For some, whisky is a type of liquid gold. From Scotch to Single-Malt, Bourbon to uncommon blends, every has its personal complicated profile and multi-layered vary of flavours. Nobody understands this higher than Benjamin Tan, the Head of Enterprise Growth and “Chief Butler” for TSH Company. Whisky Journey began off as Singapore’s first island-wide bar and restaurant whisky path that spanned throughout 10 days in 2020 and 2021. After witnessing its preliminary success, Whisky Journey returns in 2023 for its most expansive exhibition but, going down at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Conference Centre. This 12 months sees Whisky Journey goes again to its orginal convention-exhibition model showcase. The present will characteristic over 20 exhibitors, with over 100 completely different whiskies and expressions accessible for company to find, discover and take a look at. LUXUO sits down with the face of Whisky Journey, Benjamin Tan to search out out extra about his ardour for whisky, what we will count on to see from this 12 months’s Whisky Journey and the way forward for this one-of-a-kind exhibition.
You might have been operating Whisky Journey since 2019. Inform us extra about how Whisky Journey’s idea got here to fruition?
Really, I joined the corporate in 2020. Whisky Journey was on account of happen in 2019, however given the event of the Covid-19 pandemic, the crew determined to take a pause on the occasion till authorities rules had been a bit extra slack in 2020. So the primary version of the “Bar-hopping” whisky journey happened in 2020 and I used to be then helping my predecessor on operating the occasion. Due to this fact, I might say the preliminary concept was developed by the earlier crew and at the moment the crew and I’ve enhanced it and introduced a convention-styled (exhibition model) Whisky Journey since final 12 months.
What’s the relationship between Whisky Journey and Whisky Butler, Singapore’s most vibrant whisky-tasting membership?
So after I joined TSH Company Ltd, Whisky Butler was introduced along with me; and now each Whisky Journey and Whisky Butler are a part of the ideas underneath TSH Company Ltd, offering an array of whisky services and products to our shoppers.
The 2022 Whisky Journey version staged at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has been an awesome success. What ought to we count on to see, expertise and style with respect to the 2023 version?
Do count on this 12 months’s version to be larger with extra attention-grabbing manufacturers approaching board. We even have an unbiased bottler from Taiwan that’s flying in to participate on this 12 months’s occasion! On the similar time, a few of final 12 months’s exhibitors are additionally attempting to place collectively some experimental masterclasses for our shoppers. So count on extra thrilling manufacturers and masterclasses coming on this 12 months at Whisky Journey 2023!
Do you intend to introduce extra workshops this 12 months 2023?
Sure, we have now elevated the variety of masterclasses this 12 months on each days to provide everybody an opportunity to take part within the masterclasses that they’re wanting ahead to.
Who conceptualised the good concept of the Whisky Journey Passport? Are you able to clarify the passport idea to our readers and whisky lovers?
This was the collective effort of the earlier crew after many rounds of brainstorming, they determined {that a} jet-setting format of whisky exhibition is a novelty and an attention-grabbing theme to go along with, and therefore the passport as a device to make the entire jet-setting expertise extra actual (particularly in occasions of Covid).
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Why is Singapore the best location to host Whisky Journey?
Being a Singaporean firm, it’s all the time good to construct our base from right here. Though we acknowledged that competitors is stiff right here, however we firmly consider that additionally it is the (whisky) hub and trendsetter for the area.
Who’re your main 2023 companions?
Our official water sponsor is Perrier, our media associate is Coronary heart Media (you guys) in addition to our occasion goodie luggage sponsor is Black Bull by Duncan Taylor, which can also be certainly one of our premium exhibitors.
How is Whisky Journey completely different from different Whisky occasions?
“EEE” is our idea and the important thing differentiators to different whisky occasions. The three “E” are specifically: Discover; Educate; Expertise. It’s good to permit shoppers to discover themselves somewhat then telling them what is nice or unhealthy; educating them concerning the model philosophy, model historical past, and the method of making the merchandise permits shoppers to grasp and respect the model extra; lastly, it is advisable permit shoppers to expertise it themselves by permitting them to attempt it. “Discover” is paramount amongst the three; we ensure that contributors will get to search out a variety of whiskies supplied by the official manufacturers, and purchase straight from these manufacturers. Due to this fact, at Whisky Journey, you could find restricted version whiskies; aged whiskies as outdated as 40 years outdated opened by the dram for shoppers to have an opportunity to attempt to expertise them.
How do you see the Whisky Journey evolving three years down the highway?
I hope to take Whisky Journey to a number of cities with extra fringe occasions being organised in numerous elements of the world for shoppers across the globe.
Will you convey this occasion idea to different capital cities in Asia?
Sure. That’s positively in our plan for the following three to 5 years.
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What’s your favorite second of true accomplishment within the lifetime of Whisky Journey?
The largest second positively comes from the grins of all my contributors and exhibitors. As a result of they’re all my stakeholders. Solely when they’re joyful, we’re achieved.
Are you able to share with our reader the title of the mentor who has impressed you essentially the most in your profession and life?
I’m truly very lucky to have met many individuals in my life. I consider that everybody is exclusive in their very own means and there may be all the time one thing you’ll be able to study from everybody. Combining all these distinctive experiences collectively, I turned them into my very own life ideas that information me to stroll my very own path. Due to this fact I wouldn’t say there’s a single person who impressed me in my skilled life, however as a collective entire; I’ve realized from everybody that crossed paths with me. Lately, a speech by a neighborhood feminine entrepreneur resonates with this perception of mine. She stated, “One of many greatest life classes is studying learn how to admire somebody’s present with out questioning your personal”. The assertion coincides with how I consider that everybody is exclusive and as a substitute of being jealous of somebody’s expertise, we embrace and study from these folks. As a result of life is just not about what occurred to us, however how we reply to it. You may select to be bitter or be a greater particular person.
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