Last year’s inaugural Wine Lust was a novel event. A wine festival that was held in multiple, intimate settings rather than under one tent was something that we appreciated.
Guess what? It’s back.
Wine Lust 2018 Preview
We’ve always had a soft spot for Spanish food. After all, it has a great deal in common with local cuisine. Rice, hearty seafood and rich flavours all seem like something that we can all agree with.
Oh, and of course, who can forget the drinks?
We’re quite focused on the drinks side of things, but there’s a place in our hearts for restaurants with a substantial drinks programme. There’s a good reason the industry is often referred to as “Food and Beverage”; a fact that’s forgotten all-too-often.
So, when we checked out the revitalised Le Binchotan, which features both dining and a fully bar, we walked in with open eyes- and jaws.
After a busy 2018 which saw the Bar Awards travel to Thailand and Hong Kong, it is time for the spotlight to return to Singapore.
The best part? You still get to participate this year. Hooray!
Rémy Martin is one of those companies that we associate strongly with art. Whether it is craft behind cognac making, weaving music into their campaigns, or simply beautiful product design, they always manage to titillate.
So, when they release a special edition of one of their cognacs, we always pay attention.
We’ve always been fascinated with minimalism.
Being hoarders ourselves, we really enjoy a bit of chaos, a bit of excess. Surely if less is more, then more must be better.
Well, not quite.
While we’re used to buying whisky from the liquor shops, opportunities to buy our favourite bottles of Scotch direct from the source are few and far between.
Usually, this would entail booking a long flight to London, driving up to Scotland, and legging it to the distillery. Something of a tall order, truth be told.
Until now, that is.
It’s holiday season again, and there’s just so much stuff going on that we think you shouldn’t miss.
Let’s get on with it, shall we?
We’ll preface this by saying that this isn’t quite a review. One doesn’t quite review a department store- not one with this much booze.
Still, we think that it’s worth talking about. After all, it is a store with this much booze. Some of which you can’t get anywhere else.
In 2002, a Islay distillery took its first step that would eventually earn it a spot in whisky Valhalla.
The distillery was not a particularly large one, compared to the juggernauts that dominated the production on the isle. So, the question of resources was always a pressing one.
Worse, it had experienced more than a fair share of financial misfortunes over the decades, leading to it changing hands more than once. Its previous owner, Whyte and Mackay, bought it in 1993, only to mothball it for seven long years. It was, for most intents and purposes, dead.
The name of the distillery? Bruichladdich.
Being in a wine bars is a bit like shopping in the average bookstore.
Shelves stacked to the ceiling, overflowing with the merchant’s wares. Everything from Botticelli paintings to inkblots adorn each bottle, or book.
A scant few words on the back describe the contents within. Teasing- but about as informative as your average presidential campaign poster.
Yes, wine bars and bookstores both have the same small problem. We often judge them and their wares by their covers.
As the local bar scene evolved over the years, we’ve noticed an increased sense of confidence and boldness, particularly when it comes to new concepts.
At the beginning, the idea of a bar celebrating Singaporean heritage and showcasing local ingredients was unheard of. As one British sitcom might put it- it would have been a “brave decision”. Then came the first waves of local-focused bars such as Nutmeg and Clove and Ah Sam’s Cold Drinks Stall. We then saw Native show up, and then Amrith.
And now, at the Shangri-La Hotel no less, we have Origin Bar.
