Back and Bad

Ok so 2013 wasn't so great for this blog. But 2014 will be better. I've promised myself to update this blog at least once a week, and bring back the IBA project to the best of my abilities. 

Spending nearly one year working in the liquor industry made me realise a couple of things

1) I still get excited over new drinks , new bars, new ideas, new tastes.....

2) I still enjoy my drinks - but I'm done drinking just to get high or drunk. I drink to enjoy the flavour..... Getting high is just the side effects. :)

That job also made me slightly sick of drinking those local watered-down beer on tap, those common (probably fake) whiskies and horribly made overpriced cocktails. So. With whatever opportunity given to me, I intend to highlight awesome stuff - cocktails, bars, bartenders, exciting brands, share with you some DIYs... Especially DIYs. Why? Because when you realise how easy to make simple cocktails, and how CHEAP it is to make it tastier and stronger for a fraction of the price you pay for at so-called "happening" bars, you would never want to go to those places again. 

But there are SOME bars that I believe, are still worth visiting, where the bartenders actually care about their craft and the quality of the exciting drinks they make, were the ambience is cosy and just right for chit chat with a friend or two. Those I would love to go again and again, if my bank account allows me. Damn this place for making drinking so expensive.

So Hello 2014. :)

Short note.

Cocktail recipes need to be tweaked to make room for our local overly sour limes. Make room in the recipe for some sugar syrup to balance the sourness.

Another way to counter the sourness without altering the 'original recipe' is to make the syrup 2:1 water.

But for tequila recipes which originally doesn't call for sugar (as per iba) - highly recommended to put some syrup, if you don't want to see crumpled faces.

Iba postponed until further notice. :p

The IBA Project

Image Source: nightlifealert.com

This is one of the main reasons why I've been a little quiet these days - doing some research on this new exciting project I want to embark on and finding a new reason to live. THIS IS IT. THIS IS A NEW REASON TO LIVE THROUGH 2013.

(Just so that we're clear, drama aside, even if I hadn't found this to do, I would still live through 2013, albeit it might be a tad bit duller.)

But I'm really excited about this. So excited that I'm forcing you to get excited with me about it!

Horizontal 18 Year Old SMW Tasting

All the beauties in a row.

From left to right: (italics to emphasize the ones not meant to be part of tasting)
1. Tomatin 18 year old
- Strathisla Single Malt Scotch Whisky (not an 18, but was brought out because it was interesting)
- Macallan 15 year Old, Fine Oak (not exactly drank, more like eaten. it was used to flame steak which was served for dinner, I shit you not)
2. Macallan 1994 / 18 year old sherry
3. Yamazaki Hakushu 18 year old
4. Glenlivet 18 year old
5. Laphroaig 18 year old
- Glenfiddich, 125th anniversary edition (brought out because we were all curious)
6. Glenfiddich 18 year old
- Glenfiddich age of discovery 19 year old Madeira Cask  (brought out because we wanted to compare)
- Glenfiddich, 30 year old (brought out because the host was high and feeling generous)

Jameson Irish Whiskey

Ohai!

What makes a whiskey and a whisky different (apart from the obvious missing vowel, wise guys, haha) is that "whisky" comes from Scotland, and is also known as a Scotch. What makes a Scotch a Scotch is, among other things, that the whisky needs to be aged in Scotland, aged for at least 3 years and bottled at no less than 40% ABV.

Jameson's very proudly, made in Ireland. So it's not a Scotch, neither it is a whisky. It's a whisKEY.

Doesn't make it worse or better. It only makes it different from a Scotch.

It is tripled distilled, which is probably why the aroma isn't as strong as  say,  a single malt whisky (SMW) which is distilled only twice. But it is also the reason why it goes down so smooth, it claims. Though it IS smooth. 

Oh and it is sweet. You can smell the sweetness (which is unlike the strong vanilla sweetness from SMWs) and taste it too, even on the rocks. Has that slightly smoky aftertaste which is not distracting. 

I like it. 

Man, I need to take better pictures of the stuff I drink or throw away that BB for a better phone. :/

More:

Official website

Asahi on a Hot Tuesday Afternoon

Just to re-affirm you that this blog is not managed by a bot, I'm slipping in a picture of me. Ohai!

Nothing beats an ice cold beer on a sweltering day, don't you think?

The handsome devil pictured above is Asahi Super Dry, a favourite lager of mine.

Here's a description of what the beer is from Carlsberg Malaysia's website:

Asahi Super Dry was introduced in Japan on March 17, 1987 as the world's first KARAKUCHI beer, and Japan's first dry beer. Ever since then, it has continued to improve the taste and excitement of beer.

Asahi Super Dry is a premium lager beer and is also Japan's No. 1 beer. It's unique clean, crisp & refreshing "Dry Beer" taste (Karakuchi, in Japanese) has caught on with the rest of the world, with its presence in over 80 countries.

And they weren't kidding about the crispy aftertaste. Light, bubbly, clean, dry, and there's none of that usual bitter, hoppy aftertaste that most beers have... so it goes down super easy!

Asahi Draught in a Tower.. or rather, bubble lol

Carlsberg distributes (through its subsidiary, Luen Heng) and brews Asahi locally. It's available on-premise (bars, outlets, cafe, F&B outlets...) and off-trade retail outlets (Jaya Grocer, Giant, Carrefour...). It is also served on tap at selected Carlsberg outlets since December 2011.

It's a little more expensive than your usual Carlsberg green label or Tiger but is in par with the other "imported" beers.

In a nutshell, it's easy to drink, easy to get, and relatively inexpensive. No reason to not enjoy it at anytime of the day aye? :)

Kampai!

DIY Jelly Shots

Bottom to top: Margarita, Lemon Drop, Strawberry Daiquiri and Apple-Peach Jelly Shots

These friendly, colourful weapons of mass destruction are super easy to make!

It's not (yet) the nicest tasting mixtures, but it's palatable. Most importantly, it is also unassuming and lethal - the best combination ever. I've had friends who after consuming 2, declared that they were quite high, muahaha.

Magners in TDH, TTDI

This is a terribly taken picture of a glass of Magners cider taken from TDH TTDI's bar top yesterday evening (Sunday).

The point of this was just to inform you that for some reason, Blackthorn cider, which TDH was infamous for, has been replaced with Magners.

Slightly curious but no complains though. Magners, actually goes down easier than Blackthorn and doesn't leave that strong metallic tangy aftertaste like its predecessor does.

Personally not a fan of cider to begin with. After one drink and it hits my knees. I actually feel it softening my bones and cartilage, eventhough it's just in my mind. And there's this tingling sensation that runs through my arms too. So cider is something I really rather stay away from, or drink very sparingly.

Cider's crispiness is still good for a hot summer heaty day though. With loads of ice.

On a wet, cold Sunday evening however, I would recommend a good book, in a shaded al fresco pub, by a clean river (say, a Singapore one), with a glass of single malt of whisky that never stops topping up until you're done. But that's just me. YMMV.

All I Want for Christmas

I don't celebrate Christmas, but I celebrate getting presents ANYTIME of the year - Christmas time included. So, without further ado:

1. Ice Shooter Mould

Product Source: Fred & Friends

More novelty than functional because you'll spend hours freezing this up only to have it melt in your hands after a few minutes probably. But how frggin' cool is it to be drinking shots from a shooter glass made out of ice? FIFTY shades of cool! 

And you know what else I can do with this? JELLY SHOTGLASSES that's what. Now tell me your mind isn't already blown. Mine is.

Look At All the SMWs I can't Afford

Had the privilege to try all these beauties at an impromptu, casual, whisky tasting session among very good friends.

From the left:

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva
Glenfiddich 19 Year Old Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask
Glenfiddich 19 Year Old Age of Discovery Madeira Cask
Glenmorangie Signet
Glengoyne 24 Year Old Single Cask


All 3 Glenfiddich had a lovely, sweet aroma, and it goes down smooth and sweet too. Definitely more flavourful and character than the original Core Collection (the 12,15,18...) which were just plain and oakey. 21 is of course, the strongest smelling and tasting one being 2 years older than its two other younger siblings. Call me a cougar but my penchant was towards its younger brothers. :) It's milder and more fragrant on my very delicate nose & palate.

The Glengoyne was exceptionally fragrant, except because it was much older, the spirit from the whisky felt like it could burn off your nose hair, no joke. It was like sniffing perfume, almost impossible to drink it neat because it was so damn strong. Having a go at it while it's neat is too much for me but it tastes slightly different with ice. Actually it IS great with a piece of ice, and the whisky turns cloudy with it (don't panic, it's normal).

Signet was really odd one. It has a hint of coffee smell and it has a very bitter, coffee aftertaste. It did not go down easy for me. But  it's great if you're a coffee lover/addict - not for me. But it does have a lovely, sturdy, casing which makes it look really atas though.

Sigh, how am I ever to go back to those affordable ones I have no idea. Perhaps I'll stick to water.

Heineken Thirst 2012

It's back!

Date: 8 December 2012, Saturday
Time: 5PM till late
Venue: Sepang International Circuit

Obsessed with Obsession

This is a rather popular wine (among my friends, at least). Very simple reasons why:

1. At RM48 bucks (retail price - it goes even lower during promotional periods) it's quite easy on the wallet

2. When chilled, it's goes down very, very easy. Does not leave that usual bitter taste in your mouth. It's all fruity sweet with a hint of sour tanginess. But would personally recommend that the wine to be VERY chilled before serving. Not very nice when it's not chilled enough.

3. Hardly any tannin  - you know the "dry" feeling you get in your mouth after consuming some wines? This one hardly has any of that.

4... 3 reasons is really enough. :)

Read through some articles on this wine and it seems that it's a hybrid of some muscat - which means it's pretty much akin to dessert wine.

You can get your grubby little hands on them at:

Harrison's Wine

9 Jalan 222,

46100 Petaling Jaya

Operating hours:  

11am-8pm from Mon-Fri

12pm-6pm on Saturday

A little bird told me that there's going to a promotion going on in November - so you might want to wait for that. Apparently it gets sold out really quickly as this wine is bought by the CARTONS for festivities. So don't wait too long!

Osipseju

Korean food is delicious. The Kimchi, the ramen, the bbq-ed meat. Deeelicious. And frightfully expensive. But there's definitely one thing which may numb your senses a little bit when the bill comes: Osipseju.

Osipseju in a small kettle

Osipseju is an equal serving of Baekseju  and Soju. It is usually served very cold in a small metal kettle, and you drink it off tiny cups (like shot glasses, or teacups). Let's quickly explain what Baekseju and Soju is.

Guinness St. Patrick's Party @ Changkat

Guinness took over the ENTIRE Changkat street to celebrate St Pat's day. It's freaking insane, the amount of work that went into this.

 

Suanie, KY and myself were there a little too early. Which was a good idea because once the sun set, every road leading towards to Changkat was filled with cars.

Once Upon A Milkshake

Tuck in a little corner of Tanjong Pagar, Singapore lived Once Upon a Milkshake. My friends introduced me to this shop during my trip last year and said I HAD to try it. I wasn't sure why at first, but went along anyway.

The shop itself has a totally so-cuddly-cute-can-die-dot-com design concept. Clean, minimalistic, with its mostly white furnitures punctuated with some purple-coloured walls, and it really was a warm, sweet, cozy hang-out joint. I know it was cozy because an angry, heavy thunderstorm took us all by surprise and we were stuck there for nearly an hour. I can't get over how cute the ambience was in this place - it's like it popped out of an Enid Blyton book cute, not the annoying Hello Kitty cute. Just to get things straight.