Celebrity Life

If you think investing in whisky sounds like an unconventional idea, think again.

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Terroir Parisien is newly opened in Landmark. Visit now for a taste of down-to-earth Parisian cuisine.

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The Whisky Room at The Park Hyatt Bangkok

Now that all the food and beverage outlets at the Park Hyatt Bangkok have opened, it’s clear the design team was going to great lengths to deliver extraordinary experiences.

Find your way to the back of The Penthouse and you should stumble into the unmarked Whisky Room. From the décor to the music, the design tells the story of a fictional adventurer who travels the world collecting tasteful exotica.

Surrounded by a baby grand piano and Balinese masks hung up on glossy black walls, the bar serves rare single malts from behind its closed doors. Among the highlights are Balvenie 30 Years, Suntory Hibiki 21 Years Art Label Fuji 2015, and Glenfarclas 25. There are also some bottles of bourbon and cognac, including super-premium Remy Martin Luis VIII.

Alfresco 64 — A Chivas Bar

Lebua already had the world’s highest champagne bar and the world’s highest New Year’s Eve ball drop, among other “world’s highest” honours. With Alfresco 64 – A Chivas Bar, the global hospitality brand now boasts the world’s highest whisky bar, too.

Located at the Tower Club, Alfresco 64 offers more than just views. The bar serves its very own Chivas Regal Exclusive “lebua Blend” whisky.

The whisky was created by Chivas Regal’s Director of Blending Sandy Hyslop. The blending team combined select whiskies distilled in 1985 or earlier, and then matured the blend in a selection of casks, including American Oak. After that, the best of the best were aged in first-fill sherry casks, giving the whisky a richer, smoother sherry character and an intense flavour.

The blend is limited to only 96 bottles, and it’s only available at Alfresco 64.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room at Decanter

The St. Regis Bangkok houses the city’s first and only Johnnie Walker Blue Label Room at Decanter. As you might expect, the lounge focuses on Blue Label, the brand’s super-premium blend of old-aged malt and grain whiskies.

Blue Label might be the world’s most sought-after blended whisky. It bursts with smoky notes on the nose and finishes with long flavour rich with oak and spices.

Members enjoy exclusive privileges beyond being able to enjoy this luxurious Scotch whisky in the company of fellow connoisseurs. Membership packages give access to private cabinets, entry passes to the Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai or Beijing, and invitations to Decanter’s House of Walker party.

The Balvenie Lounge at Cohiba Atmosphere

At The Balvenie Lounge, whisky is the star, as it should be.

The lounge stocks a hand-picked selection of single malts from around the world, mostly Scotland, but not all of them from Balvenie. This means bottles from independent Scotch specialist Douglas Laing, such as Rock Oyster and Big Peat, and some extremely rare, one-off whiskies, such as Balvenie Tun 1858.

The music is kept low and the seating is soft leather, allowing you to really enjoy what’s in front of you without any distractions.

Better yet, the staff is not only knowledgeable about whisky, but dedicated to helping you find your favourite single malt and explore new expressions as well – from smoky and peaty releases to bottles with brighter, fruitier flavours.

Located at Cohiba Atmosphere, it follows that the Balvenie Lounge is also one of the best places to go for cigars.

Duke

Doubling as a contemporary art gallery and a whisky and cigar lounge, Duke at Gaysorn Village offers a curated list of premium whiskies, served either in the privacy of VIP rooms or in a lounge clad in contemporary Thai art. Duke boasts its own whisky sommelier, too, which is a real perk for members.

The highlights here are the single malts and cognacs. Balvenie 30 Year Old, Glenfiddich 12, Michel Couvreur Clearach Single Malt, J. Dupont Grande Champagne Vsop Art Nouveau – some are even exclusive to Duke. Don’t miss the Armagnac, either. A distinctive brandy aged in oak barrels, with more fragrance and a deeper, more complex flavour than its sister spirit, Armagnac is a rare find in Bangkok.

Cigar aficionados will love the extensive selection of imports from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua.

Black Amber Social Club

The interior design of this stylish hideaway bar in Thong Lo calls to mind the speakeasies of the American Prohibition Era. But the whisky list proves this bar is all modern-day.

Every month, Black Amber features a different line-up of unique whiskies on the shelf, such as single malts from Scottish distilleries Knockando and Bunnahabhain; bottles from standout Japanese distilleries Nikka and Hibiki; and single malts from emerging "whiskymakers" Compass Box, including Delilah’s, a small-batch blend bottled in honour of the legendary Chicago band and bar of the same name.

Filled out with vintage photographs and posters, Chesterfield chairs, and dark wood décor, Black Amber has become a go-to place for live jazz, as well as whisky and cigars. And men's grooming, too, but that's another story.

Yoichi Nikka

Brought to Bangkok by way of Hokkaido, Yoichi Nikka emphasises whisky from Japan’s northernmost island. That means single malts from distilleries such as Yoichi and Miyagikyo, as well as pure malts from the likes of Taketsuru.

But the bar doesn't just stock Japanese labels. There’s a good range of expressions to explore, from fruity, sherry-heavy Glenfarclas 12 to triple-distilled Woodford Reserve Bourbon to Kavalan, the flagship single malt from the emerging Taiwanese distillery of the same name.

The bar is fairly no-frills, keeping the focus on its whiskies as well as its exquisitely crafted Japanese drinking food: fresh oysters, roast beef, smoked octopus and more, all from Hokkaido.

Hanakaruta Sathorn

A sister venue to a much smaller bar of the same name in Phrom Phong, Hanakaruta occupies a neatly redesigned shophouse on Sathorn 10.

It may not be as exclusive as some of the other whisky lounges mentioned in this story, but Hanakurta does have one of the most impressive shelves in town, rising two stories from behind the bar.

Here, the staff stores a range of spirits, with a focus on Japanese whiskies. You can order glasses or bottles of pure malts, single malts and single casks from Nikka, Hanyu Ichiro and Suntory, among others.

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Chef and blogger Kathy Fang talks to Mott 32’s Malcolm Wood

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This series of one-off Saturday night tasting menus involves the best kind of foodie hedonism

The post The Pass: Duddell’s new late night supper club appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Hong Kong and London were selected to enjoy the first public sips of the latest vintage from the House of Krug.

The post Krug 2004 Champagne Debuts in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Photo credit: Selfridges & Co

The Billionaire Soft Serve, £99 (S$174)

Call it the Rolls-Royce of Ice Creams, but this blinged-out cone by Snowflake Gelato weighs in at a staggering 350g – almost as much as a pint of ice-cream. Exclusively available at Snowflake Gelato’s Selfridges boutique in London, the aptly named and recently launched Billionaire Soft Serve currently tops Britain’s list of most expensive ice-creams, going for £99 (S$174) a pop. You need to wait about 15 minutes to get a taste of this opulent cone, however. The handcrafted cone is dipped in the rare Criollo dark chocolate of Madagascar, then topped with generous scoops of salted caramel gelato. Edible diamonds adorn a raspberry sorbet macaroon, topped with a 24k gold leaf, a golden flake, and a spoon.

[caption id="attachment_55534" align="alignnone" width="800"] Photo credit: Dum Dum Donutterie[/caption]

The Luxury Zebra Cro, £1500 (S$2,635)

A cross between a croissant and a donut, the Luxury Zebra Cro blends the best of both worlds in this one of a kind savoury dessert, created by Dum Dum Donutterie in commemoration of the annual Just Eat Food Fest in London, which recently took place in July. The luxurious hybrid is a culmination of some of the rarest and specially sourced ingredients in the world, including the Iranian saffron infused butter croissant dough, French delicacy Normandy butter and of course, some gold leaf decoration. Specially handcrafted caviar infused with Cristal Rose Champagne adorns the top of the cro, which also includes the world’s most expensive Amedei Porcelana Chocolate.

SEE ALSO: New Mooncake Adventures To Embark On

[caption id="attachment_55532" align="alignnone" width="800"] Photo credit: Bloomsbury's Cupcakes[/caption]

The Golden Phoenix cupcake, US$1,000 (S$1,346)

Fist-sized and fabulous, call the pocket-sized cupcake a symphony of Italian cocoa, Ugandan vanilla beans and a generous drizzle of 23k gold. Also infused with gold, the dazzling cupcake goes for about US$1,000 (S$1,346) apiece with an edible gold sheet to match. Sold at UAE’s Bloomsbury's cafes, those who enjoy the cupcakes reportedly include the region’s ruling sheiks.

[caption id="attachment_55531" align="alignnone" width="800"] Photo credit: CHIP EAST/Reuters /Landov[/caption]

The Golden Opulence Sundae, US$1,000 (S$1,346)

If you have ever been to New York City's Serendipity 3, you might recognize the restaurant’s iconic frozen hot chocolate. But why settle for ordinary? Sweeping up a place in the Guinness World Records is a lavish update on its famed dessert, titled Frrrozen “Haute” Chocolate for effect. There is no walking in for this special order dessert, however, which must be must be ordered at least 48 hours in advance. Lavish ingredients from this US$1,000 (S$1,346) treat, which also goes by the name, "Golden Opulence Sundae", includes rare chocolate couverture from Tuscany and Madagascan-imported vanilla beans. Three scoops of Tahitian vanilla ice cream make a velvety base, covered in a 23k gold leaf and a meticulously crafted sugar-forged orchid that takes at least eight hours to build. More of said gold leaves line a stunning Baccarat crystal goblet, which will serve the opulent creation. Dig in with 18k gold spoon on the side.

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As nouveau Mexican cuisine sweeps through the international culinary scene, it’s well worth taking a gastrotrip to where it all began.

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We follow the Michelin trail, seeking out the best fare among the 24 restaurants granted stars in the guide’s inaugural Seoul edition.

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A cosy new Soho cocktail bar pays homage to American writer Ernest Hemingway.

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Just what exactly is it that the woman crowned Germany’s “wine princess” does? Christina Schneider explains her duties.

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The sweet, the savoury, the spicy, the surprising — we dig them all.

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