Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s mastery of the ultra-premium whisky segment has extended to spectacular settings where this velvety elixir is served. From appearing with Jude Law and Gianclo Giannini in The Gentleman’s Wager to more recently being re-imagined by Chef Kei Kobayashi of three Michelin-starred restaurant Kei in Paris, the legend of Johnnie Walker Blue Label has extended into popular culture as it has well-stocked drinks cabinets and posh bars the world over.
Recently, such a setting would be found at the fine-dine establishment of Potager with its enchanting gardenscapes. The restaurant, helmed by executive chef Masashi Horiuchi, is also a Michelin Selected restaurant for the 2025 Michelin Guide Malaysia.
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On this particular evening, a select group of 35 guests were welcomed into the restaurant with Johnnie Walker highballs and by BoozeiT representatives, general managers Chermaine Wong and Tang Chiang Tee, as well as Kenny Fernandez from Johnnie Walker Malaysia. The evening’s collaboration between Johnnie Walker and its activation partner BoozeiT heralds the latest in the line of BoozeiT’s expanding universe, one which is represented by 32 branches nationwide, offering more than 3,500 SKUs with an inventory valued at more than RM4 million, making BoozeiT Malaysia’s largest liquor retailer in stock quantity.
“At BoozeiT, we like to provide a unique and educational experience for our customers,” Wong says of the collaboration with Johnnie Walker Blue Label. “We believe this allows them to deepen their understanding of the whisky.” For Tang, the attraction of showcasing Johnnie Walker Blue Label lies in “its complexity and smoothness”, with tastings of other Johnnie Walker expressions from its prestige range also in store.
The dinner’s opening act at Potager came with an amuse bouche of scallop ceviche, wagyu, and uni tartare, chicken liver parfait, and an octopus beignet. Then came the tasting led by Johnnie Walker’s whisky ambassador Daphne Tan, who introduced the XR21, with its sweet honey and tempered spices cloaked in soft smoke. The drink develops into citrus zest, ripe tropical fruits, and caramel swirl, with hints of tobacco and raisins, and ends with a long, soothing and layered finish.
Next came Potager and chef Horiuchi’s story of the corn, where he chanced upon bittersweet nostalgia when walking in Cameron Highlands. There, the swaying cornfields reminded him of his childhood in Fukuoka, and he reproduces this taste of home in the corn cappuccino with truffle foam and toasted corn kernel.
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With that came Johnnie Walker Blue Label and its velvety smooth taste, vibrant with notes of fruits, spice, toffee and lingering smoke. On the palate, the Scotch reveals hazelnuts, honey, rose petals, sherry and oranges, with ensuing sips revealing secrets such as kumquats, sandalwood, tobacco and dark chocolate.
A calamansi-glazed poached Boston lobster and a lobster bisque tart accented by gooseberry and tomato chutney was next, followed by a guinea fowl breast topped with truffle pasta. A sea bream appeared after that, adorned with yuzu foam and white local clams, before the star turn of the Omi wagyu striploin and pigeon breast, the latter served with macerated cherries.
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A rice dish, cooked in uni and abalone puree, then topped with caviar and citrus foam, offered the canvas for the evening’s highlight—the precious Johnnie Walker King George V expression, a Scotch inspired by the great whiskies from the reign of King George V. Its rich fruit and abundance of spice is mellowed by creamy vanilla, with wisps of maritime Port Ellen smoke for a long, indulgent finish. With that came Potager’s always surprising sorbet and granitas, a dessert of peach compote, meringue, and a whisky infused chocolate dessert topped with crispy banana chips.
Videography: Wynner Cheong / Metal Cut Films
Photography: Law Soo Phye / Soophye Photography
