Mathieu Musnier, GM, La Maison du Whisky on New Premium Experiences at Whisky Live Singapore 2017
Whisky Live is into its eight iteration. Through the years, La Maison du Whisky has looked into ways to reinvent the event, which by now has earned a reputation for its premium whisky and fine spirit experience, and revelry, for VIP ticket holders.
Rare, share and pair. That’s the guiding principle of Whisky Live Singapore. For 2017, the latest edition of La Maison du Whisky’s premier regional whisky event brings together the world’s rarest Whiskies and Spirits, shared and paired with some of the most amazing gastronomic indulgences over one amazing weekend in Singapore. In trying to understand what new premium experiences could be had at Whisky Live Singapore 2017, LUXUO spoke to Mathieu Musnier, General Manager of La Maison du Whisky to find out more.
Interview with Mathieu Musnier, GM, La Maison du Whisky – Organiser of Whisky Live Singapore.
Driving the message that appreciation is art, we know that there will be an art exhibition at this year’s event. What was the idea or rather inspiration behind this whisky-art concept?
We firmly believe that whisky and art are intertwined. From the making of whisky to bottling and labelling, every phase is an art. The gallery at STPI offers a peek into some of the works that have gone into labelling. Besides print, there will also be a photo exhibition which takes our guests on a journey to the Caribbean islands where some of the best rums are from.
Artworks from Lino di Vinci, La Maison du Whisky’s Artist #7 for the Artist series will be displayed at the gallery. VIP ticket holders will be one of the first in the world to enjoy whiskies from this series at the VIP Room. These limited bottles will only be available for sale from 15th December 2017.
The art element is a fringe activity for our guests. We have also considered that the gallery will be a great holding area for our guests before each masterclass, as the masterclasses will also be held at STPI.
What are some of the rare and exclusive bottles we can expect to see and taste at this year’s event?
Ardbeg 1976, Yamazaki Sherry 2013 and the Springbank 45yo are some of the collector’s dram VIP ticket holders can expect to savour at the Collector’s Room. There are also special drams from LMDW Artiste Collective and Artist #7 series at the VIP Room.
What are some of the new experiences at Whisky Live this year?
We aim to make each and every Whisky Live experience different. This year, to enrich the overall experience, we have more special guests, different fringe activities and launches: There are a number of special guests who will be attending such as Gregory Vernant from the world’s first bio distillery Neisson in Martinique, Emiko Kaji from Nikka, Stuart Harvey from Old Pulteney, Prasat Ganga from Amrut. We also have a very important contingent coming from our Headquarter in Paris such as Marlene Leon that curates LMDW extensive collection of rare whiskies, Salvatore Mannino who is a contributor to Whisky Magazine and Arthur Morbois who is our in-house rum expert. Nikka Coffey Gin, Nikka Coffey Vodka, Old Pulteney 25YO and Old Pulteney 1983 will also be unveiling at Whisky Live this year. There will also be an after-party featuring guest bartenders from The Baxter Inn (ranked the best bar in Australia) and Boilermaker House.
Does one require a refined palate to appreciate whisky?
Appreciation is personal. Like art, inclinations are subjective. I believe that a refined palate comes from the experience of sampling different whiskies. Whisky Live is the ideal platform for guests to savour different whiskies and decide which they appreciate.
The VIP ticket holders are obviously paying a premium for their tickets. Aside from the rare bottles, what can this year’s VIP guest expect?
There are a number of new experiences for VIPs. Besides the usual access to VIP Room and Collector’s Room, VIPs are also entitled early entry to Whisky Live – one hour before the gate opens to the standard ticket holders. Cradle Glass, which claims to be the best whisky glass in the world, will be available in the entry pack for VIP holders.
About Cradle Glass
Cradle Glass boasts a thick, heavy rounded base that provides a balanced feel when cradled in the palm of the hand. Cradling the glass allows radiant heat from the palm to release the characteristic aromas of the whisky. The round base produces a ‘rocking glass’ effect which creates continuous movement within the glass. This movement aerates the whisky and pushes the flavours towards the top of the glass so they don’t sit flat on the bottom of the glass. The neck and the accentuated glass lip accelerate the outward push of the alcohol vapours expelling alcohol fumes. This allows you to fully experience the organic phenols and the complex characteristic aroma’s of the whisky upon nosing, without the overpowering alcohol burn to your nostrils.
