For selected special guests, Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia hosted an evening of gastronomic indulgence with the John Walker & Sons XR 21 blended scotch whisky – a tribute blend to the British Knighthood to John Walker’s grandson, Sir Alexander Walker, that is exclusive to Asia.
This unique blend was inspired by the handwritten blending notes of Sir Alex Walker, and is a combination of extra rare casks from distilleries that are no longer in production (aged for 21 years), making it all the more precious.
The mind behind the pairing menu and the leading force in the kitchen of The Library at the Ritz Carlton was Phoebe Cleland, Executive Chef of Johnnie Walker House, Beijing.
The Australian born and raised chef started cooking since she was 15 for an apprenticeship, later earning her qualification and travelled Europe (England, Scotland, Spain and France) where she refined her skills and established her background in Parisian cuisine. Later, she went to Beijing to work as a sous chef in the restaurant of a friend of hers for three years (also learning Chinese to communicate with her kitchen team), before she was appointed to her current position in China’s second Johnnie Walker house in 2012.
Making her debut in Malaysia, Chef Cleland tasked herself with combining contemporary French cuisine with a twist of Malaysian flavours in a six-course five senses pairing menu. “I started with the whisky,” says Chef Cleland, “The Jon Walker & Sons XR 21 is a really beautiful whisky – it’s more on the light side, and very smooth with sweet tones. Because of the notes of vanilla, sweet fruits, and oak at the end, most of the menu is seafood (apart from the foie gras).”
For the Malaysian twist, she researched dishes, consulted with a local friend, and visited an authentic, family-owned Malaysian restaurant in Perth while she devised her menu, “to get a gist of the flavours, and then played around with the flavours when I was at work, to bring through the authenticity, but then twist it a little bit in my own way.” The end result was a interestingly deconstructed nasi lemak, which highlighted flavours from the coconut rice, spice from chili, saltiness of the sambal, and the sweetness of the scallops – “a perfect match with the whisky”, she says proudly.
Each course of the dinner focuses on one flavour at a time: barley, sea salt, oak, peat/smoke, the rare blend, and rich fruit and spices. She describes her inspiration for the menu as “[giving] the guests a multi-sensory experience, using different temperatures, flavours, textures, to let them appreciate the wonderful whisky and the food, and how it can come together in harmony.”
Drams of King George V made their way to everyone’s tables early on in the evening, and were greatly appreciated by a number of guests. But the star of the evening was the XR 21, which shone even brighter against a well thought out, excellently executed food pairing.
John Walker & Sons XR21 can be found in KLIA2 duty free at RM658 per bottle (1litre).
John Walker & Sons XR 21 menu by Chef Phoebe Cleland:
1. BARLEY Amuse Bouche Oyster Natural, Toasted Barley, XR21
The natural minerals and ocean notes of the oyster along with the toasted barley bring out the very best characteristics of this JW & Sons XR21 whisky. The lovely hint of spiced vanilla and honey tones. Finishing with a deep richness of aged oak and perfect balance on the palate.
2. SEA SALT XR21 Glazed King Scallops, Nasi Lemak, Fish Sambal , Cucumber, Olive Oil Powder
This dish really brings the sea to the table. The local Malay flavors along with the sweet fresh scallops marry wonderfully with our Gold Label Reserve. The elegant sweet fruits and caramel tones of the whisky that finish with a very light smoke of the West-Coast sea.
3.OAK Pan-Seared Rougié Foie Gras, Duck Rillette, Ginger Pickled Cherries, 10yr Barrel Aged Modena Balsamic, Okra Paper
The richness of the foie gras, the spiciness of the ginger and the delicate flavor of the 10yr Oak aged balsamic all bring the perfect balance to this dish with the sherry, sandalwood and rich fruit characters of the XR21 coming out and the velvety oak finish.
4. PEAT/SMOKE Hickory Smoked Eel, Green Tea, Bamboo Shoot Pickle, Aromatic Pepper Oil, Squid Ink Crackling
The usual bold flavor of smoke has been toned down to let the beautiful flavor of the eel shine through together with the delicate green tea flavor without either of them overpowering the other and giving a perfect balance of flavors.
5. THE RARE BLEND Pan-Seared Cod, Taro Root, Parsley, Leek Ash, XR21 Mist XR21
This rich elegant whisky blended from rare casks with its wonderful layers of citrus, malt & raisins could be the perfect match to these delicate flavors of Cod, herbs and charcoal.
6. RICH FRUIT & SPICES XR21 Nitro Ice Cream, Coffee Soil, Spiced Raspberries, Honeycomb
The key here is combining different texture, flavor and temperature to be able to really bring out the very best in each element of the dish to create a unique taste sensation.