Field Briefs: Saying Goodbye at Chijmes with Dalmunach, Glen Ord, and a TSC Blended Malt
Back in 2023 my wife and I first visited The Single Cask’s Singapore outpost at Chijmes— and then we went back, and then back again. We stopped by many times over the course our visit, usually for an early evening flight or just a nice couple drams. We kept coming back because the company was excellent and the whisky interesting.
The Single Cask is a bit different than the other major whisky bars in Singapore— LMDW focuses on the brands that it imports and distributes, The Auld Alliance maintains a scattershot collection of new and old bottles along with quite a few casks it has bottled, while the Swan Song features quite a few very old bottles and vintage releases— the sort where it could conceivably by the last bottle. The Single Cask is the only one focused primarily on a single independent bottler, though they do have others, with an emphasis on recent releases and distillations.
I did not get a chance to stop much this year, though I made sure to enjoy one final flight before they closed the Chijmes location. I also did my best to help their relocation by grabbing a few bottles to take home.
Whisky Details: Dalmunach 7 Year (2016), The Single Cask Ltd. Cask 51, 66.3%
Nose: Big butterscotch, caramel, and dulce de leche developed from creamy, caramelized sugars and buttercream; thick and sugary with a touch of salt and peanut brittle; spirited and youthful, but calmed with a few drops of water.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, youthful and spirited with thick butterscotch, orange rind, and mashed green banana; herbal spices lingered in the background with a touch of tea and vanilla; peppery toward the end.
Finish: Medium to short with pepper and creamy sugars.
Score: 5 (75)
Mental Image: Dulce de Leche Latte
Narrative & Notes: My curiosity got the better of me with this dram: why was the old Imperial distillery dismantled and destroyed only for Chivas to rebuild Dalmunach in its place? I have yet to be impressed by the new distillery which has so far reminded me a lot of Auchroisk— something great for blending, but not particularly interesting to drink as a single malt. Perhaps time will allow the flavors to evolve and shift in interesting ways, but so far it has been sweet, creamy, and one dimensional. This whisky was no different.
Overall, sweet and pleasant.
Whisky Details: Glen Ord 7 Year (2016), The Single Cask Ltd. Cask 97, 55.9%
Nose: Bright and clean with green apples, pears, and banana; slightly starchy and vegetal at times with pureed fruits developing into grape flavored cotton candy and cocoa butter.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a touch of cream and wax; green apples and pear sauce, youthful and spirited with jelly candies and a touch of pepper toward the end; bright and refreshing.
Finish: Medium-bodied with green grape and a touch of wood— melted popsicles in the summer.
Score: 6 (78)
Mental Image: Glen Kermit
Narrative & Notes: If there was ever a whisky that cried out to be poured into a highball it was this. Bright and fruity with a lovely spun-sugar and cotton candy quality, it was crisp, refreshing, and spirited— everything I want in a highball. Otherwise, pleasant straight up, but better with a few drops of water to break up some the sugary notions.
Whisky Details: Speyside x Islay Blended Malt (2015), The Single Cask Ltd. Cask 2, 57.7%
Nose: Burnt grass and camphor; medicinal herbs formulated to balance the humors; peppery and phenolic with a touch of herbal tea and honey; water brought out more tangerine and pineapple with a touch of toffee and ash.
Palate: Medium-bodied, sweet and candied with ash, tar, and medicinal herbs; tea leaves and charcoal initial, with caramel developing with a touch of raisin and dried plums; tar and creosote sandwiched the sweeter notions.
Finish: Medium-length with youthful peppery spirit and melted butterscotch on hot pavement.
Score: 5 (76)
Mental Image: Fire Department Candy Store
Narrative & Notes: I had no idea that The Single Cask experimented with producing small runs of blended malts. It turns out, there have been several similar releases, though most of them looked to have come out a few years back and I forgot to ask if they are still playing with these.
This fit the bill for something peated to conclude the tasting trilogy. The malts in the blend originated from Speyside and Islay— Linkwood and Caol Ila I was told. The combination of the two produced something similar to a young Laphroaig with plenty of ash, creosote, and medicinal herbs.
Overall, not bad, but not something I would seek out again. The flavor profile was a bit unbalanced with the heavy peat roughing up the other elements, though a few drops of water surfaced some latent fruits. More time to rest allowed additional sugary phenols and candies to develop.
