Drinks to celebrate SG50 with — if you can afford it

SINGAPORE — While there are many options for an SG50 meal, the grandeur of the occasion is not lost on the discerning imbiber. Of course, several brands have come up with their SG50 offerings. Tiger Beer, for example, featured artwork the company used in 1965 for one limited-edition set; as well as a set featuring its bottles and cans dressed in red and white.

But others are taking the idea of celebrating a golden jubilee to even greater heights. We’re talking about 50-year-old spirits; such as the current hullabaloo surrounding the commemorative bottling of The Dalmore Affinity, priced at a celebratory £50,000 (S$105,645). Wait, you say, that is a lot to fork out. That’s true, even for a one-off bottling. But we are talking about 50-year-old highland single malt that has been carefully nurtured by the custodians at the distillery for 50 long years, and that is a rarity in itself.

If you’re willing to wait until September, the Beam Suntory 50 Year Old Trilogy, featuring three outstanding 50-year-olds — from Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Yamazaki — set in a one-of-a-kind walnut cabinet designed by local designer Nathan Yong, will be up for auction then. (Sure, the National Day parade will be over, but SG50 runs all year long, right?)

Something more affordable is the 1965 Kopke Colheita single cask tawny port (cask number 11640) made with grapes harvested in 1965. Discerning drinkers will appreciate the fact that there are only 160 bottles, priced at S$590 each, left in Singapore (out of a batch of 600) the last time we checked. If you want to taste it before committing to a genuine splurge, it is available by the glass at restaurants such as Les Amis, Waku Ghin, Jaan, Rhubarb Le Restaurant, the Raffles and St Regis hotel, among others.

Interested buyers can contact The Dalmore at 6235 1006; Colheitas Pte Ltd at 6525 8548; and email info.singapore [at] beamsuntory.com to enquire about the Beam Suntory 50 Year Old Trilogy auction.