern Ku De Ta way of making drinks, which is more similar to what we do in Bangkok.

Our aim is to have the same structure for all Ku De Ta bars, but with a local touch. As such, we will be implementing the same structure in Hong Kong. The three-floor bar, located at the California Tower on Lan Kwai Fong, will include a restaurant, a nightclub and a rooftop bar. All will feature the same quality drinks from a team of talented bartenders. We plan to open the bar in mid-March and at the moment, we are still in the recruitment stage.

DWA: Tell us what spirits, styles and brands are you enjoying working with at the moment?

KR: I like to work with most spirits. For the past 15 years, spirits have been my biggest

hobby, and I am very much fortunate to work with my hobby. But if I have to choose, I would say I’m quite into white rum – everything from smoother Cuban style to white Martinique rums. I don’t know why, but the flavours of white rums fit very well with our Asian-flavoured cocktails. Rum is also my go to spirit when I don’t know what to drink.

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° PROFILE °

MOUNT GAY

The World’s Oldest Refined Rum

N

amed in honour of the pioneering Sir John Gay, Mount Gay is the world’s oldest, refined rum produced on the Carribean Island of Barbados in 1703. Only the finest sugarcane molasses and pure water filtered through the coral heart of the island are selected to create Mount Gay rums.

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For Master Blender Allen Smith – who joined Mount Gay distilleries in 1991 – there is no accurate, scientific formula to creating rum.

His philosophy to blending rum is that “it’s ready when it’s ready, not before”. He was instrumental in the development of the awardwinning XO Reserve Cask Rum blend. He added that “rum blending is an art passed down for generations, and I am honoured to continue the brand’s focus on innovation and refinement with the introduction of Black Barrel. We are thrilled to give our consumers an exceptional, highquality spirit to appreciate for years to come.”

Departing from its predecessors, Black Barrel’s bottle has a long neck that descends into a flask shaped bottle and features a different visual for its front label, highlighting the pure amber hue of rum seen through the glass.

Black Barrel’s accolades include the honour of being listed as one of the Top 10 Best Spirits Innovations 2013 by Wine & Spirits Magazine, a grade of 94 in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, awarded Gold in San Francisco Spirits Competition 2013 and most recently, awarded Gold in Rum Masters and Spirits Business Awards in March 2014.

All Mount Gay rums are handcrafted from a blend of single column and double copper pot distillates and matured in toasted oak barrels.

Currently, the Mount Gay portfolio includes the newly launched Black Barrel, 1703 Old Cask Selection, Extra Old and Eclipse.

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° FEATURE °

Mount Gay Rum Launches

Black Barrel in Asia R

um aficionados have one more reason to rejoice. Last September 2, House of Mount Gay proudly launched its newest addition – Black Barrel – in Singapore to celebrate three centuries of Barbadian fine brown rum crafting. Dating back to 1703, Mount Gay is the world’s first ever recorded distillery although they have been creating the famous ‘kill devil’ spirit long before that.

WORDS ° Vijay Mudaliar

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senses of grilled bananas with undertones of vanilla and toasted almonds.

On the palate, it unveils itself to be another beast altogether. The peppery notes give the tongue a gentle tingle and the vanilla and toasted almond notes are enhanced. The char flavour is definitely unmistakable, but also pleasantly balanced for anyone trying it for the first time. With a warm medium to full-body finish, it sips pretty much like a good scotch or bourbon, and can be a stepping stone for whisky drinkers looking to expand their repertoire.

Try it in usual shenanigans such as Manhattans, Daiquiris and Mai Tais. Or if you like Piña Coladas and getting wet in the rain, go ahead and give the Mount Gay Black Barrel a shot. Literally.

Miguel Smith, European brand ambassador for Mount Gay Rum

Who better to take us into the world of rum and introduce Black Barrel than Miguel Smith himself, International Brand Ambassador for Mount Gay Rum. Hailing from the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Miguel’s knowledge of rum is indubitable. A superb raconteur with rum running in his veins, he was able to transport the master class group from bespoke tailor Kevin Seah’s private room to a what would be an imaginable rum shack in the Barbados.

Excitement filled the venue as guests were treated to Mount Gay XO, 1703 and drinks selection that would make any sailor jealous.

Fairly new on the market, Black Barrel is a blend of single column distillates and aged double pot distillates, with the latter having a higher percentage in the mixture. It is then finished in heavily charred bourbon oak barrels and bottled at 86 proof. First whiffs remind the

Mount Gay Black Barrel is available in Singapore at the following bars and outlets: Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall Bitters and Love CUT Gem Bar Jekyll and Hyde Jigger and Pony Lucha Loco Mad Men Merry Men Nektar Cuba Libre

Paradiso The Manor Cocktail Room Pecking Order Pluck Potato Head Sugar Hall Tess The Lime House The Men’s Room The Scarlet Hotel Waku Ghin, MBS

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° FEATURE °

Gaz Regan’s

Mindful Bartending GETTING STARTED (Part 2 of 4 editions)

W

hen I first stepped behind the bar in New York when I was just 23 years old, I was pretty much terrified of my customers. I had just arrived in the United States from a small town in England, and everyone in the Big Apple seemed to be so much smarter, quicker and more sophisticated than I was. I was an easy target for savvy New Yorkers to tease, and tease me they did.

It didn’t take me long though to develop a practice that made it easier for me to deal with the situation. I would arrive for work a full hour before I was due to start my shift, order a meal, and I would sit quietly on my own, eating slowly and gearing myself to face the crowd. If anyone tried to join me, I would politely tell them that I wanted to be alone. When the time came for me to start my shift, I found that I felt peaceful, centered, and ready to deal with whatever came my way. Although I didn’t know it, I was indulging in a form of meditation.

If you have ever practiced meditation, you will know that, although you are seeking to get away from the constant chatter that goes on in your mind, it’s very difficult to “tune out” for long periods of time. Our minds constantly try to stray to thoughts such as “I wonder if Jim and Coleen will be at the bar tonight,” or “I wish I’ve had handled that situation with my partner differently this morning.” Thoughts about the past and the future, rather than living in the present.

It’s important then, that, when we meditate, we recognize every time that our minds are straying. We don’t beat ourselves up about it, and instead, we simply try to come back to that place of stillness. And in that same vein, when we realize that we’re not being mindful, we take that opportunity to steer ourselves back to living in the present moment. The past is gone, and the future hasn’t yet arrived. Be Here Now. This present moment is all that’s real. Next time, I’ll give you some guidance on how to incorporate meditation into your life and your craft. Meanwhile, though, try to think about living in the present moment, and what that means to you.

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Miquel Sabrià Bernabeu

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rior to relocating to Indonesia, Miquel was Group Head Sommelier of Catalunya Hong Kong and Singapore. As the new Group Executive Sommelier of Ismaya, he expects a lot from himself and sees his role as a great opportunity to continue learning, improving his skills and sharing his knowledge of wines.

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° MEET °

Drinks World Asia: Tell us briefly about yourself. At what point did you know that you were going to be involved in the F&B industry?

Miquel Sabrià Bernabeu: Growing up, my family always took me out to different restaurants. And at home, I had great occasions to experiment around with food, making cookies filled with Nutella and raisins. But it wasn’t until the age of 20 that I studied Hospitality. Before that, I was involved in tennis.

Several years later, I decided to shift course into gastronomy. I studied culinary art at Hofmann, one of the most reputed culinary schools in Barcelona and a well known Michelinstarred restaurant as well. It was here that I also took a course in Introduction to the World of Wine, which became the starting point of my career as a Sommelier. I studied under Lluís Manel Barba, who later on would become one of my teachers at Escola Superior d’Hostaleria de Barcelona (ESHOB), where I was taking my Sommelier certification.

DWA: You worked as a Head Sommelier for Catalunya in Singapore and Hong Kong prior to relocating to Jakarta. What ideas have you learned while working in these cities that you think you can apply in Indonesia?

MSB: There’s no doubt about what travelling brings along in all aspects. The experience, skills and know-how you have acquired are sure to give you an advantage when you move to another place or country.

Having worked in Singapore and Hong Kong for several years has given me an overview of the wine industry in Asia. This understanding of the Asian wine culture can prove useful here in Indonesia in terms of searching suppliers, trends, legality issues and consumer preferences. With this knowledge, I can easily adjust and tailor things to suit the Indonesian market.

DWA: Since arriving in the region, what views do you have on the Indonesia F&B scene? How is it different from Singapore and Hong Kong?

MSB: Singapore and Hong Kong are already very different from each other when we talk

about wine, consumer preferences and laws.

In Hong Kong, for example, there are no taxes applied when importing wines, but in Singapore, it’s completely the opposite. There’s a legislation against alcohol that makes taxes very high.

Meanwhile, Indonesia – specifically Jakarta – is indisputably an upcoming and emerging market, which makes the city very attractive and interesting to introduce wine culture from all parts of the world. However, the biggest challenge comes from the fact that Indonesia is predominantly Islam, and as such, has a direct effect on the consumption of alcohol.

DWA: Can you tell us a bit about Ismaya Group. What do you hope to achieve in your new role with the company?

MSB: Ismaya Group is a market leader in conceptualising, developing and operating diverse group of restaurants and bars in Indonesia. Established more than a decade ago, it is the most important and largest F&B group in the region. To date, the group has 15 brands and more than 50 outlets in its lineup. Also recently, it has inaugurated another jewel “GIA”, an Italian restaurant and bar that’s sure to be a hot spot in the city.

As the new Group Executive Sommelier of Ismaya, I expect a lot from myself. While I see my role as a great opportunity to enhance my knowledge, I am aware of the huge responsibility that comes with the job. Ismaya has put their trust in me, hence, failing is not an option. I have to do my best to exceed their expectations.

DWA: If you could share something to aspiring Sommeliers out there, what would it be?

MSB: My father always said to me “The more you talk, the less you listen, so talk less and listen more”. For me, listening is one of the most important keys to learning in life. But if there’s one thing that my experience as a Sommelier taught me, it’s this: Work hard, love what you do and be humble but bold. Most important of all, never give up on your dreams. I believe that dreams do come true if you persevere and strive to attain them.

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Whisky Oak Beer Rolled Out in Asia

° FEATURE °

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an’t decide on whether to drink beer or just have a shot of a good Scotch whisky? Now you can enjoy both in one bottle in Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer, a fusion of premium lager and single malt whisky. This latest beer innovation from C&C Group, owner of Wellpark Brewery, has been made available in Asia through its roll out to Singapore last November 26.

“We chose Singapore to be the launchpad for Tennent’s Whisky Oak in Asia because it is a mature whisky market with a growing appetite for specialty beer.

Consumers here implicitly understand and appreciate quality”, said Conor Hardy, the Commercial Director of Asia Pacific.

Held at The Library, the launch was highlighted by a Masterclass and Tasting hosted by none other than Keith Lugton, Head Brewer and Product and Process Development Manager at C&C Group. There was also a Modern Scottish Food Pairing conducted by Chef Wing Lam as well as Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer Cocktails created by Mixologist Zac Mirza.

Dreamt up by Head Brewer Keith Lugton and his team, every bottle of Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer is carefully crafted at the iconic Wellpark Brewery producer of Scotland’s market leading brand of pale lager. It combines age-old brewing techniques and 21st century methods, and is brewed using three types of locally sourced Scottish malt, a blend of four hop varieties and the pristine waters of Loch Katrine.

This new creation from Wellpark Brewery is infused with notes of Speyside single malt whisky and toasted oak, resulting in a 6 per cent beer that is honey coloured, rich with smoky, fruity aromas and hint of sweet vanilla. Fermentation takes a minimum of three weeks, and involves warm maturation and ageing of the beer in single malt whisky-infused oak chips.

“Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer is best enjoyed between 6 to 10 degrees Celsius. It is a complex, yet approachable full bodied beer that has a wholesome, warming effect on the palate”, said Head Brewer Keith Lugton.

Of course, a premium brew deserves a bespoke bottle that highlights the provenance of the brewery and rich history of Scotland. Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer’s bottle design features a sturdy and broad base that conveys a masculine energy; the matt varnish, foils, emboss and lacquer finish adds a tactile element and emphasizes the quality of the product.

Tennent’s Whisky Oak will be available throughout Singapore from November 2014.

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° FEATURE °

Whisky Oak Beer Masterclass H

osted by Master Brewer Keith Lugton himself, the Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer masterclass generated quite a response from Singapore’s bartending community. “The turnout at the masterclass was ideal - it was an ideal group size to get around and meet everyone and have face to face discussions and talk beer”, remarked Keith.

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“Whilst the launch sessions were full on, there were many questions asked during the formal sessions and in the one-to-one personal discussion after the event. The beer knowledge of the audience was of a very high standard.

It’s clear to see that they know their beer in Asia. The food and cocktail pairing was also very interesting and stimulating.”

“One key point I would like to make is the temperature at which Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer should be consumed. My advice is 6 to 10 degrees Celsius to enjoy all the rich flavours from the beer. However, I have heard and read some comments that people in Singapore prefer it colder. Each to their own – as long as people enjoy the beer, then I am happy.”

“I loved visiting some of the bars in the city; the diversity of style and theme was fantastic. I hope Asia takes to Tennent’s Whisky Oak Beer!”

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° FEATURE °

Beam Suntory introduces

SMALL BATCH BOURBON Collection

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eam Suntory brought southern hospitality to Asia as it hosted a good old-fashioned southern throwdown at Singapore’s first ever bourbon bar – The Beast – last September 24. Four Small Batch Bourbons were presented and tasted together with four signature courses from The Beast’s newly launched brunch menu. Complete with a live bluegrass band and some homemade bourbon maple jam to take home, guests were treated to an authentic southern dining experience.

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Friends and guests were welcomed with refreshing Daisy Duke cocktails made with the first and only truly handcrafted bourbon, Maker’s Mark. The programme went underway with brand educator and resident mixologist Jamey Merkel sharing engaging stories, tips, and the ABCs of bourbons whilst the Beast served up the first of four sumptuous dishes.

The Dutch Baby Pancakes, temptingly served in a cast iron skillet, were paired with Booker’s, an uncut, unfiltered and straight-from-the-barrel Small Batch Bourbon. Next up were the sweet and savoury Chicken & Waffles with Knob Creek, the longest aged bourbon in the collection.

Following was the melt in your mouth Pulled Pork Hash and Baker’s, a recipe made with special jug yeast that has been in the family for over 60 years. Finally, The Beast’s famed Mac & Cheese Burger was combined with Basil Hayden’s, an impressive 200-year-old recipe.

Nightcaps and bacon maple-glazed donuts rounded off the indulgent soirée.

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° FEATURE ° With the hype around September’s International Bourbon Heritage Month, the gathering was timed to celebrate the history of the spirit and heritage of Beam, which dates back to 1795 with efforts from seven generations.

The story of Small Batch Bourbon is as old as the history of bourbon itself. All bourbons were essentially small batch and usually sold in barrels rather than the bottles we know today. As industrial techniques developed, more emphasis was placed on faster, easier manufacturing for purely economic reasons and efficient mass production.

Throughout the years, the art of small batch distilling was lost until Booker Noe produced 1,000 cases of his signature uncut and unfiltered bourbons on request. With overwhelming response from consumers, Booker was invited to produce the other three Small Batch Bourbons. Each has a unique recipe

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and age, and reflects the care and attention of his forefathers in creating exceptional bourbons whilst keeping the characteristics of different periods of time.

“Bourbon is undergoing a renaissance in Southeast Asia with more consumers turning to the richly flavoured whiskey to add variety to their drinking repertoire. As they say, variety is the spice of life. With expert craftsmanship and an interesting 200-year history, bourbon is due to increase its visibility as a laid-back, relaxing spirit. The popularity of finely crafted cocktails and cocktail bars has resonated well with the authenticity and the history of bourbon, especially as a premium ingredient. With finely crafted bourbons like Booker’s, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s, and Baker’s, you get not only a great cocktail ingredient but a smooth sipping whiskey,” commented Merkel on the growing popularity of the spirit.

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Following are the key takeaways and pillars of bourbon to be remembered: • Must be made in America (currently about 95% is made in Kentucky) • Must use a brand new charred oak barrel • Must use at least 51% corn or more by US law • Must be distilled at less than 80% alcohol Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is the world’s third largest premium spirits company. Its wide range of products includes the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as renowned premium brands such as Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by merging the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture.

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° FEATURE °

WHISKY LIVE

W

WORDS ° Logaraj

hisky Live – Southeast Asia’s premier and largest whisky and spirit show – returned to Singapore for the fifth consecutive year. Coined Whisky Live 2014:Collections, the event was held at the prestigious Raffles Hotel and showcased over 40 brands of whiskies and 25 brands of spirits, as well as a host of activities providing discerning drinkers with a unique experience.

I had the opportunity and privilege of being part of the show.

Representatives from the Remy Cointreau group first reached out to me about helping run the Bruichladdich booth slightly over a week before the main event, and I accepted without hesitation. I’m a fan of all spirits, and Bruichladdich first came to my attention during my stint behind the stick at the previous bar I worked for. While the notion of an unpeated single malt whisky from Islay was strange, the first sip I had, blew me away.

A day before the event, I had a quick training session (an excellent excuse to drink exquisite whisky in the afternoon at the offices of Remy Cointreau) with Brand Ambassador Richard Gillam. After the training and many hours of reading, it was time to get down to business.

This year’s Whisky Live was aiming to be bigger and better than all previous four years put together, and this was reflected in the event’s title itself. Instead of settling for the passé, Whisky Live 2014, the organisers – La Maison Du Whisky, City Nomads and Raffles Hotel – decided to coin the event as Whisky Live 2014: Collections. This was to highlight that not only a fine selection of whiskies were on show but also a plethora of other spirits ranging from Southeast Asian rums like Don Papa from the Philippines and Chalong Bay (essentially a Cachaça) from Thailand, to an array of tequila and gin that one would normally not have the chance to sample and learn about in the open market.

The day started bright and early with the setup of our dainty little booth beginning at nine. It’s never too early for a good cuppa to start the day and by 10, the first guests were starting to trickle in. A new concept this year was the removal of the daytime industry section of the event, which was closed off to the public. This year, all were welcomed throughout the day. The Bruichladdich booth was carrying the Classic Laddie, an unpeated Islay single malt that comes in a distinctive sky blue bottle that mirrors the unmistakable hue of blue one will see everywhere on Islay (even on the sheep!). Also in the booth were the Port Charlotte, a peated single malt; the Black Art, the ingredients of which are known only to Master Distiller, Jim McEwan; and Octomore, the peatiest whisky in the world, weighing in at 167 parts per million (ppm).

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And so the drinking began. The trickle of guests soon became a stream, and we had our hands full with people requesting for the full range and being mesmerised by the smoothness of the Octomore in spite of its heavily peated characteristics. Not only were the patrons of our booth inquisitive, but they were also taken aback by the fact that Bruichladdich is the only Scottish whisky that can lay claim to using barley that’s grown on Islay itself.

Despite the hustle and bustle at the booth, I had the chance to walk about the dedicated Collector Room and the rest of the event hall. The newly dedicated Collector Room featured exceptional bottles of the world’s rarest, oldest and most acclaimed whiskies.

For the first time ever, the very best of Singapore’s cocktail bars gathered for a friendly competition. Bartenders from 28 Hong Kong Street, Jigger and Pony, Anti:Dote, L’Aiglon and The Library were helming a pop up bar and serving cocktails that were specially created for Whisky Live 2014.

The wonderful food pairings by Burnt Ends and the lovely cocktails by some of the best bartenders in the country were truly superb, and to say that they were scrumptious is an understatement.

Over at the Monkey Shoulder booth, the main party starter and Monkey Shoulder Brand Ambassador, Zachary de Git, was mixing up Whisky Sours and Old Fashioneds, all while being the personal DJ of the section. The drinks were flowing, music was captivating, and the vibe of the entire room was dazzling.

As the day came to a close, there were incidents of overly intoxicated people slurring ‘thank yous’ and ‘goodbyes’ that were hardly intelligible.

But one could tell that they were thoroughly satisfied and beholden for the endless supply of tasting portions that they got to enjoy.

After a quick teardown and realising that I had been on my feet for 12 hours, it was my turn to wind down with a tipple or three. All in all, it was a wonderful experience that I will forever treasure.

Cheers!

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° PROFILE °

The World’s Most Admired

CHAMPAGNE BRAND T

he experts and leaders in the industry have spoken. Bollinger is the World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand for 2014 in a unanimous vote by Drinks International’s panel of 200 top international buyers, sommeliers, journalists and Masters of Wine.

Its unmistakable quality and inimitable style are as evident today as they were when Queen Victoria made Bollinger the first official champagne of the Royal Household in 1884.

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Long acknowledged as one of the world’s finest champagnes, Bollinger epitomises elegance, excellence and integrity. Its reputation is the fruit of meticulous attention to detail and commitment to producing nothing less than perfection. And its trademark style – recognised by champagne aficionados and connoisseurs worldwide – has been maintained by six generations of the Bollinger family over the course of 185 years. It’s no wonder that it has become the benchmark for champagnes and the choice of heads of states, celebrities and royalty.

Often known as the British champagne, Bollinger has enjoyed close affiliation with the British Royal Court and prides itself on having held a Royal Warrant continuously for over a hundred years. It was also the designated champagne at the Ascot Racecourse, home of the Royal Meeting. Its long association with James Bond further underscores its impeccable taste and sophisticated style. It’s said that no money was involved in all the exposures afforded to the brand as the former president of the House, Christian Bizot, and Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, one of the producers of the James Bond saga, became mutual friends.

So what’s the secret to Bollinger’s exceptional taste and elegant style? Foremost are the grapes. Bollinger is composed of more than 60 per cent Pinot Noir, a demanding grape variety with an intense character which forms the backbone of the Bollinger style. These grapes are grown in a 164-hectare vineyard in the best crus of the Champagne region, 85 per cent of

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which are classified Grand and Premier Cru. That give it Bollinger’s quintessential elegance to achieve a supreme level of taste.

As a guarantee of superior quality, Bollinger champagnes are aged in oak barrels. This ancient method helps develop aromas of great finesse and is conducive to micro-oxygenation, the secret to excellent ageing capability. Ageing period usually takes three to five years, much longer than the required 15 months. In addition, Bollinger blends around 10 per cent of reserve wines and ages them in magnums, making it the only champagne house in the world that practises this unique system.

Moreover, Bollinger champagnes also benefit from a long ageing in the cellars, which is usually two to three times longer than required by the Appellation rules for vintage and non-vintage wines. It is this long period of maturation that produces extraordinarily delicate aromas, elegant gold colour and fine bubbles.

Hence, it’s not surprising that Bollinger’s NV

ranks are comparable to Prestige Champagnes range.

Bollinger is renowned for its rigorous quality standards, and this commitment to excellence is clearly spelled out in the Bollinger Charter of Ethics and Quality. The House follows traditional methods, including individual vinification of each marc and cru, barrel fermentation (it is the last Champagne house to employ a full-time cooper) and extra-aging on the lees prior to disgorgement.

Dedicated to preserving the environment, Bollinger is the first vineyard to be awarded the Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne certification. Its commitment to environmentally friendly, sustainable viticulture has strengthened over the years and is reflected in various initiatives. Among them, the implementation of a rigid internal specification in 2010, focusing on the end quality of the grapes and the means used to attain such quality.

Likewise, Bollinger initiated the production of

the company’s Carbon Footprint® in 2010 and an 85 per cent reduction in the use of herbicides through grass cover on the plots and mechanical weeding. It was also the first House to obtain the High Environmental Value (HVE) certification in 2012, further affirming its efforts to respect the environment and preserve the landscape.

Today, Bollinger is a major global brand name and highly sought the world over. It has a market presence that spans more than 100 countries, enjoying an excellent reputation in the major European countries Italy, Spain, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, and right up to Russia. Not only it is part of the way of life in Australia and New Zealand, but it is also very well established in Japan, China, South Korea and Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong.

Yet, Bollinger has never rested on its laurels and continues to find new ideas and ways to uphold its status as one of the most emblematic Houses the Champagne region has ever known.

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° PROFILE °

Champagne

Salon

C

hampagne Salon is not only an unusual maison, but also intriguing in its style and rarity. There is only one cuvée on offer from this house, so you’re either a fan or, potentially, not. That being said, the popularity of Champagne Salon means its limited production run never fails to sell-out, creating a demand that helps to promote Salon’s sister house - Champagne Delamotte.

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The first vintage of Champagne Salon was in 1905, which became the private champagne for Monsieur Aimé Salon who, originally a poor farm boy, had found success as a fur trader in Paris.

Aimé Salon made a very good living, travelling Europe and creating a flourishing business. His first parcel of land in the Champagne region was only a single hectare, called Jardin de Salon, and this became his home, in the Côte des Blancs, just south of Epernay.

Champagne Salon takes a single vintage approach, from a single cru and made only from chardonnay. Arguably the first-ever single vintage was single cru, blanc de blanc. The champagne was produced only for Monsieur Aimé Salon and his guests, traditionally dining at Maxim’s in Paris, until the 1921 vintage when it was made only slightly more available for purchase (as long as you were a personal friend of Monsieur Salon of course).

Aimé Salon passed away in 1943 and the house was taken over by his nephew

who looked after the business until 1988.

Champagne Salon is now in the hands of Champagne Laurent-Perrier, and run by Chef de Cave Didier Depond.

Today, only 60,000 bottles are made each vintage. On average, there is only one vintage every three years (there were only 37 releases in the entire 20th century), and some bottles are put down for extra aging, leaving on 18,000 bottles each year for the market.

“There is no Salon rosé, no non-vintage, no pinot noir or meunier – just Salon made from chardonnay, from a single year. We also have no half bottles, only full bottles and magnums. You could say we like to keep things simple”, said Vianney Gravereaux, Export Director for both Salon and Delamotte Champagnes.

“We’ve just launched the ’02 and there is strong interest from importers looking towards markets that may not be taking their allocation for the year for obvious reasons, such as Russia and possibly Ukraine, and hoping to secure an

extra allocation themselves. It’s a weapon of mass seduction, winning over markets across the world.”

Champagne Delamotte, founded in 1760, is located literally next door and is also owned

by Laurent-Perrier. Many of the staff are allocated between houses, which is significantly beneficial when you consider that Salon may not have a vintage for a number of years concurrently.

Additionally, the champagnes of these houses display similar styles. Delamotte is also a house driven by chardonnay, sourcing grapes from the grand cru villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (their vineyards were granted their status in 1995, proposed by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine in France), Avize and Oger.

The 2002 vintage has been keenly anticipated and expectations have been met – this is an exceptionally good champagne.

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° PROFILE °

TNotes

asting

CHAMPAGNE SALON, CUVÉE ‘S’ 2002 Even though this wine has spent 10 years on lees, it is still youthful and displaying lemon and lime intensity. The fruit is all about purity, and with the malolactic fermentation closed off, the wine has just five gram dosage. A trend of lowering the dosage over the years has seen the champagne reach a beautifully balanced level, allowing the fruit to shine. A rich mouthfeel and a fine, lively mousse. With plenty of cellaring potential, this wine is still a young one at 12 years old. There to be enjoyed, but plenty more to come.

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T

° VISIT °

asmania Wines WORDS ° Winsor Dobbin

T

asmania may account for less than half of one per cent of Australian wine production (an average of 7,800 tonnes annually against 1,530,000 tonnes), but it punches well above its weight when it comes to quality. And, at a time when many segments of the wine industry are doing it tough, Tasmania is booming, albeit from a very small base.

Best known for its sparkling wines, the island state has been described as “the new Champagne”. And with cool-climate wines very much in vogue, eyes are on Tasmania – it doesn’t get much cooler than Australia’s southernmost state.

“The cooler the climate, the better the grapes for sparkling wine. That’s why we focus on Tasmania,” says Ed Carr of Accolade Wines, the man behind House of Arras – Australia’s most expensive sparkling wine range, produced from vineyards in southern Tasmania and the south east coast.

“While getting the grapes ripe is important, it’s also about not getting grapes too exposed to the sun. You have to protect the finest fruit

characters during ripening and that can be done in Tasmania.”

Although it is wines made from pinot noir and chardonnay that have made the wine world sit up and take notice, other varieties including shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, have also been successful. Today, there are around 1,400 hectares of vines planted in the state (56% white, 44% red) with pinot noir (44%) leading the way from chardonnay (23%), sauvignon blanc (12%), pinot gris (11%) and riesling (5%).

For several years now, Tasmania has been the one Australian wine region where demand for grapes exceeds supply, and prices are high given the state’s isolation and lack of cheap labour. While 93 per cent of

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Above: Heemskerk and Abel’s Tempest Winemaker Charles Hargrave Below: Jansz Tasmania Winemaker, Natalie Fryar

all wine produced in Australia sells for over $15 a bottle, all of Tasmania’s production sells above the $15 price point. Options for expansion do exist, but are limited, with much of the state cold, wet and windy, and unsuitable for viticulture.

“There is so much in the Tasmanian wine sector that is positive and that has been the case for several years now,” says wine industry veteran Sheralee Davies, Chief Executive Officer of the industry umbrella body Wine Tasmania. “There have been years of slow steady growth across vineyards, quality, investment and global interest, which was boosted by hosting the Cool-Climate Wine Symposium in 2013”, she added.

The vast majority of Tasmanian producers are small family-owned companies (some producing just a few hundred cases a year). Of the 160 within the state, only around 60 export to the mainland and less than half of that have overseas markets. The major companies, however, are here in force.

Treasury Wine Estates looks after the Heemskerk and Abel’s Tempest ranges. Recently, they’ve purchased one of the state’s largest vineyards, White Hills, located outside Launceston, to provide additional fruit for the Abel’s Tempest range.

Heemskerk and Abel’s Tempest winemaker Charles Hargrave, who has spent most of his wine career in South Australia, says: “I think the wines being made out of Tasmania are some of the best examples of

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their varieties - steely riesling, beautiful aromatic pinot noir, taut and linear chardonnay, and sparkling wines with lovely finesse. With the purchase of White Hills vineyard and new packaging for the Abel’s Tempest by Heemskerk wines, we’re very excited about the future of these Tasmanian wines.”

Leading sparkling wine producers include the Arras, Jansz, Clover Hill (owned by Taltarni) and Kreglinger, controlled by the Belgian conglomerate that also has the Pipers Brook and Ninth Island labels.

Accolade Wines has enjoyed immense success with its House of Arras sparkling wines, most recently winning three gold medals at the 2014 Tasmanian Wine Show, and a gold medal at the 2014 Sydney Royal Wine Show and International Wine Challenge. Accolade has also seen the Tasmanian produced Bay of Fires range and recently added, new mid-price Eddystone Point range do well.

Brown Brothers owns Tasmanian labels Devil’s Corner, Pirie and Tamar Ridge. Commenting on the sites these wines are sourced from, Brown Brothers Tasmanian Winemaker, Tom Wallace, says: “We are fortunate to have two viticultural areas in Tasmania where we make the Pirie, Devil’s Corner and Tamar Ridge wines from. The Hazards vineyard is stunningly situated on the East Coast of Tasmania and the maritime influence gives richly concentrated wines with a fleshy fruit forward style.”

“Our Kayena Vineyard at the top of the Tamar Valley tends to give strong structured wines, with bright acidity and excellent aging potential. Having both vineyards gives us different options when it comes to blending and also minimises risk from variable weather patterns around vintage.”

Shaw + Smith bought into Tasmania by purchasing the Tolpuddle Vineyard in the Coal River Valley and released its first wines, a chardonnay and pinot noir, late last year. Tolpuddle Vineyard is also where Domaine Chandon sources grapes from for its Chandon Tasmanian Cuvée.

The Hill-Smith family, owner of Yalumba, controls Jansz and Dalrymple.

Both the Jansz Tasmania vineyard and Dalrymple vineyard sit in the Pipers River region of the Tamar Valley.

On producing wines in Tasmania, Jansz Tasmania Winemaker, Natalie Fryar, commented: “We generally classify winemaking in Tasmania as high risk but high return. We handle things differently in Tasmania because of the higher risk in winemaking here. For example, in autumn, you can have cold weather, rain and leaves dropping on vines. Also with a cool climate the ripening season is longer and therefore open to more risks. Since Tasmania has a maritime climate, we experience a lot more humidity. That means we learn to work with issues of disease and understand how to work with that, and most practice in Tasmania is set up to manage these and the outcomes.”

“Tasmania is also incredibly diverse, with its differing typography and soils. So what happens is that every site is very different to every other site, which means you can get a lot of very strong individual stamps. It makes Tasmania an exciting place to make wine. It’s an emerging region, and one of the most exciting things about it is what’s not even planted yet.”

Commenting on Tasmanian vintages, Davies says the only blot on the landscape is the 2014 vintage, in which total production dropped from a record 11,000 tonnes in 2013 to around 5,500 tonnes. “The only thing you can’t control is production variability,” she explains. “The quality is great – and is just about every year – but you have no control over volume. People may love the end result, but there is nothing easy about making wine in Tasmania.”

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The majority of grapes are grown in the north, much of which is wilderness and the Tamar Valley, an unofficial sub-region as the entire island is one appellation, takes in Pipers River to the east, and Relbia to the south, almost on the fringes of Launceston Airport. Among the pre-eminent locally owned producers are Josef Chromy, Delamere, Holm Oak, Stoney Rise, Moores Hill, Goaty Hill and Velo.

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital and largest city, is in the south and is surrounded by three wine regions: the Derwent Valley to the north, Coal River Valley to the east and the sleepy Huon Valley to the south. Key names to look out for include Pooley, Clemens Hill, Frogmore Creek, Domaine A, Coal Valley Vineyard, Home Hill, Hartzview, Panorama, Stefano Lubiana, Moorilla, Pressing Matters, Puddleduck, Two Bud Spur, and Derwent Estate, which sells chardonnay to Penfolds for its iconic Yattarna.

Moorilla is part of the $175 million Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) complex built by local gambling multimillionaire David Walsh. Together, the two also recently launched a trio of premium wines adorned with cloth labels the winery used 50 years ago. The 2004 Moorilla Cloth Label Late Disgorged Sparkling will sell for $145 and the table wines, a red and white blend, for $110.

“It has been seven years from concept to release of creating a flagship range and I think the wines we have released pay tribute to a pioneering cool-climate winery that helped put Tasmania on the wine map,” says Canadian-born Moorilla winemaker Conor van der Reest. “We wanted to link the past with the future, and I think we have done that.”

Wines like these are made in very small quantities (160 cases of the white, 94 of the red and 140 cases of the sparkling). Shiraz is very sitespecific in Tasmania with Moorilla and Glaetzer-Dixon, the two major producers, at around 500 cases each annually. Cabernet sauvignon is even more problematic, although Peter Althaus at Domaine A has proved very

successful with Bordeaux red varieties, albeit in very small quantities.

There are also several smaller wine regions; the road to the historic settlement of Port Arthur boasts a handful of wineries, including Bream Creek, Australia’s major producer of the German grape variety schönburger, as well as Cape Bernier. North of Hobart, just off the main road to Launceston, you’ll discover pinot noir specialist Winstead in the hamlet of Bagdad, while the East Coast’s most prominent producers include Spring Vale, Freycinet and Milton.

There is no shortage of alternative varieties either, with Joe Holyman at Stoney Rise tinkering with grüner veltliner and White Rock in the northwest of the state enjoying success with the German red variety dornfelder.

Cynthea and David Feldheim left winemaking in South Australia to join Cynthea’s family wine business in Tasmania, established in 1979. Today the couple produces wines for Marion’s Vineyard, Naked Wines and their own brand, Beautiful Isle Wines.

“Our grapes are easterly planted on a slope towards a large expanse of water, we get frost only in winter, we have a three month ripening season and we have planted Cabernets, Shiraz and Tempranillo with great success. Tassie is not only pinot noir - we love pinot, chardonnay and the aromatics too!” Cynthea added that although they have issues with high humidity, fungus and pests like birds snails, ultimately, they came for the quality and the cons are worth the extra effort.

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° MEET °

C

lovis Taittinger

Heir to a Champagne Dynasty

T

he 4th generation of the Taittinger family and heir to one of the most renowned champagne houses, Clovis is passionately involved in every aspect of the business. As Export Director of the company, he goes around the world representing his family and forging close relationships with Taittinger’s distributors and clients. In this interview, Clovis gives us some insights into the family’s journey to establishing its name in the champagne world.

Drinks World Asia: We understand that Taittinger Champagne House has quite an interesting background. Can you give us a glimpse into the family’s rich history?

Clovis Taittinger: Taittinger was founded in the 30s by my great grandfather Pierre Taittinger and his son, Francois, who was 17 years old then. Shortly after the Second World War, we became very quickly one of the most hip brands as we were symbolizing a very dynamic and very entrepreneurial family. Also, our style of champagne was revolutionary: very light, very fresh, very feminine and made mostly of Chardonnay.

In parallel to this success, Francois and my grandfather Jean bought and created many companies in luxury, hotels and other various businesses such as banking. Companies such as Cristal Baccarat, Hotel Martinez in Cannes, Hotel de Crillon or Hotel Lutetia in Paris are striking examples. In essence, Francois and my grandfather Jean both established the family as one of the most successful in France in the 20th century.

Until 2005, the group had over 15,000 employees. For various reasons,

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family ones mostly, we sold our group to an investment fund company (Starwood Capital) in that same year.

When they put Taittinger on sale (like every other former companies of the group), my grandfather, my father and I decided to repurchase the company as it was our roots, our name and our heritage.

Now, we are familial again. The company is totally rejuvenated, a fresh and passionate blood is flowing, and we are performing better every year.

In fact, we are back in the race for the top 5 international luxury brands of champagne.

DWA: Prior to joining the family business, you’ve worked in other fields and even managed your own company. What made you change your mind?

CT: The fact that we were about to sell the group and I did not see myself joining a group without a total vision of its future.

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DWA: As the Export Director of Taittinger, what does your role entail? Does it require involvement in the winemaking aspect of the business as well? What are some of the joys that your job brings?

CT: As Export Director, I am mostly a plumber and/or tailor. One part is making sure that Taittinger champagne is flowing well “through all the pipes” in the world without too many leaks. This entails ensuring that products are well transported, well sold, well exposed, and well animated in every country of the world. This is mostly a distribution and an animation work towards the agents and customers.

The other part is to realize deals and partnerships. Taittinger is a boutique, and we are always designing tailor-made offers for groups and corporations as well as for individuals... There are no limits to dreams and pleasures.

Besides the creative and technical work of export and being M Taittinger, I am very much involved in the wine making as well. Taittinger being an eponymous brand means that everything is signed with our name and it is a sign of credibility, authenticity and faith for all our customers.

DWA: What’s the secret behind Taittinger’s success in the champagne market?

CT: Key to our success is top quality, reliability and consistency. Passion for family and team is another. Likewise, having passionate agents to represent and sell our wines as well as loyal customers are equally important.

DWA: If you had to describe Taittinger in one or two sentences, what would it be?

CT: Taittinger is a timeless brand; it’s independent and a beacon of elegance and reliability. It’s a family of champagne; a missionary of champagne life – bringing love, happiness and great art de vivre to all.

DWA: Can you tell us the wines that Taittinger produces?

What makes them so unique and special?

CT: Taittinger has a large range of cuvées, and they are all made mostly from Chardonnay, without any makeup to let their purity stand out and which are aged long. The result are wines that are light, elegant and fresh. One can actually drink them morning after morning as they give great pleasure and positive energy.

Our iconic wine, the Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, is a symbol of the best wine in France. It’s super delicate and super refined.

As a whole, our wines are unique and special in the sense that it has family character and credibility.

DWA: Where and how do you see Taittinger, say in the next five or 10 years?

CT: I see Taittinger as an established, top quality brand; full of life and ideas, growing and at the forefront of the champagne industry. Competition is fierce and will always be. But we’ll just have to do our best to maintain our edge and take initiatives to make our brand known to everyone and to the whole world.

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appletonestate.com

RICH IN CHARACTER. Joy Spence, Master Blender, Appleton Estate

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Exceptional people enjoy with care.

RICH IN LIFE.

Exceptionally Crafted Since 1749

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° DRINK °

Beer Styles B

eer is the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and third most popular drink, next to water and tea. With so many breweries in the world producing different beers and coming out with new styles, it can be a challenge to distinguish one from the other. Here are some of the popular styles available on the market.

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Lager

Wheat Beer

One of two main categories of beer (the other being ale), the word lagern means ‘to store’ in German. This refers to the beer created with brewing techniques that involved storing for prolonged periods of time in cool conditions. Today, lager styles are the most commercially available and successful beers in the world.

Defining a specific flavour profile is hard, as lager beers can range from light to dark and sweet to bitter. However, we can say that lagers usually are lighter in alcohol and have simpler flavours. The typical lager is lighter in colour and flavour, clean in taste and generally has a sharp, crisp finish, making it a perfectly sessionable beer. Most popular lager styles are American Lager, Bock, Märzen, Oktoberfest, Pilsner and Schwarzbier.

Wheat beers are historically brewed in Europe, where two countries – Germany and Belgium – can be considered the homes of this style.

Belgian wheat beers are called Witbiers, and are usually flavoured with spices and fruit. Germany produces both filtered (Kristallweizen) and unfiltered (Hefeweizen) wheat beers as well as Dunkel, made using Munich malts that create a dark, heavier style of wheat beer.

Wheat beers, as the name suggests, contain a large amount of wheat, up to 70 per cent. While the wheat is mainly responsible for the silky and luxurious mouthfeel rather than the taste, the protein coming from the wheat creates a brew which is full bodied, with hazy appearance and with a thick, long-lasting head.

Popular brands: Victoria Bitter (VB), Tooheys New, Peroni, Stella Artois, Heineken

Popular brands: Hoegaarden, Warsteiner Hefeweizen

Pale Ale Pilsner Probably the most successful lager style in the world, Pilsner or Pils is definitely Germany’s most popular beer. It is distinguished by its blonde colour, clear body and distinctive delicacy; the prerogative of a good pilsner made with top-quality raw materials. Its origins lie in what is now the Czech Republic, in the town of Pilsen. Legend says Josef Groll, a Bavarian brewer, was hired by the brewers of Pilsen to share the German methods of brewing, which resulted in a light, straw coloured beer thanks to the soft Pilsen water and the Czech hops. Pilsners owe much of their success to their clean, simple and refreshing style.

Pale ale is a beer that uses a warm fermentation and predominantly pale malt. It is one of the world’s major beer styles. Its typical light colour is given by the higher proportion of pale malts, hence the name Pale Ale. The term, which was first used in the early 1700s, referred to beers made from malts dried with coke, which also resulted in a lighter appearance.

More sophisticated modern brewing practices and hop levels now create a great range of different flavours and strengths within the Pale Ale family.

Popular brands: Coopers Pale Ale, Vale Ale

Ale Popular brands: Pilsner Urquell, James Squire Pilsner, Little Creatures Pale Ale

Ale is beer that is made with top-fermenting yeasts. In fact, it is fermented at temperatures much higher than lager beer. Barley Wine, Belgian Tripel,

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Belgian Dubbel, Bitter, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Porter, Stout and Wheat Beer are some of the major styles of ale. Ales are very different from lagers – they are stronger, darker and cloudier, full-bodied and fruitier.

Ale is brewed at warmer temperatures for a shorter amount of time.

You are likely to find higher level of hops in a modern ale, as well as a flavour profile that encompasses banana, pineapple, pear, apple and plum characters. Ales can also be produced in a variety of styles, such as bitter ale, cream ale, dark ale, pale ale and India pale ale.

of dark beer. Stouts can also contain chocolate, which adds sweetness.

Other variations can be porters, with a higher alcohol content, and Dunkel.

Dunkel beers are basically dark lagers, originating from Bavaria but brewed all over Germany nowadays. Dunkel beers are usually very malty and present little hop bitterness. They are for the most part soft, elegant and full bodied at the same time. Stouts are of Irish origins, but are brewed all around the world, Guinness being the most famous example. All dark beers share some common characteristics, namely, rich flavours of toast and coffee, aromas of chocolate, coffee and barley.

Popular brand: Endeavour Amber Ale Popular brand: Speight’s Old Dark

India Pale Ale India Pale Ale or IPA is the hop-rich brew that became popular in the 18th century due to its endurance on the long trip from the UK to India. Hops – which acted as preservatives – and the higher alcohol content ensured the creation of a beer that would last the four-month long journey to India.

IPA is gold amber in colour and features distinct hoppy, floral aromas. It is brewed around the world, with America and Australia producing some of the most exciting examples. The intense bitter taste can be minimised with the use of citrus-flavoured hops, or by including crystal malt in addition to the pale malt.

Popular brands: Samuel Adams IPA, James Squire IPA

Dark Beer Originally called porters, Dark beers were commercially available in the UK during the 1730s. People tend to call dark beers stouts, and even though they are the most popular dark style, there are many other types

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Lower Carb As consumers become increasingly health-conscious, lower carbohydrate beers have suddenly found a niche in the market. This style of beer is obtained by controlling brewing times and temperatures, and converting malt grains to fermentable sugars, resulting in less carbs.

Trappist Trappist beers are created in a monastery, which is not an unusual practice in Belgium, but it is a special kind of monastery run by trappist priests.

There are only seven trappist monasteries, six of which are situated in Belgium – three in the Dutch-speaking Flanders and three in the Frenchspeaking Wallonia, where the likes of Chimay come from. Only one trappist brewery does not lie on Belgian soil, but rather in the Netherlands, close enough to the Belgian border. Together, these seven breweries can call themselves trappist and their products are recognised by the trappist logo of authenticity.

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째 FEATURE 째

The World of

BEER

B

usiness consolidation and globalisation has had many benefits for the consumer, not least of which has been the price and availability of many goods and services. However, one area where the creation of global brands has arguably had a cost, is in the idea of regionality and local flavour. And this is particularly so in the world of beer.

WORDS 째 Matt Kirkegaard

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Once upon a time, beer much more clearly reflected local conditions and produce, with native yeasts, hop varieties, water and malting techniques all ensuring the beer bore the mark of its home. Unlike wine, however, which tends to be produced close to where the grapes are grown, barley, hops and yeast are easily transportable. Water chemistry is also easily manipulated to mirror the water conditions of any region, so brewers can easily replicate styles anywhere in the world, which has seen a rise in generic beers that fit a wide global net.

Today, we are seeing a resurgence of craft brewing and an explosion in the number of beer styles, both through styles being resurrected and also popularised further afield. While there is a huge selection of styles, the modern brewing renaissance reflects less the local conditions than trends, culture and tastes.

The modern beer tourist now has a wealth of options, both from countries with very traditional brewing cultures, such as Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the UK, through to brewers who are putting a much more modern spin on the humble brew.

The United States It would be easy to dismiss the beers of the United States. However, the US is actually the powerhouse in interesting and flavoursome beer. It can lay claim to being the catalyst to the current global beer renaissance, which traces its origins back to the birth of the Sierra Nevada brewery in 1979. At that stage, there were fewer than 100 breweries in the whole of the US, and the country had faced several generations of consolidation and brewery closures.

Sierra Nevada pioneered the hoppy pale ale – big citrus notes and assertive bitterness – now referred to as the American Pale Ale. It sparked three decades of brewery growth that continues today and has ignited a global trend.

Today, there are more than 2,800 breweries across the US, with estimates of more than 500 in planning. The spread and diversity of beer

in the country makes it high on the ‘must visit’ list for those looking to combine beer and travel.

US brewers have been the great innovators in modern brewing, reviving, inventing and reinventing beer styles and creating excitement for beer and experimentation, not to mention inspiring the global craft beer movement.

Today, almost 50 per cent of US beer sales are through its exports of craft beer.

US HOTSPOTS: • Denver, Colorado Home to the US’ largest beer festival – the annual Great American Beer Festival – which represents the greatest concentration of breweries and beer diversity in the world. The city itself, with a population of 630,000, boasts more than 30 breweries within a half hour drive of the city centre, and the state of Colorado has more than 150. Names include Wynkoop Brewpub, Great Divide, and the Coors-owned Blue Moon Brewing Co. • Portland, Oregon Often regarded as Beervana in the US, Portland supports almost 70 independent craft breweries and locals estimate that nearly 40 per cent of beer consumed in the city is craft. Portland is also home to the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, the Portland International Beer Festival and Portland Beer Week. Names include Deschutes Brewery, The Commons Brewery and Bridgeport.

• San Diego, California The US deserves its own article to fully cover the intricacies of the local beer scene, particularly when many consider East Coast and West Coast breweries to have their own distinct signatures for styles such as India Pale Ale. San Diego is the heartland of the West Coast style, with big names such as Stone Brewing, Green Flash, Ballast Point and AleSmith.

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Munich, and the rest of Bavaria, are also famous for the fruity and refreshing weizenbier, or wheat beer. These top fermented ales, made with 50 per cent wheat malt in addition to barley malt, are very distinctive due to the fruity esters and clove-like phenolic compounds thrown off by the yeast during fermentation.

Perhaps the most distinctive beers of Germany are those of Franconia, made in Bamberg, with their distinctive smoked character. Highly traditional, these are beers that link back to a time when all malts would have been dried over fires. Just as many Scotch whiskies derive their distinctiveness from the peatsmoked malts used, the rauchbiers (smoked beers) of Bamberg are made with malts dried over beechwood fires and take on a character reminiscent of smoked ham. It’s a style that – no pun intended – has reignited a move towards adding a hint of smoke to many craft beer styles.

Britain

Germany One of the most inventive and exciting brewing countries, yet one of the most rigid and traditional, but in the world of beer that’s by no means a bad thing.

Beer is so embedded in German culture that when a US brewer recently set up his brewery in Berlin, he asked about obtaining a license to sell his beer. The local officials looked at him quizzically and said, “You sell beer…Why would you need a license to sell beer?”

Travel through Germany and drinking local is to sample history and beer styles as you go.

The Germans have a deep respect for brewing tradition, but its enjoyment is a casual ritual.

Beers such as kölsch of Cologne – the world’s only appellation control beer that can only be so-called if brewed in the city limits – has a long tradition. When golden lagers gained popularity following the birth of the pilsner style in Bohemia in 1842, breweries that were unable to produce lager beer made their ales lighter flavoured and paler than the darker beers they had formerly made, while still brewing them

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as ales. In Cologne, this resulted in the golden kölsch style, which was formalised following the First World War and its name protected by the European Union in 1997.

Cities such as Dusseldorf on the other hand continued to hold onto the older, darker styles, even naming them altbier (old beer), compared to the newer lager style.

Despite holding onto their ale traditions, the Germans are no slouches when it comes to lagers either. The name ‘lager’ itself is derived from the German word ‘to store’ and harkens back to the practice of storing beer made in March in cool caves to preserve it through the coming hot summer months when brewing was not possible. In doing so, brewers inadvertently were favouring the colder fermenting yeasts and the beers changed in character, becoming crisper, as they were lagered. When brewing could recommence with the cooler weather of late September and early October, the leftover March – or märzen – beers were consumed. The traditional beer of Munich’s Oktoberfest is the amber-coloured märzenbier for this reason.

With its reputation for warm and flat beer, Britain may be seen as a place to avoid for beer lovers. But, as is always the case with beer, context is everything. In the context of their history and development, cask-conditioned ales – beers that undergo a secondary fermentation in the keg to provide a natural carbonation – are a beauty.

Cask-conditioned ales are comparatively low in carbonation due to the conditioning process and ‘warm’ at 8-10 degrees, as they are cellar cooled rather than refrigerated. Their gradual decline sparked one of the largest consumer movements in the world – The Campaign for Real Ale – to preserve the treasured ales.

Despite its traditions, and the competing move towards the convenience and security of international lagers, Britain has embraced the modern craft beer movement eagerly.

The UK abounds with traditional ale breweries and modern craft breweries, with Meantime, BrewDog and Camden Brewery – the latter owned by Australian Jasper Cuppaidge – among the best of the new breed.

Belgium If the United States is worth its own article on its regions and the possibilities it offers the beer traveller, Belgium is worth a book – a long one

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° FEATURE °

at that. Despite its size, Belgium is arguably the spiritual home of good beer.

Beer styles and regionality are problematic for Belgian beers. Unlike the ever precise Germans, brewing in Belgium is very idiosyncratic and only the vaguest groupings can be offered for their styles.

While microbrewing is the buzz in the New World, it is the way of life in Belgium. Wherever you go in the country, you can’t help but stumble upon a brewery making something interesting and flavoursome.

Though brewing traditions are ancient here, beer styles themselves constantly evolve. A great example is the Belgian witbier (white beer), lately popularised

by Hoegaarden. The style had died out in the 1950s as drinking fashions changed, only to be revived a decade later by local milkman Pierre Celis who fondly remembered the beer style. It has become a craft staple around the world.

Australia Australians love their beer. Yet, it wasn’t that long ago that the relationship between beer and travel meant that if you left your home state, you also found your state’s beer unavailable at your destination.

While XXXX was available in Cairns – 1,800 kilometres north of its Brisbane base – you would have been flat out finding it in Grafton – three hours drive south. If you were a ‘New South Welshman’ visiting Melbourne, you had best be willing to drink a Melbourne bitter or a VB as Tooheys was rarer than a rugby league football.

So much has changed in the last two decades, following the amalgamation of the regional breweries into the big two brewing companies during the ‘80s and ‘90s, and their push for national markets.

The seeds of the current craft beer movement were sown even before the 1984 birth of the Sail & Anchor in Fremantle, that spawned the Matilda Bay Brewing Company, now part of CUB. However, it was the launch of Little Creatures in 1999 – by Phil Sexton, who also started Matilda Bay – that really sparked the current beer wave.

Today, Australia boasts a broad selection of breweries and beers, and craft beer continues to grow. In fact, the craft beer explosion has changed the scene of brewing in Australia as demand continues for “more complex and flavoursome beers”, Cam Pearce, Sales and Marketing Director of Coopers Brewery says. “Recent growth in the premium and craft beer segments has helped boost Coopers’ popularity. Coopers has a unique range of ales that are distinctively different to mainstream lagers and most premium imported beers”, Cam added.

While those already producing craft beer continue to

grow their businesses, those brands sitting outside the category have to compete either by changing style more progressively towards that of craft or importing those flavoursome and more original styles that the rest of the world has to offer. This has seen a huge growth in premium international beers and the category is now the second largest in Australia (Aztec July 2014).

“International premium and pale ales are definitely continuing their domination of the growth figures. And styles such as IPA, sours, saisons and session ales are in great growth”, says Ben Kooyman, Founder of ENDEAVOUR Vintage Beer Co. This has also greatly impacted sales of the can format.

Not only have craft producers embraced the can format, but so have importers of international brews, making the importation a much easier process, while also helping to protect the brew inside. “The beer can has experienced a resurgence thanks to the new can designs embraced by many craft brewers. In fact, many brewers prefer the can as a vessel to the bottle, amongst other things the can blocks all light to the beer, making the beer tasted as close to as the brewer intended. The can has been on a steady increase for a few years now and I believe will continue to grow as the consumers perception of canned beer evolves”, Michael Lonard comments.

So what of the regions behind Australia’s booming craft scene?

Western Australia continues to power ahead, with Fremantle, Margaret River and Swan Valley all hosting concentrations of breweries. It may invite fierce argument, but while WA is the home of craft beer, Victoria seems to be the centre of gravity for beer endeavours. The garden state is the complete package with great breweries matched to a huge range of venues supporting and promoting craft beer.

New South Wales has seen a rapid growth in brewery numbers, though beer-centric venues have been a little slower coming. Conversely, Brisbane has seen a rapid expansion in the number of beer-focused venues, with only a handful of metropolitan breweries following.

South Australia and Tasmania both have a scattering of great breweries, with the former blessed with one of the best beer pubs in Australia – The Wheatsheaf in Thebarton.

Perhaps the best advice for the wandering beer drinker is wherever you go, take your sense of adventure. As you front up to the bar anywhere on your travels, go on a beer journey as well.

Ask, “what’s local”, “what’s new” or “what’s interesting”, and you never know what sort of taste adventure you will have.

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HOW TO (The Basics of Bartending)

W

orking the floor or as a barback is a demanding job in itself, and you don’t want to make things harder by getting lost in the bartending mumbo-jumbo. Here are some basic terms to help you get by, and in no time, shaking, stirring and rolling like a pro.

CHILL

SHAKE

This is one of the most important steps in cocktail making. Great restaurants serve their hot meals on warm plates, so cool cocktails should be served in chilled glassware. You can use a freezer or fridge, however, the quickest way is to fill the glassware with crushed or cracked ice and water. Make this simple step the first thing you do, and by the time you have mixed, muddled or shaken your creation, the glass will be at the perfect temperature and your cocktails will stay crisp and cool for longer.

Before pouring the drink, you must empty the glass of the ice and water into a sink, and then shake vigorously to rid it of any remaining drops of water.

Shaking correctly is imperative to mix, dilute, chill, aerate and in some case emulsify cocktails. Whether you use a cobbler shaker with a built-in strainer, a Boston or a jam jar (yes it’s possible), the rules are the same.

Add all your ingredients, fill the shaker with hard, cold ice. Seal the lid.

Hold the shaker with both hands and shake it. SHAKE IT, really shake it.

The shake motion is not a rocking motion or a maraca. The ice has to travel from one end of the shaker to the other and crash into the end of the shaker. This forces the liquids through the ice and chills them super fast. It also dilutes the drink to make it more palatable. 10 to 15 seconds is a good guideline. For drinks that include egg whites or cream you may need longer. By now, the outside of the shaker should have pearls of condensation covering it and your cocktail will be ready to strain.

DRY SHAKE: Some cocktail recipes will require a dry shake prior to the regular shake. In a dry shake, an egg is added to the shaker in place of the ice. This is to ensure the ingredients properly emulsify, and generate a frothy or foamy texture that will form on top of the cocktail. If required, ice is then added to the shaker and a standard shake is performed.

MUDDLE Muddling in a mixing glass is essentially the same as chefs using a mortar and pestle; you are crushing the ingredients to extract the freshest flavours and juices. For soft fruits like berries, the muddling technique itself involves pushing down and twisting until you have a puree. For citrus fruits, just muddle enough to extract the juice; over muddle and you introduce bitterness from the oils in the skin. For herbs (mint, coriander, basil, etc.) gently press them a few times with your muddle or with the flat disk on a bar spoon.

MEASURE Measuring ingredients is exceptionally important in recreating cocktails, and it’s easy if you have a jigger or measuring cup. Simply pour the ingredient into the measure (over the mixing glass) then add to the mix.

Don’t let mls, cls, or liquid ounces confuse you. Great drinks can still be made without a measure, just make sure the ratios are correct and you can use anything - an egg cup, shot glass, bottle caps, etc. Some ingredients, like bitters, are really intense and only a dash is required.

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STRAIN Straining holds back the broken and used ice while you pour your drink.

Simply place the strainer firmly onto the mouth of the metal tin (or jam jar), place your index finger over the top of the strainer to hold it in place, then wrap your hand around the tin and pour the drink through the strainer into a chilled glass.

FINE STRAIN Cocktails that contain flecks of herbs or pulpy fruits after muddling or shaking can create an unwelcome texture using only a regular strainer.

For a silky smooth cocktail, while also preventing embarrassing moments of torn leaves on teeth, simply pour the cocktail from the shaker with the regular strainer through a fine mesh strainer (tea strainer) held over the chilled glass.

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Chill

Muddle

Measure

Shake

Strain

Fine Strain

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STIR

BUILD

Stirring is a technique for chilling and mixing a cocktail without the extra dilution you get when shaking. Stirring is traditionally used to make drinks that contain just alcoholic ingredients and the desired texture is silky with a weighty flavour. Add your ingredients to a mixing glass, add cold hard ice cubes to the top, grab your long handled bar spoon and place the outside of the spoon end against the inside of the mixing glass, and carefully slide it to the bottom. Keeping the spoon completely upright, gently stir the drink clockwise or anticlockwise so that the ice and booze rotate as one.

At all times, attempt to prevent jagging or breaking up the ice. Stir time will depend on the ice used, the room temperature and your technique.

When condensation builds up on the outside of the mixing glass, you are ready to strain into the awaiting chilled glass.

Building is the quickest and easiest way to make a cocktail. These are normally drinks that do not need extra chilling or dilution and the ingredients mix easily. The quintessential built drinks are spirits and mixers, i.e. gin and tonic, vodka and cranberry juice. To build a drink, simply grab the glass (usually a highball or Collins glass) and fill it with ice then add the ingredients in order. It is important to add as much ice to the glass as possible; more ice means less dilution and the cocktail will be nice and cold. The ratios are roughly one part alcoholic ingredients to three or four parts mixer. You may need to give the ingredients a quick stir with your bar spoon.

THROW The throwing technique is a very flashy way of aerating and chilling a drink. It is unusual to see it being used in many bars today, however, when honed can be very impressive, and eventually you can “throw” a stream of liquid a metre in length. To throw, first build the drink with ice in a mixing glass, using a strainer to hold the ice back pour the contents into an empty shaker tin. As you pour from one to the other, steadily increase the distance between the two by raising the ice filled glass, whilst lowering the shaker tin. Keeping the shaker tin slightly tilted will prevent splashing. When you’re left with just ice in the mixing glass, simply pour the cocktail mix from the shaker tin back into the mixing glass and repeat the process three to four more times. When your drink is suitably chilled and aerated simply pour into a chilled glass and serve.

ROLL: This is the most gentle of the mixing techniques, and is used when it is important not to overmix a drink. It is most commonly used to mix the Bloody Mary because tomato juice loses its thickness and becomes thin when agitated. To roll a drink, hold your filled shaker tin next to an empty one. Then pour the contents back and forth between the two shaker tins a few times, keeping the shaker tins close together.

RIM A great way of adding texture and complementary flavours to a cocktail is to coat the rim of the glass, where one sips from, with salt, sugar, or any kind of coating, fine chocolate or cinnamon for example. Fill a shallow saucer with the crystals or powder of your choice, and run a slice of orange or lemon around the outside of the rim of the glass. The whole perimeter of the glass should be moist. To prevent the rimming ingredient getting in the drink, roll the outside of the glass in the saucer until the rim is coated and then, holding the glass upside down, gently tap the base; any loose particles will not stay inside the glass.

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LAYER Sipping hot Irish coffee through a layer of fresh cold cream is a taste sensation. The trick to layering is to turn a spoon upside down, place it inside the edge of the glass and lower it slowly down the inside, very gently break the surface tension of the liquid and then raise the spoon slightly. Pour the layer as slowly as possible over the back of the spoon, moving the spoon up as the level rises. Repeat the process with as many layers as you require. When creating layered shots, it’s imperative to know the specific gravity of each spirit or liqueur you’re working with, and pour them in order from heaviest to lightest.

GARNISH It’s a well known fact that we eat with our eyes first, obviously that’s mechanically impossible. However, when a meal or drink looks tasty, it stimulates our senses and our body prepares itself for a taste sensation.

Garnishing is a huge part of this, and therefore it’s important that the garnish is relevant and complementary to the ingredients. For example, the flamed orange zest on a Cosmopolitan works because the orange oils enhance the orange flavour from the Cointreau.

Almost any fresh fruit, vegetable, berry, herb or spice can be used as a garnish. Fresh fruits and berries provide lots of contrasting colour and taste great. Vegetables are great savoury additions, like a stick of celery in a Bloody Mary. Herbs and spices add aroma, think mint sprigs on Juleps or grated nutmeg on an Alexander. Of course olives, cocktail onions and maraschino cherries are classic cocktail garnishes, and bartenderlore says always garnish with odd numbers.

It is crucial to use only the freshest and highest-quality fruits, vegetables and herbs. Prepare your garnish just before you make your drinks, and make sure the garnish complements the drink.

FLAME Some drinks require the zest to be flamed; this is essentially the same as a twist, except you’re squeezing the oils through a flame to ignite them.

Using a match or lighter, hold the flame next to the glass in one hand, then with the zest held between your thumb and forefingers of your other hand, place the zest next to the flame and then squeeze the zest quickly so that the oils shoot out of the skin and through the flame and ignite.

Then add the zest to the drink.

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Stir

Throw

Rim

Layer

Build

Garnish

Flame

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Zest Twist

ZEST TWIST The strips of fruit peel that release the essential citrus oils from the lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit peel onto the surface of the drink, adding aroma and flavour to a cocktail.

With a sharp knife, cut a strip of skin from the fruit, leaving a little of the white inner pith for sturdiness. You can trim the edges of the zest to smarten it up. Then hold the twist over the cocktail with the coloured side pointing toward the surface of the drink. Hold the twist between your thumb and forefingers. Turn one end clockwise and the other anticlockwise. The oils will be released and will fall onto the top of the drink. Now rub the coloured side of the twist around the rim of the glass so that any remaining oils adhere to the rim of the glass, and drop the twist into the drink.

Some drinks require the zest to be flamed; this is essentially the same as a twist, except you’re squeezing the oils through a flame to ignite them. Using a match or lighter, hold the flame next to the glass in one hand, then with the zest held between your thumb and forefingers of your other hand, place the zest next to the flame and squeeze the zest quickly so that the oils shoot out of the skin through the flame and ignite. Then add the zest to the drink.

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