If the Japanese could do it and win ‘whisky of the year’, why can’t a Malaysian do it? Yes, we now have a brand new whiskey for Malaysians to enjoy and it was ‘born’ from the desire of a young and vibrant Malaysian woman, Kristine who wanted to bring to market a whisky that will work with the Malaysian palate and maybe even the regional palate.
This whiskey is called FIFTYSIX Degrees and it was produced after two years of hard work in getting the flavour right for our region. Working with the Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd which is the world’s 10th largest Scotch Whisky Company that have daunting reputation for their foresight and innovative thinking. They are the brand proprietor of Glengoyne, Tamdhu, Isle of Skye and Smokehead Scotch whiskies to name a few. Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd already work with a formidable range of well-known and established brands.
The FIFTYSIX Degrees blend comes from barley grains which are soaked in warm Scottish fresh water for several days, which are then laid out on the floor of a malting house to enable the germinating process called malting. Once the barley starts to shoot, it is then dried in a kiln to stop the germinating process.
Traditionally, peat was used to power the kiln, of which the smoke from different types of peat coupled with the length of drying time would influence the flavour of the final spirit. Once dry, the barley is now called malt and ground in a mill into flour called the grist. FIFTYSIX Degrees uses unpeated malt to promote a purer and richer malty whisky. FIFTYSIX Degrees was made to befit the discerning whisky aficionado. Aged in hand-picked bourbon and sherry oak casks, FIFTYSIX Degrees boasts a balanced aroma of soft slightly citrus top notes and a rich malty heart.
The first question a new whisky drinker asks is which type of whisky to try first. The best answer to this is to start with the whiskey that comes from where you live and now Malaysian have FIFTYSIX Degrees whisky to enjoy. Try it before you dismiss it. You will be pleasantly surprised with its smooth texture and light aroma.
