Summer Social Event by The Other Me & Merry-Go-Round

Ever since I signed up to be in the mailing list of The Other Me, this lovely boutique takes me on a journey of sensory experiences to appreciate the finer or delicate things in life through various events they host. Yes, it's a must to sign up for their mailing list to get access to special exclusive events. And their shop is like Naughty Little Wonderland, where items of pleasure and sensuality can be found here, plus curated lingerie and choice clothing.

The ladies here are so friendly and awesome, all up to talk about intimate subjects, if you want. Their cosy space can be reserved for exploration of their items on sale here, with some ladies' talk added in between. Couples or guys are welcomed too.

And this time, Julius Toh, owner of Merry-Go-Round bar, also Brand Ambassador of Copenhagen Distillery, is invited to host the Gin and Spirits Tasting at The Other Me. And it is unexpectedly such an awesome event. The hosts are wonderful and thoughtful, giving us generous pours of spirits, and helpings of smoked salmon, cookies and premium chocolates to pair with.

What is even better is that Julius is very candid in sharing his knowledge and really goes into details on the making of each spirit, letting us gain a newfound appreciation of Copenhagen spirits. The founder of the distillery is actually a chemist who is passionate about spirits, thus using his expertise to create unique and distinctively Danish spirits. And both processes of distillery and aging are done by the distillery, thus creating products that fit the founder's vision.

Best of all, we get to try the new make of the distillery, which is something that most distilleries will never let outsiders try. So I feel so special to be able to try it, and it's so good. I immediately comment that the new make alone makes attending thsi event all worthwhile.

I'm so glad that I decide to go for this enriching event despite it being on a weekday. Totally worth it!

Aquavit, which is made from dill, is light and easy to drink, great for any occasion. Yes, this is the first time I try Aquavit, a rare spirit, and I like it, especially the long pepper one, whose spicy, peppery taste makes it exciting.

Gin, another clear spirit, is made from Juniper instead, thus featuring a stronger herbal taste.

Bay Leaf Gin is spicy in taste with pronounced herbal notes.

Orange Gin has surprising balanced taste that is so easy on the palates. It is smooth and has floral citrus aroma to balance the taste of Juniper. So uplifting and sweet. It’s easy to love this spirit and I love this.

Angelica Gin has angelica, a famous Chinese medicine herb, infused into the spirit. The interesting thing is the angelica in thus gin was picked in Denmark. Talking about truly Danish! I’m amazed by the umami and light herbal taste in this gin. This is so good too.

According to Julius, most distilleries will not let the public taste their new make, the distilled spirit before aging, because it is too harsh and too strong. But he confidently let us have an exclusive taste of Copenhagen’s new make to build our confidence on how good the spirits are, at their raw form. And yes, it’s so smooth and easy to drink. Now I’m all eager to try their whiskies.

The whiskies are aged in Virgin cask made specifically from Hungarian Oak, which is denser and stronger, in order to take the rapid change in internal pressure due to aging in accelerated style, via temperature rotating between 17 to 30 constantly. The alcohol % varies for every batch because the founder will taste every batch and determine at which stage is the taste optimised and then packed accordingly. Now I'm really impressed.

Raw Edition, made from 100% Danish barley, tastes intense, smooth and sweet, packing a high ABV of 59%. I love this. By the way, all attendees were asked to guess the ABV of this spirit. My guess was 60%, the nearest to the answer 😁

Rare Edition tastes fresh and sweet, easy on the palates.

Refined Edition is full of nuances, due to the use of smoked danish barley and being aged in a barrel that was infused with herbs and various produce of Denmark. The infusion actually took 7 years while aging in the cask took 3 years, due to accelerated aging. That's some dedication to creating a whisky that is packed with the taste of Denmark. And it works totally for me. I love the different layers of subtle flavours floating in this drink. And yes, I got a bottle of this. 

Coffee spirit is very unique where there is a lovely rich earthy aroma of coffee without the caffeine.  Great for enjoying in the afternoon for high tea, or at night without worrying about the caffeine affecting one's sleep.

Thoughts: True Enjoyment for the Senses and Appreciation of Finer Things in Life

Merry Go Round Siglap - The Perfect Watering Hole

Despite not being an Eastie, a pop-up event on rare spirits brings me all the way from the North to Merry Go Round in the East! And yes, the East side is very exciting too. Consisting mainly of low-rise shophouses and landed properties, this place has a unique character that is part nostalgia, part heartland and part idyll. And Merry Go Round embodies these qualities while adding an element of excitement from the impressive range of curated spirits and wine.

The staff here is so friendly, making one feel like a friend with everyone here. Especially with the light, chill mood here. There is lots of chitchatting over the food, glasses of spirits and wine, just like how a watering hole is like.

While the patrons are free to bring in our own food to enjoy with drinks here, the food here, prepared by the owner himself, is so good that I will choose this option any time of the day.

The interior of this place exudes this special tavern vibes, Singaporean style, with its wooden panels and shelves, brick-red walls, lots of bottles of spirits and wine and wooden barrels. When there, I instantly feel relaxed. Excellent place to unwind.

Prawns in Batter is da bomb. Served piping hot, the prawns are so succulent. And the bouncy texture of the prawn juxtapose so well with the super crispy thin batter. The accompanying specialty chilli sauce is full of umami.

Fried Carrot Cake is so fluffy, bouncy and flavourful.

Thoughts: Excellent place to have great time, drinks and food

930 East Road