It kinda feels like Port Charlotte is gaining steam, at least where I'm at in Singapore. First there was Clynelish, then Springbank and after that it was Ben Nevis, and now the spotlight seems to shine on Port Charlotte. I might be more in tune with the local fervour but taking a quick look at auctions tells me that this excitement isn't limited to Singapore's shores.

What's really interesting here is that none of these brands have the ammunition of big marketing budgets, major travel retail displays, grocery store placements. Yet, somehow the base of drinkers seem to have converged upon them - a sort of consensus that their whiskies are great value for even better juice. 

Curiously, Port Charlotte isn't even the flagship brand of Bruichladdich Distillery. It is in fact the smokier, more heavily peated sibling of the non-peated, transparency and terroir-obsessed Islay single malt.

Fun Fact: Every bottle from Bruichladdich comes with a code that you can key into their website to find out a whole ton of details about the provenance of the bottle you have in hand.

So why is Port Charlotte gaining so much steam? From what fans have told me, it's the mix of coastal, smoky and then creamier custard notes that take the cake. Some have likened it to a baked Alaska, a Banoffee pie or smoked fruits on a grill - which frankly, all sound great.

The whisky community is quite eagle-eyed and sharp when it comes to zoning in on something that tastes good and is great value, something that defies and flies right in the face of any marketing budget, travel retail pop-up or grocery store point-of-purchase standee. You can lead a horse to the water but you can't make him drink - well, unless it's good juice for a good price. These groundswells have always given me much optimism that perhaps in this material world, we're not all material girls. Sometimes David beats Goliath, and sometimes heart trumps might.

I suppose it is apt then that this bottle from Singaporean indie bottler Malt, Grain & Cane, which is also bottled for Indonesia's Miles Whisky Bar's 2nd anniversary, is titled "Enter The Dragon", the eponymous Bruce Lee 1973 cult classic film. It also happens to be widely considered one of the greatest martial arts films of all time and most certainly thrusted Eastern martial arts into the Western society's mainstream consciousness.

For those unacquainted with the film, I'll give you a snippet of it (though if you haven't, you should certainly make time to enjoy the film yourself). The movie follows Bruce Lee, who is engaged by the British Intelligence to uncover a drug operation. This mission sees Lee head to the ringleader's private island to take part in a deadly martial arts tournament. Through several rounds of challenges, Lee is able to find the evidence he needs but is of course, quickly busted. He is surrounded by the ringleader's many goons and is clearly outnumbered. Yet terrible odds are but morning cereal for the unassailable Lee. The ringleader escapes to a house of mirrors (leading to one of the most famous cinematic scenes of all time) but ultimately proves no match for the immaculately perceptive Lee.

It is a tale of triumph over the odds and the power of sheer human will.

It is then only fitting that the artwork that adorns the bottle, is also titled "Enter The Dragon 见龙在田", by Singaporean artist Tay Bak Chiang, famous for his impressionist works using bold pigments to depict subjects found in nature and daily life. His paintings often highlight the most poignant details, emboldening his subjects to take on their most robust quintessential forms. 

The Chinese characters "见龙在田" is pronounced jiàn lóng zài tián which is a Chinese proverb that means "seeing the dragon in the field" and is understood as the dragon, a daunting celestial being, in the harsh wilderness, will be in awe when it is matched against an enlightened individual of high moral character. 

Once again, the theme of surmounting the odds and an individual's will to power is emphasised.

It is perhaps appropriate then that Singapore indie bottler Malt, Grain & Cane's Port Charlotte dons such bold clothes - we've watched them fight the odds, a largely one-man show, nimbly jumping through the hoops to bring something fresh and new to the local spirits scene - by far, not the easiest, mind you. 

This isn't just a Port Charlotte, it's Malt, Grain & Cane's triumphant call as they invite us all to enter the dragon.

Port Charlotte 2001, 21 Years Old, Rum Barrel Aged, 55.7% ABV, bottled by Malt, Grain & Cane for Miles Whisky Bar 2nd Anniversary - Review

Color: Gold Apple Juice 

Aroma: Gentle but aromatic nuttiness - peanut shells, black sesame, with just a touch of peaty smoke. It’s creamy and slightly astringent, that leads into a nice depth of richness. Fruits galore! Apple juice, lemon tea, bananas and guavas - a tropical delight! The creaminess evolves into creme brûlée, nice and syrupy, with a touch of freshness of pine cones.

Taste: Nicely medium-bodied and oily. Caramel forward - smooth and creamy. Peanut cream and walnut oil takes the mid-palate, all whilst maintaining a clean bite. Pomegranate and cranberries show up, backing it up with a more powerful showing of black pepper and spice. As it recedes, there’s a mild charcuterie meaty oiliness that adds a nice umami touch. Aromatic ash and black tea tannins weave between. 

Finish: A long warming sensation, with light notes of tobacco leaf and an edge of ginger tea spiciness.

My Thoughts

This Port Charlotte stands out from its brethren taking a more mellowed and fruity profile. The smoke is well-integrated into the nutty and fruity notes, giving a sense of a smoky charcuterie board. It is rounded and creamy with a long warming sensation.

What I particularly enjoyed was that its smoke wasn't bellowing and overpowering, that you could very much still enjoy the coastal, nutty and fruity flavors that make it more multi-dimensional. The texture here was also a big winner - rounded and creamy, with a great long finish.

It should be noted that in order to purchase this bottle, you do have to be part of Malt, Grain & Cane's membership, which works by way of purchasing their Year 2 bottles, upon which you'll be gifted an NFT for every bottle. Collect 'em all and you'll get access to this bottle, and more along the way as I've heard.

I guess this bottle is Malt, Grain & Cane's way of inviting us to come along for the ride and get ready to enter the dragon.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot