The Macallan Private Dining Experience and Distil Your World - London Edition at Raffles Hotel Singapore

The latest private dining experience at Raffles Hotel Singapore which offers whisky pairing dinners with restaurants Yi (藝)by Jereme Leung, Tiffin Room, and Butcher's Block in the month of May.

With whisky pairing, diners will savour The Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Old; The Macallan Double Cask 15 Year Old; The Macallan Rare Cask; and The Macallan Boutique Collection, along with the specially curated dishes from the three restaurants. 

To keep things interesting, the menu changes each month, rotating amongst the restaurants at Raffles Hotel Singapore. With that, the private dining tickets are sold out quickly. 

I had the opportunity to attend an exclusive private dining experience at Raffles Hotel Singapore, which was not open to the public. These exclusive tickets of $400-ish a pair were snapped up very quickly. One of the reasons was that each pair of tickets was eligible to purchase the Distil Your World - London edition. Out of 2,000 bottles, only 57 bottles of such limited edition is available in Singapore. 

The Macallan’s Private Dining Experience at Raffles Singapore takes place in a private room. (Photo: The Macallan)

Table setting was specially curated like the Serving Plate made of European Cloisonné, which is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with coloured material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold.

APPETISER

The first set of appetiser was prepared by Yi by Jereme Leung. We were explained that it goes well with Double Cask 12 Year Old. 

The dim sum come with Siew Mai Dumpling with Pork and Seafood topped with Sakura Shrimp; Steamed Crystal Dumpling stuffed with Mushrooms and Sweet Beans; and finally, Okra, Tiger Prawns and Artic Shellfish with Soy Sauce Vinaigrette. Despite the use of exquisite ingredients, I was personally underwhelmed. 

As for the whisky, my personal experience somewhat differs. By nose, I smelled crème brûlée - rich creamy butterscotch. By palate, I tasted crème brûlée and sweet caramel. I loved both the cream butterscotch smell and taste. 

The next appetiser was served by the Tiffin Room, offering delectable North Indian cuisine. The host explained that this set of appetiser goes very well with the Double Cask 15 Year Old. Compared to the Double Cask 12 Year Old, this one is less heavy with delicate flavours of vanilla and butterscotch by nose. By palate, it has a tint of vanilla and spices. I like both 12 Year Old and 15 Year Old. Both of them have their distinct characteristics. 

The first dish (above) - Tandoori Jumbo Prawns with Mango Coriander Salad. The seafood had a nice tangy yogurt taste and the prawns were marinated in tandoori overnight before it was cooked. The sweet mango bits were excellent with the prawn. 

The next dish was the Tandoori Lamb Kebab with Kachumber Salad and Garlic Naan. The medium done lamb loins were amazing, tender and moist. The garlic naan slices, though thinly prepared, were rich in garlic aroma - light yet fragrant. 

MAIN COURSE

The main course was prepared by the Butcher's Block - John Stone Irish Grass Fed Côte de boeuf 28 Days Dry Aged served with Heirloom Tomatoes and Sauce Café. The beef rib steak was cooked to perfection, moist and tender. Every bite was a surprise. The Heirloom Tomatoes were amazing, deliciously sweet and nice aroma. The steak was drizzled with an exclusively crafted light tangy sauce made of more than 10 spices.

This course went extremely well with the Macallan Rare Cask. The host explained that it was like the Christmas Fruit Cake in the whisky. 

Personally, it is like Bubble Yum Grape Flavour by nose. By palate, sweet fruits similar to Bubble Yum with a tint of light citrus zest.  The ABV (Alcohol-By-Volume) is 43%. 

DESSERT

Ending the dining experience with dessert - This is not a crème brûlée, prepared by the Butcher's Block. The orange zests were placed at the bottom of the glass, followed by basil, followed by lemon sorbet before the dessert's surface was torched. It was simple yet extremely delightful. 

The dessert was said to go well with The Macallan Boutique Collection. With ABV of 52%, it was too strong for me. By smell, it is a melting pot of spices, oak, and dried fruits. By taste, it was more spices for me. 

In my earlier paragraphs, I shared about how this private dining experience differs from the regular ones. Each pair of tickets cost about $400-ish. This is because each pair of tickets entitles the purchase of the The Macallan Distil Your World - London Edition. 

Distil Your World - London Edition (Photo: The Macallan)

The Whisky

REFLECTING THE TASTE AND AROMA OF LONDON

Distil Your World: The London Edition is a character led whisky with encapsulating nuances of orange caramel, curry spice and Earl Grey tea, rare to find in The Macallan single malts, this expression takes the taste buds and imagination on a journey of discovery, bringing London’s soul and unique character to life.

Seeking out these distinctive flavours among thousands of casks was a complex and highly skilled process, but Steven Bremner and the Roca brothers’ mastery of flavour, aroma and craftsmanship enabled them to distil the essence of London into a remarkable whisky.

The Package

The packaging reflects the exploration of London and the essence captured within. The outer pack design features a true scale map of the city comprising the iconic Macallan triangle.

Inside the box, the whisky bottle represents the essence of London and is surrounded by a unique three dimensional curved map of London. The red represents the iconic bricks of historical London houses. Inside, a photographic book documenting the journey is held within a drawer in the interior of the box.

Exclusive Suite Experience at the Raffles Hotel Singapore

Finally, the experience also came with an exclusive suite experience at the Raffles Hotel Singapore, which can be availed at a special rate, extended by the hotel.