#wgs2013

"Notice how you were served the 17 with ice? They've assumed most people would find the 17 too strong and added ice to it."

David went on to explain how one should approach a whisky - first neat, and if too strong, diluted with up to half as much water. Dispelling any stigma attached to adding water to whisky, David reassured us that there's nothing wrong with this practice.

"Whatever makes whisky more palatable to you. But please don't add coke or soda to it!"

David's easy demeanor set the tone for the night, as we took in a crash course on whisky tasting.

We first had to pass the "smell" test which used 12 mouillettes (smelling strips), each dipped into a unique scent representing a common "nose" whisky characteristic. The Macallan partnered with celebrated British perfumer Roja Dove to create this olfactory experience to teach tasters how to distinguish these individual components when drinking whisky.

"Cinnamon! Nutmeg! Orange peel!" Alas for me, I could only place a few in the generic "This smells like shower gel" and "This smells like baby powder" categories. Meh.

David then taught us to layer some of the mouillettes to give us an idea of the aromas imparted to whiskies from Spanish and American oak barrels. Only when we'd "mastered" this basic step were we served our flight for the night, starting with the Macallan 12 Year Fine Oak, Macallan 17 Year Fine Oak, Macallan 18 Year Sherry Oak and Macallan 25 Year Sherry Oak.

Stellar at 1-Altitude had arranged a hands-on sushi making session to follow after, but I thought it would probably have been better scheduled before we'd imbibed the whiskies!

That's me, completely mucking up my nigiri sushi - I blame the alcohol for impairing my skills.

And the end result (with a lot of help from the chef):

Fortunately, we didn't have to eat our own creations as Stellar at 1-Altitude served up a lovely sushi and sashimi platter.

With full bellies, we were finally presented with the grand finale - a Macallan whisky bottled in 1950.

Extremely rare, a quick Google search revealed this bottle retails for a staggering SGD 7,000! And that's if you can even get your hands on a bottle. It was probably wasted on a whisky noob like me, but I'm glad to have tried it, if for nothing but bragging rights.

So has the experience converted me to whisky? Not really. But it was definitely educational and now I get to evilly snub hardcore whisky drinkers, "Oh, you mean you haven't had The Macallan 1950?" 

The Wine-Maker

Isole e Olena is headed by Paolo De Marchi and considered one of the top ten small wine producers in the world. Having taken over his family's estate since the age of 20, Paolo transformed Isole e Olena, his traditional Tuscan wine label, into one of the most admired wineries through a constant refinement of his wine-making techniques.

During the dinner, we had the opportunity to taste six of his exquisite wines:

2011 Isole e Olena, Chardonnay 2006 Isole e Olena, Syrah 2008 Isole e Olena, Cepparello 2008 Proprietà Sperino, Uvaggio 2008 Proprietà Sperino, Lessona 2004 Isole e Olena, Vin Santo

When we expressed that the Chardonnay (a non-native Tuscan grape variety) was particularly excellent, Paolo sighed happily and informed us that he receives similar feedback every time he serves his Chardonnay.

"Very funny, no? Because Chardonnay is not a traditional Tuscan wine at all!" 

The Chefs - Kentaro Torii (Forlino) and Chef Gabriele Ferron (Ristorante Pila Vecia, Italy)

The head chef of Forlino is, ironically, not Italian, but Japanese. What is even more surprisingly is that he's only in his early thirties! We've heard that Chef Torii's boyish good looks have charmed many a female patron, but he's definitely more than just a pretty face. Classically trained in the art of Italian cuisine, Chef Torii was recently awarded Gruppo Virtuale Cuochi Italiani Chef of the year 2012, bearing testament to this non-Italian's expertise in the Italian kitchen.

Chef Ferron, of course, requires little introduction. You can find out more from our interview with him here.

Together, the two top Italian chefs worked hard to create a menu to wow the guests. These two courses were easily my favourite of the night:

Grilled Octopus with Mesclun Salad

Incredibly tender octopus with just the right balance of savoury-sweetness from the ocean. I would order this again and again. And probably again.

Isolana Style Risotto with White Veal in Cinnamon Scent

The World Rice Ambassador's risotto is completely unexpected. Chef Ferron's technique brings out the innate creaminess of the individual rice grains instead of relying on excessive quantities of cheese to achieve that perfectly smooth texture. Cinnamon adds a surprising touch to this savoury dish. 

Yet another lovely night of amazing Italian food and wine (the first being A Night of Italian Opera with San Pellegrino). I'm already looking forward to the other 17th World Gourmet Summit events!

The opening reception at S.E.A. Aquarium, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore, saw over 600 guests getting up close and personal with these culinary masters.

Chef Jean-François Piège (Restaurant Jean-François Piège, Paris) & Chef David Senia (The Knolls, Singapore)

The media also had the opportunity to quiz the chefs on anything they wanted in a round-robin "speed-dating" interview concept which gave each group three minutes to speak with pairs of chefs in turn.

Master Butcher Dario Cecchini & Chef Francesco Mansani (Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse, Singapore)

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor (Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor, Dubai) & Chef Manjunath Mural (The Song of India, Singapore)

Chef Jean-François Piège (Restaurant Jean-François Piège, Paris) & Chef Christopher Millar (Stellar@1-Altitude, Singapore)

Chef David Liew & Chef Ken Ling (My Humble House, Singapore), Chef Susur Lee (Chinois by Susur Lee, Singapore) & Chef William Ledeuil (Ze Kitchen Galerie, Paris)

Chef Yong Bing Ngen (Majestic Restaurant & Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant, Singapore)

Culinary masterclasses, wine workshops and gourmet dinners have been lined up and set to make the 17th World Gourmet Summit the most exciting edition yet.

Noteworthy events include the Citibank Gastronomic Jam Sessions which bring together a series of demonstrations by local and guest chefs, happening on 19 and 20 April 2013.

And Daniel, of course, would be interested in the more alcoholic offerings such as the Château de Beaucastel Experiential Wine Tasting or any of the Macallan events.

The full list of events is available on their official website http://www.worldgourmetsummit.com/wgs2013, and Citibank cardmembers get exclusive deals off ticket prices. But you'll have to hurry, as most events are getting booked up quickly!