Winter warmer: db Asia Winter tasting 2023 — Spirits

Which were the hottest spirits in the 2023 Winter Tasting? Cecilia Wong gives her run down of the best tipples for keeping warm on a cold night.

Whether you sip a glass of whiskey to unwind on a cold winter night or make cool cocktails for your family and friends during the festive season, everyone needs a fully-stocked drinks cabinet. In the drinks business Asia Winter Spirits Tasting 2023, we have entries from Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Scotch Whisky, Irish Whiskey, American Whiskey to Liqueur, all of which contribute to different styles of spirits expressions from all over the world, including the UK, Netherlands, Ireland, Mexico, US and France.

With 18 spirits blind tasted by a panel of expert judges, the results of the competition are encouraging, with four Master awards, nine Gold awards and five Silver awards — meaning there’s something for everyone to stock up on.

This year’s Asia Winter Tasting Spirits Masters 2023 panel include Cecilia Wong, co-chair of the drinks business Asia Masters; Alfred Cheung, country manager, Hong Kong & Macau, Campari Group; and Manuel Arce, spirits director of Nimbility.

One of the Master awards goes to Luchino Azur Vodka, from the Netherlands (HK$500-HK$550) for it’s a craft premium vodka distilled with selected wheat from France, which undergoes small batch fermentation and is five times distilled. All judges agreed that this vodka is rounded, balanced and very smooth.

“This vodka is flavourful, unlike the typical neutral style of vodka, it has extra flavours like vanilla and a hint of sweetness. It’s very smooth,” said Campari’s Cheung.

Uncle Nearest raked in three Master medals in the American Rye Whiskey category. The judges gave a Master medal to 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey, from Tennessee, US (HK$450-HK$500). Made with mainly corn and rye, all from Tennessee farms, and aged in new American Oak barrels, this premium whiskey expression was first launched in 2017. Another favourite among the judges, it is rounded, well balanced and complex. Honey, vanilla, caramel, sweet spices and ginger are balanced against notes of sea salt, baked apple and citrus.

Its second Master award went to its Master Blend Edition – Batch 025 (HK$1,100-HK$1,200). “It’s rounded with honey, nutty, caramel, popcorn, ginger, sea salt, apple pie, ginger, cinnamon, sweet spices and cotton candy notes,” co-chair Wong says. With a long finish and 60.5% ABV, “it’s quite smooth and doesn’t taste like as high proof as it is (60.5% abv),” she says.

Last but not the least, Uncle Nearest Uncut (HK$1,100-HK$1,200) also won the Master award. Made with 100% rye, Uncle Nearest Uncut/Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey is the distillery’s first rye expression. It’s sweet and aromatic, with complex and herbal notes.

Among the nine Gold awards, there are two winners under the Irish Whiskey category (HK450-HK$500) — Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey with “creamy, dried fruit, grain, toffee and nutty notes” and Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey with “vanilla, spices, caramel and sea salt notes”.

For Gin, the Gold award goes to Xin Gin (HK$350-HK$400) from Ireland with “juniper, lemon zest and sweet spices notes”. Another Gold award, under the Tequila category (HK$1,800-HK$1,900) goes to Tequila Barajas from Mexico with “nutty, citrus, agave and caramel notes”.

Three Master medals aren’t the only awards for Tennessee distillery Uncle Nearest, which also secured three Golds for its Single Barrel Whiskey – Batch 061 (HK$650-HK$700) with “toffee, maple, apple and sweet spices notes”; Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey (HK$450-HK$500) with “caramel, stone fruit, grain and a hint of menthol notes” and Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey – Batch 002 (HK$750-HK$800) with “caramel, nutty, sweet spices and dried herbs notes”.

One Single Malt Scotch whisky (HK$1,200-HK$1,300) outshined the rest for the judges, with a Gold award going to Caskshare Collective Series 190410002 from the UK with “floral, stone fruit and spicy oak notes”.

Under the Liqueur category (HK$400-HK$450) Le Palais Bénédictine from France won a Gold medal, with “pine, herbs and notes of baking spices”.