Scallywag The Chocolate Limited Edition Regional Malts 2024 Scottish Whisky
Inspired by a long line of Douglas Laing family Fox Terriers, Scallywag Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of aged Speyside Single Malts matured predominantly in Spanish Sherry casks. Anticipate an explosion of rich, dark fruits, chocolate and spice interwo
Shenkʼs Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey, U.S (2020 Release) 750ml
2020 Release Shenk’s is a Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey made with a substantial amount of rye. Following the success of the 2019 Shenk’s release, where some Chinquapin (Quercus muehlenbergii) barrels were utilized during maturation, the 2020 release utilizes
Signatory Bunnahabhain Staoisha 7 Years Old Single Malt Islay Whisky 700ml
This bottle of heavily peated Bunnahabhain takes the moniker of Staoisha in honour of Loch Staoisha on the Isle of Islay. Perfect for fans of Islay peat with a coastal influence too. This bottling is part of Signatory Vintage's Un-Chillfiltered collecti
Signatory Linkwood 13 Year Old 2009 Un-Chillfiltered Collection Single Malt Speyside Scottish Whisky 700ml
From the Un-Chillfiltered Collection indie bottling range comes a 13 year old Linkwood single malt, matured in a pair of hogshead casks. This whisky was distilled back in March 2008, and then placed into the aforementioned hogshead to rest for a dozen yea
Signatory Vintage 2005 17 Years Old Cask Strength Scotch Whisky Distilled at Unnamed Speyside Distillery (Macallan) 700ml
Distilled at Speyside’s most prestigious distillery, close to the banks of the River Spey, just outside the village of Aberlour. This full bodied, richly sherried single malt whisky was matured in a single 1st fill Oloroso Sherry cask, before being bottle
Signatory Vintage 2008 14 year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distilled at Inchgower Distillery 700ml
14-year-old single malt from Inchgower, distilled in 2008 and filled into a trio of hogsheads to mature. In 2022, those casks were opened by Signatory, and the whisky bottled up without added colour or chill filtration for its Un-Chillfiltered Collection.
Signatory Vintage 2009 13 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distilled at Secret Speyside Distillery 700ml
Bottled as a part of Signatory Vintage's Un-Chillfiltered Collection, this mystery Speyside expression has been matured for 13 years in bourbon hogshead casks. The whisky is bottled at 46% abv, and retains its natural golden colour.
ABV: 46%
Signatory Vintage 2012 9 year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distilled at Caol Ila Distillery 700ml
A 2012 Caol Ila single malt from indie bottler Signatory Vintage that was matured in a pair of hogsheads for nine years, before being bottled in February 2022 as part of its Un-Chillfiltered Collection.
Signatory Vintage Distilled at UNNAMED SPEYSIDE 2009 Aged 13 Years Old (Macallan - ha ha)
Signatory have been releasing a number of fantastic "unnamed" Speyside whiskies as of late, all originating from the same powerhouse of the region. Matured in a refill sherry butt, a style the originating distillery is famous for, and bottled without chil
Suntory Hakushu 12 Years Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky 700ml
A perennial favourite and a must-try for anyone interested in discovering Japanese whisky. Hakushu is owned by Suntory, founders of the first Japanese distillery, Yamazaki. The original Hakushu distillery was built in 1973, with another distillery buildin
Suntory Hakushu 18 Years Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky 700ml
It’s hard to pick a winner from Hakushu’s varied range, but the 18 Year Old has to be right up there. This is a whisky that is so smooth, well-balanced and complex that it comes incredibly close to perfection. Made up from a selection of carefully matured
Suntory Hakushu NAS Single Malt Japanese Whisky 700ml
From Suntory’s mountain forest distillery, nestled deep in Mt. Kaikomagatake, Suntory Single Malt Whisky Hakushu® is the fresh and gently smoky single malt whisky with herbal notes that is the revelation of Japanese single malts.
Straight from the unto
Suntory Hibiki 17 Years Old Blended Japanese Whisky 700ml
Hibiki is Suntory's flagship blended whisky. This is an award-winning premium blend packaged in a decanter style bottle. Made with aged malt and grain whiskies at least 17 years old, from the Hakushu and Yamazaki distilleries plus some aged grain from Chi
Suntory Hibiki 21 Years Old Japanese Whisky 700ml
Hibiki 21 was named World's Best Blended Whisky at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards and was awarded 96 points in Jim Murray's 2014 Whisky Bible. Dr. Whisky says it's 'Unbelievably balanced, and dangerously drinkable'. So basically, it's pretty good stuff!
Suntory Hibiki Harmony NAS Blended Japanese Whisky 700ml
Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a blend of Japanese malt and grain whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. Presented in the brand's trademark 24-faceted bottle representing the Japanese seasons, this is light, approachable and moreish with enticing notes of
Suntory The Chita Single Grain Whisky 700ml
The first single grain whisky from the House of Suntory Whisky. With versatile flavours and exquisite balance, Chita grain whiskies have traditionally been used as the "dashi" or broth that enhances the harmony of Suntory blends.
Suntory Toki Blended Japanese Whiskey 700ml
Toki means "time" in Japanese.
It's a concept rich in meaning the world over, but particularly in Japan where respect for tradition and reinvention sparks a powerful creative energy.
Inspired by that interplay, Suntory Whisky Toki™ brings together old a
Suntory Yamazaki 12 Years Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky with Giftbox 700ml
Yamazaki is Suntory’s flagship single malt, multi-layered with fruit and Mizunara aroma.
From Yamazaki was born the surprising, delicate yet profound experience of a Japanese single malt. Spiritual and deep, its signature multi-layered taste is highly
Suntory Yamazaki 18 Years Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky
Yamazaki 18 Year Old is an award winning Japanese single malt. This legendary Yamazaki release has been a frequent winner at global awards competitions, including Gold at the 2007 International Spirits Challenge and a Double Gold at the 2005 San Francisco
Suntory Yamazaki NAS Japanese Whisky 700ml
A fresh and fruity whisky from Yamazaki, full of red fruit and a touch of sherry cask. It's also got some mizunara (Japanese oak) matured whisky in the mix, which comes through as a complex spicy and almost incense-like note. A well put together and deep
Talisker 10 Year Old Island Single Malt Whisky 700ml
A classic Island dram from the Isle of Skye. Aged for a minimum of 10 years in American oak casks, this welcome member of Diageo's Classic Malts series has been recognised numerous times for its excellence.
It was an Editor's Choice at Whisky Magazine,
Talisker 8 Years Old Cask Strength Diageo Special Release 2020 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Island 700ml
This 8 year old expression was aged in ex-pot still Caribbean rum casks – a first for the distillery! The result is brilliantly balanced, with smoke, fruit, peppery spice and even a touch of meatiness to it.
ABV: 57.9%
Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey 700ml
Single Grain – Recently Awarded World’s Best Grain at the World Whiskies Awards, 2014. This award-winning addition is one of only a handful of Single Grain Bottlings in the world.
It is fully matured in Californian red wine barrels resulting in an inte
Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey 700ml
Third release in the Premium range of Teeling expressions completing our full range of non aged Irish whiskeys. Made from 100% Malted Barley from a range of different ages including Malt whiskey distilled in 1991. Aim to produce the most flavoursome NA Ir
Whisky | Whiskey Hong Kong - The Bottle Shop
Whisky
Whisky in Hong Kong has a mythology of glamour, sophistication, class, and so much more. Much of this is the creation by our pop culture, Macallan Whisky in Suits, Dalmore Whisky in Kingsman, Old Forester Whiskey in Kingsman II, Jack Daniel Whiskey in The Shining, Canadian Club in Mad Men, Macallan in two separate Jame Bond movies Spectre and Skyfall, and who can forget “for relaxing times, make it Suntory time” in Lost in Translation. The latter movie probably had the biggest impact on the rise of Japanese whiskey, arguably creating the worldwide shortage in its supply we still see today.
Different Types for Different Tastes
The list of available whisky in Hong Kong is wide ranging, our whisky culture is Scottish dominated, but in recent years, Irish Whiskey in Hong Kong has been impactful, given their amazing value for money in price point and quality. Japanese Whiskey in Hong Kong on the other hand, has taken a very different path, with supply very short, and demand overwhelming. Meanwhile, American Whiskey in Hong Kong is undervalued as always, given its amazing flavours, rich culture, and very pervasive appearances in popular culture. We need some Wild Turkey time, or Jack Daniel time please!!!
A very interesting point about whisky and popular culture is that it has divided drinkers of whisky into different corners. Sometimes we see arguments between Japanese whiskey and Scottish whisky, other times between American Whiskey and the rest of the world; and so on. Of course, there are key differences between the flavour, character, and history, for different countries (even regions of the same country). First of all, the raw ingredients are different, corn, malted barley, rye, and so on; and their different combinations and levels make very different whisky. Second, the ageing process, and the vessel in which they age the whisky or whiskey, also makes a huge impact. Thirdly, the weather and climatic conditions where the whisky (and whiskey) are stored, creates an even bigger difference. Therefore, while most people assume that whisky should have a particular profile, or one whisky is more superior to another, in reality we should appreciate whisky from different countries as they are. For example, some may scoff at the “lack of cultural and historical richness of the American whiskey, yet in actual fact, whiskey in America has been a key actor throughout the dramatic events of the nation’s past 400 years.
What is Whisky?
Whisky is made from the distillation process of alcohol, its raw ingredients are grains. Which grains are used depends on the country where the whisky is made, and the market the distillery is targeting. Whilst we think Scotland is the O.G. of whisky producing nations; interestingly the tradition of whisky making is as old in Ireland (some argue older) as in their northern neighbour Scotland. Copper stills are normally used in the distillation process as it removes sulfur-based compounds that would contribute to off-flavours. In most parts of the world, whisky must have an alcohol of 40% abv, and must have had a minimum period of time aged in wooden casks for it to be called a whisky.
The age of a whisky is the time it spends in wooden casks. Most importantly, the number of years denoted on the whisky bottle (its age) indicates the number of years the youngest whisky had aged in the cask. What does that mean? It is not uncommon for a whisky to be a blend from different whiskies of the same distillery, some perhaps from a 15 year old whisky, a small amount from a 30 year old whisky, and finally some from 10 years. For this particular blend of single malt whisky, the label would denote this whisky is a 10 year old single malt whisky; given the youngest whisky in this bottle is 10 years. The age of whisky denotes only the time it’s aged in casks, once it has been bottled, its age is locked, no matter how long the bottle has been left unopened. Think of a bottled whisky as immortalised, a 10 year old single malt whisky will forever be 10 year old.
Drinkers of whisky in Hong Kong often believe that the older a whisky is, the better its flavour. This is simply not true, a lot of relatively young whisky tastes amazing compared to their older siblings. The science behind whisky ageing includes extraction, evaporation, oxidation, concentration, filtration, and finally colouration (yes, some whisky has caramel added to it to produce a more attractive colour). Extraction perhaps is the most critical process given the whisky extracts flavours from the cask it’s aged in. As you can imagine, the flavour profiles of a whisky therefore comes from the type of cask it’s housed in. Some common casks include sherry casks, bourbon casks, new oak charred or toasted casks, port casks, wine casks like Sauternes casks, and so on. All these casks come in different sizes too, which changes their whisky to cask surface contact ratio and therefore, creates a lower or higher extraction.
Types of Whisky and Some Basic Terminologies
There are many terms attached to whisky that can confuse many people, below are some very basic terms one can get familiar with before committing to a bottle of whisky in Hong Kong.
· Malt Whisky: whisky made primarily from malted barley
· Grain Whisky: Made from combinations of grains
· Single Malt Whisky: a blend of malted barley whisky (unless it denotes it’s a single cask whisky) from the same distillery.
· Blended Malt Whisky: a blend of malted barley whisky from different distilleries.
· Single Cask Whisky: a whisky bottled from an individual cask, with no blending at all (apart from water being added)
· Cask Strength Whisky: a blend of whiskies undiluted, or only minimally diluted to achieve the character and flavours most closely loyal to how they tasted in the casks.
Buying Whisky in Hong Kong
Whether you’re buying whisky online or in store, it’s best to experiment with different types of whisky. It’s actually a good idea to have multiple whiskies in your home so that you can taste them side-by-side, and note their differences. Most whisky drinkers have 5-10 bottles at any given time for this purpose. There’s a wide range of Scottish whisky in Hong Kong, we’re spoilt for choices in this category. But for others, such as Irish, and American whiskey in Hong Kong, you may find the choice limited; especially when you’re looking for whiskey online. This is why we strive to have a decent selection of whisky online and in our store, whether it’s the Scottish variety, American, Irish, or Japanese whiskey. Our whisky delivery is prompt, usually the next day if you order before 3pm for Standard Delivery. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know and we’ll look into it.