For some, whisky is a type of liquid gold. From Scotch to Single-Malt, Bourbon to uncommon blends, every has its personal advanced profile and multi-layered vary of flavours. Nobody understands this higher than Benjamin Tan, the Head of Enterprise Improvement 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 yr sees Whisky Journey goes again to its orginal convention-exhibition fashion showcase. The present will function over 20 exhibitors, with over 100 totally different whiskies and expressions out there for visitors to find, discover and check out. LUXUO sits down with the face of Whisky Journey, Benjamin Tan to seek out out extra about his ardour for whisky, what we are able to anticipate to see from this yr’s Whisky Journey and the way forward for this one-of-a-kind exhibition.

You could have been operating Whisky Journey since 2019. Inform us extra about how Whisky Journey’s idea got here to fruition?

Truly, I joined the corporate in 2020. Whisky Journey was attributable to happen in 2019, however given the event of the Covid-19 pandemic, the group determined to take a pause on the occasion till authorities rules had been slightly 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’d say the preliminary thought was developed by the earlier group and at the moment the group and I’ve enhanced it and introduced a convention-styled (exhibition fashion) Whisky Journey since final yr.

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 beneath TSH Company Ltd, offering an array of whisky services to our customers. 

The 2022 Whisky Journey version staged at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has been an amazing success. What ought to we anticipate to see, expertise and style with respect to the 2023 version?

Do anticipate this yr’s version to be greater with extra attention-grabbing manufacturers approaching board. We even have an unbiased bottler from Taiwan that’s flying in to participate on this yr’s occasion! On the similar time, a few of final yr’s exhibitors are additionally attempting to place collectively some experimental masterclasses for our customers. So anticipate extra thrilling manufacturers and masterclasses coming on this yr at Whisky Journey 2023!

Do you propose to introduce extra workshops this yr 2023?

Sure, we’ve elevated the variety of masterclasses this yr on each days to provide everybody an opportunity to take part within the masterclasses that they’re trying ahead to.

Who conceptualised the good thought 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 group 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). 

Learn Extra: Prime 5 Whiskies To Hold an Eye Out for at Whisky Journey 2022

Why is Singapore the perfect 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 companion is Coronary heart Media (you guys) in addition to our occasion goodie luggage sponsor is Black Bull by Duncan Taylor, which can be one among our premium exhibitors.

How is Whisky Journey totally different from different Whisky occasions?

“EEE” is our idea and the important thing differentiators to different whisky occasions. The three “E” are particularly:  Discover; Educate; Expertise. It’s good to permit customers to discover themselves fairly then telling them what is nice or unhealthy; educating them in regards to the model philosophy, model historical past, and the method of making the merchandise permits customers to know and admire the model extra; lastly, it’s worthwhile to permit customers to expertise it themselves by permitting them to attempt it. “Discover” is paramount amongst the three; we make it possible for contributors will get to seek out a variety of whiskies offered by the official manufacturers, and purchase instantly from these manufacturers. Due to this fact, at Whisky Journey, yow will discover restricted version whiskies; aged whiskies as outdated as 40 years outdated opened by the dram for customers 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 several components of the world for customers across the globe.

Will you carry this occasion idea to different capital cities in Asia?

Sure. That’s undoubtedly in our plan for the subsequent 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 undoubtedly comes from the grins of all my contributors and exhibitors. As a result of they’re all my stakeholders. Solely when they’re pleased, we’re achieved. 

Are you able to share with our reader the title of the mentor who has impressed you probably the most in your profession and life?

I’m really 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 may study from everybody. Combining all these distinctive experiences collectively, I turned them into my very own life rules that information me to stroll my very own path. Due to this fact I wouldn’t say there’s a single individual that impressed me in my skilled life, however as a collective entire; I’ve discovered 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 easy methods to admire somebody’s reward with out questioning your personal”. The assertion coincides with how I consider that everybody is exclusive and as an alternative of being jealous of somebody’s expertise, we embrace and study from these individuals. As a result of life shouldn’t be 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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