The Wall, Whisky and Sumiyaki Bar
Ever walked into a whisky bar and got the daylight scared out of you because there are hundreds of bottles to pick from; you don't know what to order; and you happen to the only female in a room full of old men who all seem to know their stuff? Well The Wall at Tanjong Pagar aims to re-orientate the world of whisky drinking in Singapore, by making it friendlier, more accessible, more instantly enjoyable.
It's a whisky education here at The Wall. A whisky tasting chart, indicating the characteristics of whiskies, from delicate to smoky, from light to rich, helps guide drinkers in selecting the type of flavor profiles that will suit their palates. Top-quality whiskies by the glass are offered on the finely curated list, at very friendly prices starting from $14 per glass, with whisky flights starting at $37. There's no need to invest in a bottle unless you are sure that you like it.
Even if you are not into the spirit, it's interesting to give it a shot with some Japanese Sumiyaki-Whisky pairing. The Wall serves a comprehensive Sumiyaki menu that can be paired with whisky, unlike other whisky bars that offer limited or no food. So take your baby steps into whisky tasting with some comfort food in tow.
Whisky and sumiyaki pairing sets start from $49, and Chef’s omakase with whisky is priced at $168. We sampled the East Meet West whisky flight ($37) with Sumiyaki pairing at $12. Of the lot, my favorite was Auchentoshan Three Wood ($25/glass) which has a sweet but complex and intense profile. The Les Moissons ($18/glass), a French whisky is a really light drink IMO with grassy and herbal notes. Cinnamon was the highlight in the Yamazaki Distiler's Reserve ($20/glass). If you like spice, the Kavalan Single Malt ($18/glass) will suit you, and it ends with notes of barley, vanila, and tropical fruits.
For the sumiyaki pairing, you will get a stick to go with each drink (a la carte prices are noted here). My favorite was the Tebasaki ($5) grilled simply with salt and garlic powder. The Kashiwa Chicken Thigh ($6) had a faint hint of wasabi. The Tsukune ($6) here has A LOT of cartilage if you like some crunch (I didn't). I prefer eating it on its own in order to taste the yuzu flavor. The house-made teriyaki sauce blend that accompanied the tsukune overpowers the meat despite me giving it a light dip. And lastly the Negima ($6) is a forgettable stick of chicken thigh with Japanese leeks. It doesn't fill you nor satisfy. In other words, it's pointless.
Now the pairing is unlikely to fill you up unless you're a hamster. Go for the Miso Nachos ($8), which we think should be made into a huge ass main instead of a delicate bite. The minced beef is cooked in chilli, ketchup, shiro miso, garlic, ginger, and salted beans. There's no heat in this one, with the flavors leaning towards salty-sweet.
The Eihire Grilled Skate Fin ($15) served with spicy mayonnaise was extremely addictive (mainly because I love Japanese mayo). The smoky flavor of the skate really comes through as you slowly chew on it.
The Piman Niku ($6) would be juicier if not for that overly crunchy tsukune. Obviously I'm a meat over bones person. Who wouldn't be?
I would also have more of the Miso Nasu ($6) Japanese eggplant grilled with butter, glazed with a Sakura miso, and some minced chicken, sake mirin, bonito.
The Sunumi Ika ($18) was a gorgeous thing grilled in butter and soyu. This sweet Japanese squid is irresistible with that Yakitori mayonnaise sauce (with ginger).
There's even fresh wasabi mochi! This is pretty decent.
The Wall also demonstrates whisky’s versatility through its whisky cocktail. Hit the bartender with your bespoke requests ($22-28) and be surprised. Mine was made with Tiger's Eye Whisky, yuzu, lemon juice and sugar. One thing I noticed with the whisky cocktails is that they are usually paired with a citrus fruit.
For the whisky aficionado, there are plenty of gems here, like the Yamazaki 50 years, distilled in 1961 with only 150 bottles worldwide; the (Crystal) Black Bowmore 29yrs 1st edition, with only 5 casks created; and The Macallan 1948 Select Reserve 51yrs, with only 366 bottles available. Also planned are special fortnightly ‘bottle intros’, where exclusive whiskies will be opened and enjoyed.
The Wall is a fun spot to savor your whisky. Definitely get a spot at the bar! The upstairs seating area is more typical whisky lounge and they also have a private room. Btw they also have an insane wine collection.
The Wall
76 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088497
Tel: +65 6225 7988
Mon - Sat: 5pm - 1am
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