My haul from Sake Matsuri

I got some gems from the recent Sake Matsuri event at Jewel, and surprisingly, they are Awamori instead of Sake.

Asagori no Hana has light fresh floral aroma. It tastes refreshing. Becomes sweeter when on rocks

Shima no Napoleon is clean in taste and has very smooth texture. It is intense and sweet when on the rocks.

Danryu features the aroma of umami and taste of wheat. It becomes much sweeter when on rocks, which is a good thing.

Shochu High Tea Party - Lovely Pastries and Shochu

Another awesome collaboration between Tarte by Cheryl Koh, Old Moon Spirits and The Other Me comes in the form of “Shochu High Tea Party”!

This time, I’m being pampered with a selection of specially crafted high tea desserts, which is only available for this event. And once again, I’m blown away by how unique and delicious these delectable desserts are. And I got to meet Cheryl Koh, the master behind these desserts!

To make things even better, I get to enjoy a curated range of shochu, courtesy of Old Moon Spirits. The shochu, on rocks, is so refreshing and easy to drink.

Finally, I got a special prize from The Other Me 😉  And while at there, I got a bottle of delicious-smelling lavender & vanilla massage oil.

A lovely mix of savoury and sweet desserts, that is like no other desserts I have ever tried. This kind of events is a must-experience for anyone who loves desserts or food or exclusivity.

Tomato Sorbet topped with drops of basil oil gets the “wow” from me at first spoonful. This dessert presents tomato in a form that I have never tried before. The sorbet speaks of Italian summer with the distinctive sweetness and hints of refreshing tanginess of tomatoes. There is a secret element in the sorbet that adds a lovely intensity to the taste. The texture is so unique in which there is a slight gluey feel layered onto the sorbet. I love it actually.

mimi shochu, made from a blend of Tamaakane and Beniharuka sweet potatoes, is super refreshing. And each subsequent sip gets better and sweeter. I love its cute bottle!

Focaccia with Prosciutto looks ordinary but the taste is on another level. The focaccia is super fluffy and is packed with the sweetness of baked wheat. And this sweetness juxtaposes perfectly with the savoury meatiness of prosciutto ham and the cream with a hint of tangy taste.

Marco, made from Japanese purple sweet potatoes, has this beautiful floral aroma that I fall in love with it at first sip. I love the bottle, of course!

Mushroom & Truffle Pie is full of earthy goodness.

Ga, the result of an amazing blend of different sweet potatoes, black koji and aged sake, features an interesting light umami in the taste.

Yam & Lotus Tart is different from the usual Orh Nee dessert in which the yam paste here has a more pronounced milky taste. And this how I love it.

Cherry Madeleine is like the best Madeleine. The savoury glaze and hint of cherry tart sweetness make this taste so complex and awesome.

Chocolate Macadamia Tart is full of crunchy goodness.

Thoughts: Astounded Again by the Awesome Pastries and Drinks

Marco Shochu - Amazingly Floral Japanese Spirit

I found a new favourite spirit from Old Moon Spirits!

The bottle of Macro Shochu is so beautiful, speaking of florals and pastel dreams. And its aroma reflects the visuals of the bottle, being full of floral aroma, with hints of rose. Made in Kagoshima and made with Japanese purple sweet potato, this tastes so smooth and sweet. I love this so much. In fact, I'm going to get a second bottle.

This drink can be enjoyed on the rocks, neat or with warm water, and I have tried em all. When on rocks, the drink is refreshing with hints of that lovely floral aroma. When drinking this on neat, the floral aroma intensifies and becomes sweeter. This is my favourite way of sipping this Shochu. When mixed one to one ratio with 70 degrees water, it becomes smoother and easier to drink.

La Maison & Velier @ Old Moon Spirits

La Maison & Velier Tasting Gang at Old Moon Spirits takes me on the intriguing journey further down the rabbit hole of Rum. I'm absolutely into Rum, thanks to Old Moon Spirits, and this time, it is about OB (Officially Bottling) and IB (Independent Bottling). And the rums featured in this event are all from IB, which is interesting and exciting. Since trying IB is a bit like playing roulette for rum novices like me, this event, where the premium IBs are specially curated by Jason, is perfect for me to experience how awesome quality IB can be.

Made from fresh sugar cane juice, Saint James from Barbados surprises me by its rich, deep aroma of caramel with velvety feel. It's rum yet different from the rums I know. This is actually my favourite of the night. I love it so much that I got a bottle of this.

Beenleigh, from Australia, features peach notes, hint of molasses, is lighter and gets better with each subsequent sip.

Jamica's Clarendon has this rich toffee aroma that I like.

Hampden is a rare Hampten that is aged longer than most rums, so it has a special character to its flavour profile.

My Spirits and Wine Collection

After gathering a collection of spirits and some wines, I realise that for myself, wine is excellent as accompaniment to food and yes, I always order wine when fine dining. But when it comes to drinking the beverage by itself, spirit is my choice instead.

I simply prefer the rich, intense, sweet taste of spirit while wine has varying degrees of tannins that I absolutely appreciate when pairing with food, but not so much on its own. And since spirit is more intoxicating and carries no sugars, it is perfect for drinking late at night to relax.

And I also realise I do not get hangover from quality spirits, quality wines and quality sakes. Otherwise, it’s real bad for me.

My collection of liquor. The best part of liquor is that I don’t need to store them in fridge and I can keep them for as long as I want. There is no hurry to finish an opened bottle within days.

Yasen barrel 40% tastes savoury sweet with intense taste profile of brown sugar and dried fruits.

Kanosuke Single malt Japanese Whisky features the aroma of wood and it totally changes my perspective that whisky is heavy and has strong medicinal aroma. Yes, after this, I start to appreciate whisky. At first, it tastes smooth and bitter, now it tastes smooth and sweet. Amazing.

Nardini reminds of woods and fruits. I fall in love with it at first sip.

Hampten is my favourite. Yes, I’m officially a fan of rum! This is full of the funk of dried fruits. So intense and so sweet.

Yasen Gold speaks of the sweetness of vanilla ❤️

Graoma Red that has the mild aroma of oak but not overwhelming. I love it. Goes perfectly with Iberico ham.

Best dessert wine comes in the form of Gramona Vi de Glass. It is do smooth, not too sweet, and goes amazingly well with any desserts. My favourite dessert wine of all.

Old Moon Spirits - Sip the Finer Flavours in Life

Being someone who is into “eat drink play enjoy”, specifically gastronomy and to a certain extent, beverageology, it is surprising that I didn’t got into the intriguing niche world of spirits until I know Old Moon Spirits. And once I got to sample the different kinds of spirits through Old Moon Spirits’ events and pop-ups, I realised I discovered a new gustatory adventure.

Jason Oh, the owner, is so passionate about spirits and looking to widen the demographics for spirit appreciation. With this, he created different types of tasting experiences, from whisky, rum, cognac to calvados, eau-de-vie and grappa. This is perfect for me: to get a taste of lots of different spirits to find out what catches my fancy. In fact, this feels like 4 course tasting menu in restaurants. Jason also takes us through the detailed journey of the creation of these spirits, heightening the appreciation of the quality spirits.

What I love about spirits is the myriad of aromas and taste flavours that can surprise or spellbind. Yes, I just recently realised that spirits are more than high alcohol content, they can be gastronomic treats, especially when the taste can develop or change when water is added, or paired with food. And the intensity can be changed with the amount of water added. Which is why I, a “25% alcohol limit” person, can readily embrace the experience of spirit tasting.

And Old Moon Spirits’ office has this lovely cosy European Old World charm and artistic vibe due to the dark teal walls that matches the intensity of the rows of spirits lining the shelves and top of dark wood drawers, the stained glass window, a centrepiece of long dark wooden table, soft glowing craftsman lamps and oil paintings of English blooms. Sipping quality spirits here is truly one of life’s enjoyable indulgence.

A must-try experience.

Update: And I found my favourite shochu from here!

During a pop-up event, Hampten rum impressed me with its smoothness, sweetness (without the sugar) with a lace of savoury taste and rich aroma of dried topical fruits. So when I visit Jason’s office, I want to try the curated range of Hampten rums. Yes, I’m loving it even more this second time round. So much so that I get a bottle of Hampten HLCF Classic Overproof 60% ABV, the one with the high potency and strongest flavour.

Complimentary pre-drink of Shochu made from brown sugar in Japan. Clean in taste with a light woody aroma.

I also need to make a special mention of the spirits featured at Hidden Beauties Pop-up because they are so unique and made from the most unlikely ingredients. Most importantly, I enjoy drinking them.

Made from grape skin, Nardini Grappa Bianca surprises me by how different it is from wine that is made from grapes. And in a good way. The aroma is mildly woody while the flavours are sweet, robust and floral. This difference between smell and taste is a nice surprise. I also buy a bottle of this due to its uniqueness and it being my type of drink.

I never expect that apricots can be used to make spirits, so Capovilla Abricot Du Vesuve Eau-de-Vie definitely surprises me. The light sweet aroma of apricot draws me in at first sniff. The taste actually differs from the sweetness of the aroma, in a good way. It is savoury and intense with hints of sweetness.

Christian Drouin Year Pay D'auge Calvados impresses with its main ingredient as apple. A well-balanced drink with complexity and lots of flavours.

Vallein Tercinier XO Fine Champagne Cognac makes me realise why cognac is so highly regarded. So smooth and intense, like a slow graceful dance on the palates.

Thoughts: Amazing, Unique Experience

216 Joo Chiat Road #04-20

Exploration of and Indulgence in Rum

After attending Sensory Indulgence II, which makes me realise that trying spirits can be exciting and enjoyable, with the option of adding for anyone with lower alcohol tolerance. So when I find out about the special Pop Up Menu event by Old Moon Spirits, one of the hosts for Sensory Indulgence, I decide on a whim to attend this event.

And yes, I discover my liking for rum here ❤️

What I like about rum is that it is intense, smooth and sweet. Sweet and without the calories, this is sweet deal for me.

Aged rums are brown in colour and have a stronger taste profile. My favourite is Hampden 8 Year Old, which has this lovely floral sweetness. Hampden Pago 2023 has this savoury taste amid the sweetness, which makes it varied and interesting.

Do not be deceived by the looks of clear rums, they pack a punch in flavours too.

Thoughts: Awesome Experience!

Sensory Indulgence @ Tarts by Cheryl Koh

One awesome thing leads to another awesome thing. After attending a wonderful event, it brings me to another one: Sensory Indulgence II, where I indulge in the unique combination of exclusively crafted desserts and premium whiskies from Old Moon Spirits. It is a palates opening experience where I get to try delectable unique tarts (foie gras tart, anyone?) and explore how awesome and varied whiskies can be.

The service here is awesome. The staff is friendly and prompt to topping up the ice and nuts.

It’s so good that I definitely look forward to Sensory Indulgence III.

Lemon Pomegranate Tart features perfectly balanced flavours and textures. It’s so amazingly good and unique. The tart taste of lemon, the tangy sweetness of pomegranate and the light sweetness of the pastry shell plus custard, all work so well together. The slightly crunchy, bouncy texture of pomegranate is chef’s kiss. It is so versatile in taste that it goes well with lots of whiskies.

Amazing curated Japanese whiskies that redefine the old world vibe of whiskies. Not a whisky fan initially, I find myself, surprisingly, enjoying these drinks. All have different taste profiles and character, making it exciting to try them.

Vanilla Pastry Cream with Fresh Strawberries is like old school favourite that will please most palates. Very good balance of flavours too.

Foie Gras Cream and Raspberry Jam Choux is my-oh-my amazingly good. Tempered with cream and raspberry, the rich savoury umami of foie gras is so perfectly balanced and realised in this dessert. My favourite for the day. I want to buy a dozen of this if there is option to.

Onion Comte with Apple Jelly Tartlet is another savoury surprise that I also love. The lovely pungency of onion comte is nicely softened by the apply jelly to be truly delightful dessert.

And it is perfection when paired with the whisky to bring out the core sweetness of the tart.

Thoughts: Love the one-of-a-kind delicious tarts ❤️

1 Scotts Road #02-05

Shaw Centre