The Librarian's Drink of Poison: Distillers Library Opens in Singapore
The Distillers Library is the first of its kind worldwide and houses a curated portfolio of exceptionally rare expressions from some of the oldest, deepest and most comprehensive reserves in the world. The space, opened by William Grant & Sons, promises to be a space of exclusivity, quiet luxury, and an intimate space to appreciate whiskey under the William Grant & Sons brand. We sit with Satya Sharma, Regional Managing Director SEA and Australasia of William Grant & Sons in an email interview and he tells us his hopes behind the new space and what it means to the Singapore F&B scene.
Tell us a little about the Distillers Library and the objective behind this space.
William Grant & Sons was started in 1887 by William Grant who built his first distillery with the help of his nine children and a single stonemason, in the North East of Scotland. To this day, the company remains family-owned and the spirit of independence, determination and innovation spirit of founder William Grant remains at the company’s core.
With an eye on the future, the Grant family was driven to unlock rare family stocks by the rising demand for Ultra-Rare Whiskies, particularly from Asia. In 2020, Asia became the top region for luxury sales by value according to Bain & Company[1]. Findings from Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2021 also show that Asia is predicted to see the largest percentage growth in the number of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) between 2020 to 2025, at 33%, above the global average of 27%.[2]
By invite only, The Distillers Library is a thoughtfully curated space, intimately designed for luxury connoisseurs to connect and find inspiration over a glass (or two) of whisky. The Distillers Library houses a curated portfolio of exceptionally rare expressions from some of the oldest, deepest and most comprehensive reserves in the world, regularly updated for invited guests to make new discoveries with every visit.
As consumers become connoisseurs and then collectors, The Distillers Library was created to offer this community of passionate collectors a window into the untold stories and passionate craft behind the most treasured whiskies from William Grant & Sons.
What can guests expect to see when they are in this space? What kind of services is the Distillers Library offering?
Visits to The Distillers Library will be organised in intimate group settings, with invited guests enjoying hospitality reminiscent of what guests experience when they are hosted by the Grant family themselves in Scotland.
Each session will be specially curated depending on each guest’s needs, so as to provide every guest with a unique experience that allows them to fully immerse themselves in all there is to uncover from the Grant family archives. They will be hosted by our team led by James Ting, Head of Direct to Consumer, South East Asia. We also have the capabilities to hold virtual sessions with our Malt Master Brian Kinsman, all the way from Scotland.
What kind of special drinks can people get at the Distillers Library? Are there any promotions or events coming up that will be hosted at the Distillers Library?
Every visit to The Distillers Library is unique, and each guest’s experience will be tailored to the occasion or specific bottling. The Distillers Library houses unique and rare bottlings of Glenfiddich and The Balvenie and tastings will be arranged to complement each guest’s experience.
On display amongst these cask drawings is the star of our launch - a limited-edition Ladyburn 1966 Edition One collection featuring a 54-year-old liquid from the ‘ghost’ distillery Ladyburn.
The shortest-lived distillery in history, Ladyburn was only in operation for nine years between 1966 and 1975 and was one of the most technologically advanced single malt Scotch distilleries of its time. The distillery was forced to close in the mid-70s, and its stills went to The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, along with all of its knowledge and learnings.
The Distillers Library is an invite-only space for guests to visit and journey into the William Grant & Sons archive, exploring and learning about rare bottles of whiskies.
In the upcoming months, The Distillers Library will be releasing rare bottlings in very limited quantities.
Interested parties can reach out to James Ting, Head of Direct to Consumer, South East Asia at James.Ting@wgrant.com.
Who is the target audience for the Distillers Library?
The Distillers Library is where a meeting of whisky minds will take place. We hope to engage a client pool with an interest in collectible and rare whiskies, who are passionate about creating a culture and community of thoughtful luxury, through soul, substance and storytelling.
The Distillers Library is located at 79 Robinson Road.
