Aperitif O’Clock

Aperitif O’Clock

Few things provide greater pleasure than kicking back with a glass in hand. Often, the mere thought of having something to look forward to is enough to get us in a state of excitement, which heightens as time passes.

Taking some alone time to enjoy a celebratory moment? Every time you pour yourself a dram, remember what it signifies. Had a trying day? Take a deep whiff; your brain will naturally seek out its happy space. 

Regardless of the occasion, there’s no denying that what you’re holding has the ability to amplify positive emotions. Robb Report Singapore presents a curated selection of premium products that will accompany your moment in style.

Laplandia Aureus Vodka

Cloudberries are grown in extremely cold weather, making their appearance in the brand’s line-up rather apt. Like most berries and currants, cloudberries are slightly tart with just a hint of bitterness, elevating the purity of the vodka.

S$180.00

Laplandia Eclipse Vodka

This is for those with a slightly sweet tooth, but who wish to consume the vodka neat. Xylitol – a sugar substitute that’s commonly found in fruits, vegetables and surprisingly, birch trees – lends a honey-like taste to Eclipse.

S$180.00

Laplandia Espresso Shot Vodka

Here, the flavour is the centre of this spirit, which has been distilled seven times. Inhale the scent of the acidic espresso roast and heather honey – both of which enhance its darker profile – before adding it to a martini.

S$150.00

Laplandia Vodka is slowly shaping the way we perceive and appreciate vodka. To do that, the Finnish company has broken it down to the bare basics, using untreated groundwater from Lake Hirsijärvi to distil vodkas so pure that they are good enough to be drunk on their own. And to further enhance its profile, Laplandia has also released variations that play with natural flavours.

Iranian Royal Beluga Caviar

The crème de la crème. The beluga sturgeon is primarily farmed in the Caspian Sea and is known for producing the largest and softest roe. Due to scarcity – and efforts to make fishing sustainable – you’ll always find a high price pegged to beluga caviar. These luminous grey orbs stand out for their plump texture. Each pearl is at least 3mm in diameter. Smooth and with a slight buttery finish, it’s best served on blinis and topped with crème fraîche.

S$324.00

Iranian Seasonal Sevruga Caviar

The sevruga, also known as stellate or starry, is the smallest of the caviar-producing sturgeons. Due to its ability to reproduce at a quicker rate, it is the most commonly harvested sturgeon; demand remains equally high. It’s prized for its tiny, grain-like pearls that pack a punch, giving other caviar varieties a run for their money. The silky, slate-grey pearls offer the most robust flavour; apart from a salty tang and hints of savouriness, you’ll also notice a hint of an almost butter-like oiliness, similar to a caramel drizzle.

S$243.00

“Taste the world as you journey from Trinidad and Tobago to Scotland with Outlaw Rum.”

No laws have been broken in the conceptualisation of Outlaw Rum. Well, not in the way you’d have expected anyway. The company, founded in Trinadad and Tobago, borrows the best practices in whisky making – think distilling and ageing – and applies them to its rums. The result? A rum boasting flavour profiles that are similar to what you’d find in whisky.

Outlaw Rum: Highland Release

The notes on the nose and palate satisfy, but it’s the slightly herbaceous finish that truly surprises. Close your eyes and inhale the aromatic liquorice-earthy undertone – a little like ginseng, if you will – blended with stewed pineapple, custard and a hint of citrus.

S$199.00

Outlaw Rum: Islay Release

This drink is quite a mouthful, both literally and poetically. Aged in a peated whisky ex-bourbon cask, the fiery and smoky flavours slowly fan out to release creamy caramel notes. And just before it gets a tad flat, a citrusy zest kicks in to further lift the profile.

S$249.00

The Peallach Inaugural Whisky

While Tobermory does not specify the source of Peallach’s water, one possible clue is the presence of Loch Peallach, located approximately four kilometres from the distillery, from which it draws its name. This heavily peated whisky is reserved for the discerning; it releases a complex bouquet of flavours slowly through the night. The slightly briny toffee aroma gives way to slightly charred notes, quite like sipping on lapsang souchong black tea. Due to its lingering smokiness, and if you enjoy nursing a course of drinks, this is best had right before you call it a night. This is the first time that The Peallach Inaugural is produced, bottled, and made available anywhere in the world.

S$249.00

If history is anything to go by, Tobermory’s series of start-stops since its founding in 1798 has led to its success today. It is the only distillery on the Isle of Mull, distilling two distinctive single malts that cater to different audiences; the first being a fruity, non-peated variant, and the second, one that’s smoky and robust in flavour.

“Essence of a country. Bottled in gin.”

Having nailed the science and art of distillation and blending its gins, Cambridge Distillery has gone a step further to incorporate the spirit of exploration in its line-up. Its first gin, the Cambridge Dry Gin, was inspired by the co-founders walks through English meadows. Today, Cambridge Distillery’s gins read like a journal of a well-travelled man who enjoys experimenting with flavours of the ever-changing seasons.

Cambridge Dry Gin

This quintessentially English gin features fresh basil, rosemary, angelica, lemon verbena, blackcurrant leaf and rose petals. Each ingredient is first separately distilled before being blended to form a dry gin. Inhale deeply once you’ve popped the cap; it’s like strolling through an English garden filled with light yet distinct herbaceous scents, minus the wet weather.

S$119.00

Cambridge Japanese Gin

It’s slightly tingly, citrusy and delicate all at once. Cambridge Distillery’s vision of a Japanese gin incorporates six ingredients commonly used in Japanese cuisine, including shiso leaf, sesame seeds, sansho and yuzu.

S$164.00

Cambridge Truffle Gin

Said to be the world’s first digestif gin, Truffle Gin uses white truffle grown in Alba, Italy. It teases with its slight savouriness, and the earthy and garlicky notes are further enhanced by the gin’s juniper base. Unsurprisingly, it was awarded Master status in The Luxury Spirits Masters’ UltraPremium category in 2017.

S$201.00

Watenshi Gin

Enjoy the complex flavours of Japanese gin at a more intense level; what you’re sipping on is the ‘angel’s share’ of Japanese gin, made possible due to Cambridge Distillery’s pioneering distillation processes. The spicy and citrusy notes are cradled by bitter juniper and bring about an incredibly long, complex finish.

S$4,550.00

Chariot by GamFratesi

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the mantra behind Chariot’s ingenious design. Instead of adding elements, the designers have instead focused on the one true purpose of a mobile bar cart, to store and carry drinks. The trays and handles are left as they are, with just one element – the wheels – used to grab attention. This product is imported by Affluency.

S$4,700.00

Quiet design that speaks volumes: Italian-Danish duo Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi of GamFratesi create conversations with their functional, everyday products.

Balblair Single Cask

The Northern Highlands, home to rugged mountains and white sandy beaches, is also home to Balblair, a vintage-led distillery with a mighty cult following and over 200 years of history. Only true perseverance would have brought it this far, and paying homage to this is the Balblair Single Cask 2005, a dark amber whisky that’s slumbered for 16 years in cask 235. Only 270 bottles exist in this world, each unravelling with fresh tropical fruit, delicate spices and creamy vanilla. Delicious.

S$218.00

Founded in 1790, Balblair is one of Scotland’s oldest whisky distilleries that’s very traditional and exceptionally picturesque. It’s exclusively vintage-led, too, as you’d expect of its steadfast belief in quality and not quantity.

Blanc de Blancs Vinotheque 2005

The Blanc de Blancs Vinotheque 2005 was created from an excellent harvest of Chardonnay, packing a level of maturity like no other. The Champagne emits a highly rich and refined flavour, riddled with notes of pineapple and vanilla.

S$318

Bruichladdich Rare Cask 1988 (30 Years)

This landmark 1988 vintage has never been re-casked. It has matured for over 30 years in the same wood it was originally filled into – refill bourbon casks, and on rare occasions, refill squat hogsheads. The subtle influence of these refill oak casks has allowed for a striking balance between spirit and wood, quietly cultivated over time. It was always understood that this small parcel of casks required no guiding hand; just a watchful eye and excellent palate to see it through. The end result is a definitive bottling of old Bourbon-aged Bruichladdich that’s also the last of its kind.

S$1,270

Bruichladdich Black Art 9.1 1992 (Aged 29 Years)

Aged for 29 years, Bruichladdich Black Art 9.1 continues to be one of Bruichladdich’s flagship expressions that is shrouded in mystery. Till today, it remains a secret which type of casks were used for this particular edition. The whisky’s complex flavour reveals notes of fruits, further sweetened with nectarous tones of apricot, mango and baked banana, toasted sweet oak, honey and vanilla.

S$725

Mount Gay XO

Mount Gay XO is a small-batch blend of carefully selected mature rums, delivering warm flavours of salted caramel, baked fig, clove and dark chocolate. It was distilled in traditional copper pot and column stills for five to 17 years in American whiskey, bourbon and cognac casks.

S$135

Coming from humble beginnings, the founders of the Irish distillery have built its brand around the community in West Cork in Southwest Ireland. Renowned for its spectacular landscapes and historical treasures, West Cork itself is also a region that has a proud history of artisanal food and beverage production.

West Cork Single Malt Whiskey

This limited 252-bottle edition is derived from a single cask and celebrates the 5th anniversary of Asiaeuro Wines & Spirits Singapore – which boasts an eclectic portfolio of wines and spirits. This 59.2% ABV single-malt whiskey is triple distilled, made with Irish grain and natural spring water. Patiently matured in bourbon casks, the whiskey exudes mild citrus (grapefruit), vanilla, sweet spices and brioche aromas. A smooth and balanced whiskey, the taste is one of malt, lingering sweetness, vanilla, butterscotch and citrus.

S$198.00

As precise as Zelouf & Bell’s Cabinets are, you won’t find digital sketches here — everything you see is first sketched and perfected on paper, before materials are carved by hand. Quite simply, it draws us back to appreciating the works of an artisan in today’s technology-driven world.

“Zelouf & Bell has us falling in love with traditional cabinetmaking.”

Serpent Champagne Cooler

This acts as a companion to Serpent in the Maze Champagne Cart. And it does more than keep your drinks cool. The serpent chest features concealed drawers at the base that stores eight coasters. It’s retractable sterling silver handles make it a breeze to port around. Just eight pieces are available. This product is imported by Affluency.

S$29,300.00

Serpent in the Maze Champagne Cart

If the maze looks familiar, that’s because it takes after the design of the world’s largest plant maze at Reignac-sur-Indre, France. Secure your flutes on the rack beneath the first tier. On the lower tray, a diamond-back python slithers its way across the marquetry. This product is imported by Affluency.

S$36,600.00

Stones in a Pond Cocktail Cabinet

The Tokyo Pop jumpsuit that Kansai Yamamoto designed for David Bowie has become almost as iconic as the legendary creator and the superstar who wore it. That particular print has made its way to a cocktail cabinet. Black bolivar wooden panels are inlaid with aged brass, providing an optical illusion of a ripple effect when stones are dropped in a pond. This product is imported by Affluency.

S$84,800.00

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