An evening of celebration at Dewar’s Whisky Academy

A perfect night, for me, would involve sipping whisky cocktails and indulging in a sumptuous meal while being serenaded by smooth jazz. And that was precisely what Dewar’s Whisky Academy set out to achieve. A special dinner was held recently to celebrate the brand’s rich heritage and the launch of Bacardi-Martini Asia-Pacific’s Live True campaign in Malaysia. Guests were treated to a meal curated by the crack culinary team at Cantaloupe in Troika Sky Dining. The evening’s entertainment included a whimsical Mr Bean imper­sonator and magicians with exciting tricks up their sleeves.

Performances aside, the star of the evening was undoubtedly Dewar’s double aged 15 Year Old that was specially created for the Asian market. Master blender Stephanie Macleod was inspired by an oil-on-canvas depiction of a stag in the Scottish Highlands by Sir Edwin Landseer called The Monarch of the Glen, which was purchased by John Dewar and Sons in 1919. The 15-year-old whisky is made of a blend of a rare vintage single malt and single grain scotch whiskies, which is then aged in oak casks.

Guests mingled and munched on canapés while sampling a refreshing Highball cocktail, which prepared us for the delights ahead. Once seated, we were served a whisky flight of Dewar’s 12, 15 and 18 Year Old, alongside a delicious Scotch egg in the name of Tommy Dewar’s greatest passions — whisky and chickens. Dewar’s 15 Year Old whisky features tasting notes of rich fruits, honey and delicate floral aromas. It is a smooth blend, which works well as a sipping whisky, best enjoyed neat or with a little water.

The meal began with a delicious amuse-bouche of Hokkaido Oyster Pane with potato and leek cream caviar and Kizami wasabi. Accompanying the rest of the meal were divine cocktails made and introduced by brand ambassador Ricky Paiva, featuring Dewar’s 12 and 15 Year Old. First up, the delectable confit of smoked salmon and lobster risotto starters were paired with Dewar’s Morning Glory Fizz. Paiva joked that although a Morning Glory Fizz is traditionally used to cure a hangover, he decided to use it to start one.

Serenaded by musicians and entertained by magicians, guests were then served the delectable main course of Wagyu Rump or Saltbush Lamb Loin that was paired with a Bobby Burns. Made with Dewar’s 15 Year Old, the Bobby Burns complemented the main meal with its rich and slightly sweet flavour. Dessert was a heavenly crème brûlée with chiboust vanilla ice cream and macadamia nut crumble. Ending on a sweet note, the dessert was paired with a light and fruity cocktail called The Dramble.

Founded in 1846 in Perth, Scotland, John Dewar & Sons has grown from a small wine and spirits merchant shop into a popular global brand. Garnering a reputation for quality whisky, Dewar’s has received numerous awards and continues to be the fifth largest blended whisky brand in the world.

Dewar’s Whisky Academy was a night of indulgence made special by its 15-year-old blend. Siddharth Wazirchand, the commercial director of Bacardi-Martini Asia-Pacific, said, “The Whisky Academy will allow guests to discover how the brand perfected the art of blending and better appreciate flavours.”

All the ingredients you need to create delicious Dewar’s cocktails

Highball:

50ml Dewar’s White Label

100ml soda water (served with lemon twist)

Or

100ml ginger ale (served with lime wedge)

Morning Glory Fizz:

50ml Dewar’s 12 or 15 Year Old

50ml seltzer

25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

12.5ml sugar syrup

10ml absinthe or pastis

1 large egg white

Bobby Burns:

30ml Dewar’s 12 Year Old

30ml vermouth

15ml Bénédictine

Lemon peel garnish

The Dramble:

50ml Dewar’s 12 or 15 Year Old

25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

12.5ml sugar syrup (sugar and water at a 2:1 ratio)

10ml Crème de Mûre

Blackberry garnish

This article first appeared on Mar 12, 2018 in The Edge Malaysia.