A Special Whisky-Paired Omakase Dinner With The Intriguing Mortlach 20 Year Old And Robb Report Malaysia

In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, a short hop from the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers, a select group of Robb Report Malaysia readers gathered for what promised to be an exceptional evening with Mortlach single-malt whisky include a starring role with its flagship core collection, the Mortlach 20 Year Old.

Here at Sky35 KL, an omakase restaurant located on the uppermost floor of Pavilion Embassy, the dinner menu which awaited was designed to encompass the essences of sea and shell with prized ingredients such as bluefin tuna, lobster and uni. Meanwhile, Mortlach’s presence promised a complementary umami match—that meaty and savoury profile which has become the spirit’s calling card and, indeed, one which has made it the muscular backbone of blended whiskies such as Johnnie Walker, particularly its flagship Blue Label.

Kicking things off that evening was Mortlach’s local whisky ambassador Kent Chan, who rolled out the dinner’s first talking point. The 12-year-old Mortlach, also known as The Wee Witchie, is so named because of the significantly smaller spirit still number 1, representing a witch’s hat. The 12YO, with its double maturation in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, showcased a rich influence of sherry, with notes of dried and tropical fruits as well as caramel pudding, and a spiced palate to go with its signature meaty character. 

Along with this came a delicious concoction of Murasaki and Bafun uni wrapped in delicious nori, taking the umami factor to the next level. Inside the main dining room, guests sat at the ‘Venus Dior’ quartzite counter with its sun-like glow of natural crystal veins. They would go on to enjoy a culinary parade with eclectic dishes such as fried kailan on top of chutoro sashimi, seared toro, and seared Hokkaido scallop with foie gras.

The evening was further punctuated by pours of Mortlach with the 16-year-old Distiller’s Dram redolent with dark fruitcake aromas, with a palate of dark chocolate, apricots, honey and leather. As a special treat, the group also enjoyed a personalised tasting of the recently launched and limited Mortlach Neverbound Release 01, the inaugural non-age statement single-malt from Mortlach. This unique concoction relies on whiskies matured in ex-bourbon American oak casks, which are later finished in new French oak casks air-dried for up to four years in the Cognac region. With the Neverbound Collection, a nose of red fruits with hints of soy sauce and smoked meat segues into a sweet palatal opening of rich molasses and Mortlach’s signature meaty chew.

Then came the pinnacle dram, the Mortlach 20 Year Old, bringing its dense and intriguing personality, offering dried fruit, leather and tobacco on the nose. Meanwhile, its rich, robust body provided hints of wood spice accented by citrus, a dark, meaty barbecued crackling brightened by berries, jam and cocoa. It then finishes with a complexity enveloped in raisins, gingerbread and a rumour of liquorice.

Dessert would duly arrive with a chocolate mousse mixed with the 16YO Mortlach and some gochujang sauce—a Korean fermented chilli paste, for an extra spicy tang. This mousse was served alongside vanilla ice cream with olive oil, sea salt and a side of orange marmalade, ensuring the dinner ended on a high, memorable note and an indelible taste of Mortlach’s various expressions savoured throughout the night.

Mortlach

Photography by Seow / All Is Amazing

Videography by Wynner Cheong / Metal Cut Films