Good news for local whisky aficionados: The Glenlivet Small Batch Collection has made its way to Malaysia for the first time! It brings together three aged single malts, each with a different character, shaped by the casks they were matured in.
The 17 Year Old Wildflower Honey leans towards bright orchard fruit, citrus and floral notes, while the 19 Year Old Indulgent Chocolate embodies a darker fruit, spice and a richer finish. The 20 Year Old Orchard Fruitiness rounds things off with notes of orchard fruit and warming spice. Evidently, each pour possesses a character of its own, making them distinctively different from one another.
We recently got to experience the collection during an intimate tasting in The Private Chamber, Kuala Lumpur, where each whisky was paired with two canapés specifically created to be paired with its key notes. From goat cheese mousse with citrus caviar to spiced carrots with duck confit, the bites offered a chance for us to experience the whiskies in a more nuanced light.
17 YEAR OLD WILDFLOWER HONEY
Image Credit: Laura Mercier
The 17 Year Old Wildflower Honey has a smooth and naturally sweet character, sprinkled with notes of vanilla, honey and fresh orchard fruit from its American oak casks. On its own, it’s an easy and mellow pour, but the pairings brought out a little more from it. The creamy goat cheese mousse and bright citrus caviar highlighted its fruity and floral notes, while the smoky trout introduced a subtle savoury edge and a more rounded finish.
19 YEAR OLD INDULGENT CHOCOLATE
Image Credit: Laura Mercier
The 19 Year Old Indulgent Chocolate quickly became one of our favourites of the afternoon. When sipped by itself , the whisky had a rich, chocolatey character, but pairing it with the spiced carrots and duck confit brought out warmer cinnamon and toasty notes. The real standout for us was the foie gras served with dark chocolate and topped with a fresh fig, where the sweetness of the fruit struck the perfect balance with the richness of the foie gras and the slight bitterness of the chocolate. It was one of those pairings that made us appreciate the whisky a little differently with every bite.
20 YEAR OLD ORCHARD FRUITINESS
Image Credit: MONO Malaysia
The 20 Year Old Orchard Fruitiness felt brighter and fresher than expected, with notes of vanilla, caramelised apple and pear wafting throughout each sip. The celeriac and apple pairing brought out its fruity side, while the teriyaki and miso glazed celery added a savoury depth. We also loved the confit chicken cromesquis with baked apple and cinnamon, which gave the whisky a richer and warmer finish.
What we enjoyed most was that there wasn’t really one right way to experience the collection. Each pour had its own character, and the pairings gave us a different way to discover it, making the afternoon feel more like an exploration than a tasting.
The Glenlivet Small Batch Collection is now available in Malaysia exclusively at The Chamber retail stores.
