American Whiskeys with Daniel Goh & Gabriel Carlos
by Daniel Goh & Gabriel Carlos
@ 22 Jun 2018
#1 Elijah Craig 12Y
“You can smell a lot of wood, with spicy, pepperiness, and strong, sweet syrup, so maybe it’s an indication of its age. ” Gabriel Carlos
#2 Buffalo Trace
“I’m smelling pastry, like crème brulee, maraschino cherry, so it’s almost like a cherry Danish. It appeals to people who are first time to whiskies, but could also be a sipping whiskey for connoisseurs.” Daniel Goh
#3 Michter's US1 Small Batch
“When I’m smelling this, if you put this side by side with Scotch whiskies, it’s actually quite similar. It would probably fool some people into thinking that it’s Scotch. Not so sweet, with plenty of spice.” Daniel Goh
#4 Bakers 7Y
“With this whiskey, you’d probably want to use it in a cocktail. It has a meatier, heavier, and bolder flavour.” Gabriel Carlos
#5 Michter's US1 Single Barrel
“Spice, flowers, and stonefruit like plum, which is quite interesting for a whiskey.” Gabriel Carlos
#6 Rittenhouse Bottled In Bond
“I get a bit of nuttiness, like when you crack open a walnut, or a pistachio. Mealy, meat notes, and hints of desiccated coconut. On the palate, I get caramel creaminess, like a toffee with a nice wooden, spice background. I love the finish, it’s really soft, sensual, and long, like a beautiful woman just ran her fingers along your hand.” Daniel Goh
#7 High West Rendezvous Rye
“It’s a little medicinal, sort of like salted caramel with medicinal, Chinese herbs. The finish is interesting – bold, strong, but short.” Daniel Goh
#8 Sazerac 6Y
“I like it. I think this is a very good whiskey, and just needs a little bit longer inside wood.” Gabriel Carlos
#9 George Dickel White Whiskey
“I’m getting a small amount of smokiness. It’s surprising how soft it is on the palate, considering that it’s a white whiskey.” Gabriel Carlos
#10 Slaughter House Whiskey
“It’s a comforting whiskey, smells exactly like a nice cup of coffee with a cinnamon roll. It wakes you up. You feel like, ‘I can conquer the world for the rest of the day.’ I get notes of coffee, butter, cinnamon, and bread. It’s like adult breakfast. I would bribe people with this.” Daniel Goh
#11 Wild Turkey 17Y
“The wood is totally different. I’m getting a lot of freshness and fruitiness.” Gabriel Carlos
#12 Michter's Single Barrel 20 years
“To me, this is the epitome of American whiskeys, like the bourbons. Big, aggressive, both on the nose, the body, the finish, the palate. Like it’s saying, ‘This is me, I’m standing for something.’ I gget big, stewed fruits, like a mixed fruit tart, a little bit of chocolate, custard, buttery shortcrust, and sugar glaze. Oh God, that’s so good. That’s the whiskey version of it.” Daniel Goh
Manhattan at Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel, is a grand hotel bar inspired by the 19th century’s Golden Age of cocktails and fine drinking. Its American Whiskey Embassy programme features over 150 bottles of whiskies, housed in a Whiskey glasshouse, an elegant space within the bar’s ingredient room. For more information on the programme or to sign up for the Manhattan American Whiskey Club, email manhattangrm.rsn@fourseasons.com or call +65 6725 3377.
Adapted from the
May Jun 18 issue of Cuisine & Wine Asia.
