Breaking Barrels and Traditions: How Brass Lion Distillery Is Redefining Singapore’s Spirits Game
“Whisky wasn’t just an afterthought; it was the destiny,” asserts Jamie Koh, the visionary behind Brass Lion Distillery. A decade ago, she envisioned not just Singapore’s premier gin but a full-fledged arsenal of native spirits.
Unveiling Brass Lion Gin in 2018 was only the appetizer. By the following year, Brass Lion Whisky was already aging in barrels. “Since we possessed the means, the question was “why not?,” not “why?,”‘” Koh quips.
The distillery teamed up with The General Brewing Co., crafting a wash to withstand Singapore’s relentless heat and humidity. “We’re not just making spirits; we’re breaking molds,” says Koh.
The chosen weapon? Maris Otter malt. Thermotolerant yeast braved the equatorial conditions during fermentation. From 2,000 liters of wash, a mere 180 liters of raw spirit emerged, left to age in bourbon barrels for over three years.
No climate control here; Singapore’s tropical ambiance accelerates the whisky’s maturation. “It’s uncharted territory, making whisky here,” Koh notes.
The environment not only accelerates the maturation of the whiskey; it also adds rainbows of suggestions to its flavour that you’d normally anticipate from a lengthier maturing procedure in temperate zones.”
Due to the lack of formal distilling requirements in Singapore, Koh relied on Scotch laws for guidance. “We aimed for a whisky that’s not just Singapore’s first, but its first to gain global recognition,” she said.
This limited edition features 427 bottles, 70 at Cask Strength, each bearing topographic lines of the distillery’s locale. While rum experiments are in the works, Koh’s spotlight remains on gin. Our venture into gin is just the tip of the iceberg; the sky’s the limit for Singapore’s distillery scene,” she contends.
Brass Lion Whisky packs a punch with 48% ABV and a S$328 price tag. The Cask Strength version, at 65% ABV, goes for S$468.
