Part 1 of Reviews from La Maison du Whisky Singapore

Review by: Whiskery Turnip

One of my formative whisky experiences occurred at the La Maison du Whisky hub in Singapore. I was just getting into scotch and had developed a keen interest in Amrut while traveling to India for my sister-in-law’s wedding. My wife and I made a stopover at LMDW and ordered a flight each with help from the staff. As we chatted whisky with the bartender, and we knew very little at the time so I recall the conversation being him asking if we had tried lots of stuff and us replying no, bottles started to appear in front of us. I had never been to a whisky bar before, but the experience was revelatory; from an epic early Amrut Spectrum to a Hanyu, I had no idea how special some of those whiskies were until much later.

Whenever we return to Singapore, we make a pit stop at LMWD. The last time we made it by was 2019; at the time, it felt as though the whisky selection had been trimmed down quite a bit. Four years later, the amount of rum is now staggering, but the whisky selection felt much improved. Sure, old and rare stuff is not just going to magically reappear. Still, the variety of bottlers and casks available appeared more diverse. As we explored our flight, we gazed at the walls of whisky and found plenty more to try on another night.

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Distillery: Glenburgie

Bottler: Signatory Vintage for La Maison du Whisky Singapore 16th Anniversary

Region: Scotland/Speyside Single Malt

ABV: 52.1%. Cask strength.

Age: 27 years. Distilled on 15 June 1995.

Cask type: Hogshead

Price: $26/20ml at LMDW Singapore

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Nose: Fresh and clean, tropical vegetation, mildly floral, mellow peppercorn and cassia bark, eucalyptus bark, hibiscus and plumeria tisanes, almost petrichor, tropical botanical garden after the rain.

Palate: Medium-bodied, musty tropical fruits and florals, vegetal, restrained sweetness, underripe mango, subtle earth, more caramel over time with pear, hints of bitter oak.

Finish: Medium to long finish with fruits, florals, earth, and a kiss of salt.

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Mental Image: Botanical Garden Stroll in the Rain

Conclusion: This lovely single cask from the dunnage warehouse of Signatory Vintage was bottled for the 16th Anniversary of LMDW Singapore. The staff involved in picking the cask relayed that it was one of several siblings they had tried in Scotland. It had matured closest to the door and was the most exposed to air currents and temperature variations.

I adore these tropical 1995 vintage Glenburgie, and this cask might have been my favorite yet. While the aroma was quiet and reserved, it remained delicate even as it opened up; the palate was loaded with big lovely musty fruits that just tumbled out right away. If the aroma was a distant mirage, the palate was that mirage blossoming to life. The flavor profile had a lovely tropical vegetal and earth quality somewhere between the freshness of morning rain and the mist from sprinklers. Possibly I spent too much time traipsing through botanical gardens lately, but that note was something akin to a greener, more lively petrichor.  

The whisky was well-balanced between fruitier and floral notions with a reserved sweetness. Indeed, I wish it had been a touch sweeter. The missus found it not quite sweet enough to be a proper bathtime whisky, though she still rated it highly. With more time to rest, or a few drops of water, more pears and orchard fruits came to the table.

Final Score: 86.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.