Chivas Whisky Blending Masterclass at The Cellar, Macalister Mansion

December 3, 2019

Chivas Whisky Blending Masterclass

We were excited to be invited for the Chivas Whisky Blending & Pairing Dinner at The Cellar, Macalister Mansion on 29 November 2019. It was our first whisky blending masterclass and we were looking forward to learning and tasting some amazing dram. The masterclass was conducted Jasper Epsom, the Chivas’ ambassador who was a passionate and enigmatic educator. Born in Kenya, Jasper learnt his trade in Scotland before settling down here. He shares his valuable knowledge, experience and has a great sense of humor.

At its copper clad bar, we were presented with whisky glasses, each filled with five types of whisky with noses such as floral, fruity, creamy, citrus and smoky. With the nosing glass, each of the unique aroma is enhanced and distinctive. The blending process is simple, we choose our dominant whisky, pouring a sizable amount into the glass beaker before adding other whisky to make up the blend to our own discreet ratio. Each blend is unique, there is no right or wrong recipe. Once we are satisfied with the blending, the next step is the bottling process, where we transfer the blend from the beaker into a bottle for our own keeping.

Once the blending experience is over, we were treated to a 4-course whisky pairing dinner prepared by Restaurant Blanc and Living Room restaurant. Each course is carefully paired with Chivas award-winning collections such as Chivas Regal 12 years, Chivas Regal Extra, Chivas Regal XV 15 years and Chivas Regal Mizunara. It was really an eye-opening experience and we learnt that blending whisky is something to appreciate like a work of art.

The Cellar at Macalister Mansion is located smack in the middle of Georgetown and it’s a great place for hangout and lounging with your partner or friends. The property has its own private car park, so there are plenty of parking spaces available. Also in case you get a bit tipsy, retrieving your car won’t be such a chore.

The Cellar, Macalister Mansion

Whether it is for a business meeting or gathering of friends with some drinks and bar bites, this well-curated designed bar – The Cellar presents a sophisticated, contemporary yet quirky setting for a relaxing evening.

The Cellar is residing in the 100-year-old colonial heritage building, Macalister Mansion which has been renovated and restored to its glorious charm. The striking diagonal red and black floor pattern serves as an intentional counterpoint to the beautiful historic architectural details of the building, with an ornate archway dividing The Cellar into 2 halves and 2 striking columns framing a bay window nook. Another key spatial feature is the dynamic copper clad bar and lighting sculpture above it.

The digital fireplace with antique books and artefacts painstakingly furnished with deep and engulfing king-sized armchairs and sofas as a welcoming embrace. There is also a private room that can accommodate up to 10 people for private discussions, meetings or mini celebrations in your own space.

The bar offers a wide range of beverages including wine, cognac, whisky, gin, beer, champagne, sake, cocktail as well as non-alcoholic drinks such as mocktail, juice and soft drinks. If it is hard to decide on what to drink from the menu, then let the in-house mixologist curate their special cocktail off the menu based on your personal preferences or allow the mixologist to surprise you with their best concoction that you can only find in The Cellar.

For whisky lovers, the bar is currently running a promotion of 6 shots of whisky and a tapas platter for only RM98nett. There are also some bar bites available to order for sharing including Nyonya fried chicken wings, chicken satay, fried calamari, onion rings, sweet potato fries and French fries. Or to fill your tummy fuller, there are also some mains on the menu such as Tom Yam fried rice, Char Hor Fun, Percik chicken, grilled Barramundi, Teriyaki chicken burger, red wine beef stew, Aglio Olio spaghetti and Alfredo linguine.

Starting from the 1^st December 2019 until 31 January 2020, come and claim your free drinks from The Cellar by wearing a red coloured top or dress and spend a minimum of RM50 in a single transaction per person. Girls will get a free glass of Prosecco while guys will get a free glass of whisky from the bartender.

Occasionally, there will be some exciting pop-up events taking place in The Cellar such as Chivas The Blend masterclass with Jasper Epsom, Chivas’ ambassador followed by a 4-course set dinner pairing.

Opened daily from 5pm – 12am on Monday – Thursday & Sunday and 5pm – 1am on Friday & Saturday, The Cellar welcomes everybody who would like to have a pre-dinner drink, a fun night out or even a nightcap. This bar is a non-smoking outlet.