Ample evidence of Malta’s huge interest in whisky at The Phoenicia

Ample evidence of Malta’s huge interest in whisky at The Phoenicia. The Grand Ballroom at The Phoenicia was a cacophony of malts, grains, pot stills and columnar stills of whisky, whiskey and rum this November during Frank’s Whisky & Rum Fair assembled under the curation of Andrew Abela.

The main difference between Scots whisky and Irish whiskey, which packs an extra ‘e’, is of course the spelling, this was Brand Ambassador for Teeling Irish Whisky Connor Sweeney’s opener. This alternative spelling reflects the original Scots and Gaelic derivations of the term ‘Uisce beatha’, meaning ‘Water of Life’, with each variation being carried through to modern use. Irish immigration to America in the 18th century means that we also refer to American ‘whiskey’ spelt with the ubiquitous Irish ‘e’.

Brothers Jack and Stephen Teeling set up the Teeling Whiskey company in Dublin in 2012 and opened the distillery, producing premium Irish whiskey in 2015, the first new distillery in Dublin for over 125 years. This investment in Dublin almost instantly paid-off with the distillery being voted world’s best whiskey attraction in 2016 at the World Whiskies Awards, and the brothers welcome about 150,000 visitors a year to tour their facilities in the fair city.

Generating awareness of Irish whiskey outside Ireland is a big challenge, despite the presence in Malta at the third edition of Franks Whisky and Rum Fair, held every November at The Phoenicia. Irish whiskey accounts for 5% of the world whiskey market. But it is evolving. Whisky drinkers are interested in smaller, local whiskies and the story of Teeling fits that interest. Teeling’s mission, in short, is to excite whiskey drinkers and introduce them to premium expressions they might not know existed. Connor explained that Teeling’s vision is to restore choice and the variety of styles that once marked Irish whiskey in its heyday.

Teeling Single Pot Still, released late last year, is the first new Dublin distilled Irish whiskey to be released for nearly 50 years, marking the true revival for the craft of distilling in the Irish capital. This release follows the auctioning of the first 100 bottles from the distillery last September, in aid of local Dublin charities, when bottle no. 1 sold for £10,000, breaking a world record for the most expensive bottle of whiskey sold from a new distillery.

Recruited to run the newly opened visitor centre at Bladnoch, Brand Ambassador Carolyn grew up close to the distillery and jumped at the chance to return in this challenging role. Formerly part of the Bells empire, Scottish distillery Bladnoch, on the banks of the adjacent River Bladnoch from which it takes its name is Scotland’s most southerly whisky distillery which has an interesting history and a strong Irish connection, not just because it’s close to the sea crossing between Stranraer and Larne but because twice in its history its saviours have come from Ireland.

Under its new Australian owner, together with ex-Scotch Whisky Association CEO, Gavin Hewitt, three single malts were created using existing stocks of Bladnoch; Samsara, Adela and Talia, released in 2017. Bladnoch is a grassy, malty Lowland-style spirit, with impressive indie bottling of cask strength Bladnoch Single Malts. Bladnoch Californian Red Wine Finish 17 year old has been blazing a trail and won the coveted Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits competition this year, while it’s younger cousin, the aptly-named Bourbon Expression Limited Release 10 year old was the worthy Silver Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits competition 2019, and joins the distillery’s core, but limited, range.

Melanie Stranger, the Brand Ambassador at Springbank, speaks fondly of her owner Mr. Wright, who is held in high-esteem amongst his community on Scotland’s West Coast for retaining a traditional labour-intensive approach to whisky making, a family way, the handmade personal touch, craft way. The very old-fashioned way. Founded in 1828 on the site of Archibald Mitchell’s illicit still, the Springbank Distillery is now in the hands of his great-great grandson, Hedley G. Wright. Melanie explains that Springbank is unique in Scotland, being the only distillery to carry out the entire production process at the distillery in-house, including malting 100% of the barley using two traditional malt floors all the way down to bottling the final golden liquid on-site.

There is also a unique two-and-a-half-times distillation process strictly aligned to carefully chosen prime local ingredients which has earned the 10 year old Springbank the accolade as one of the best in the world, having landed the top prize at the World Whisky Awards. Blended from a mixture of sherry and bourbon casks, the resulting range of aromas and flavours is breaking new ground in the world of whisky. With a touch of peat, salt and heather, this is Scotland in a glass, briny, full of character, as rugged as the Kintyre peninsula, which was once home to 34 distilleries when Campbeltown was the whisky capital of the world, and is now supporting just 3.

The Campbeltown distillery produces three different single malts: Springbank with the lightly peated, 2-anda-half times distilled process already mentioned, Longrow which is heavily peated, and also 2-and-a-half times distilled as well as Hazelburn which is refreshingly a non-peated, triple distilled expression of hills and sea. A picturesque loch, Crosshill Loch, situated one mile south of Campbeltown was purpose-built in 1868 to supply clean, pure water to the Campbeltown distilleries, today: Glengyle, Glen Scotia and Springbank.

A new twist to the Whisky Fair this year was the inclusion of a number of high-end rums which are jostling in the spirits trade for recognition of their craft, and which has reinvented itself as a premium and fashionable spirit. One of the stars is from the Dominican Republic founded by the legendary Don Andres Brugal in 1888, Brugal is the only 100% Dominican rum, crafted from start to finish on the lush Caribbean island, where the entire process from the harvesting of local Dominican sugar cane, to the production of molasses, to the creation of a clean distillate, to the final aging process and bottling, are all artfully undertaken by the bodacious and beaming Brugal.

Brugal is a unique dry style rum that can be enjoyed neat or mixed for more crisp, refreshing cocktails, the perfect balance to sweet mixers often paired with rum. Don Andres Brugal’s vision and experience has been passed on through five generations of Brugal family members known as Maestros Roneros, the Rum Masters, who ensure traditional methods, superior quality, and exceptional care have been captured in every bottle. The range extends to roughly 16 expressions, all barrel-aged in one way or another, with the longest-aged being in the barrel for more than a decade horizontally to ensure maximum contact with the top and bottom of the barrel. Younger rum barrels stand vertically. Blending plays a vital part in the finished products, this is where the Maestros Roneros come into their own, deciding which blend of different aged rums coming from which selection of barrels go into the final blend for each bottling. Anejo and Extra Anejo bottles are filled and labelled by hand.

Other notable rums at the Fair included new offerings from Venezuelan-producer Diplomático with the launch in Malta of ‘The Distillery Collection’ featuring very striking modern labelling and big flavours. The Distillery Collection showcases Diplomático’s diverse distillation processes that over the years has developed a unique style of merging different distillation methods to produce a wide range of complex distillates. The Distillery Collection highlights these distillation systems with two new expressions, a Single Batch Kettle rum and a Single Barbet Column rum. Both delicious, both very different, both highly enjoyable.

Once again, The Phoenicia has been the setting for a weekend of delights savouring some of the world’s best malts, grains, blends and rums. Friends mingled and reconnected over a dram, learning more about their favourite tipple from some of the most knowledgeable international Brand Ambassadors. This annual event is going from strength-to-strength.

The Phoenix Restaurant wins the coveted Colin Best award ‘For the Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant in Malta & Gozo’

The Phoenicia Malta’s The Phoenix Restaurant wins the coveted Colin Best award ‘For the Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant in Malta & Gozo’.

The 2020 Definitively Good Guide Restaurant Awards announced on the 9th December at the Restaurant Awards Ceremony Gala Dinner are the result of the 2019 Malta and Gozo Restaurant Survey and included awards for the flagship eatery at The Phoenicia Malta, The Phoenix Restaurant, as well as awards for Café Phoenicia. The awards singled out the 150 highest-rated restaurants in Malta and Gozo from over 3000 restaurants on the Maltese Islands, with both The Phoenix Restaurant and Café Phoenicia placed within the top tier of less than 40 restaurants.

The Phoenix Restaurant won the coveted Colin Best award ‘For the Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant in Malta & Gozo’ for 2019/2020. The late Colin Best, co-founder of the Definitively Good Guide to Restaurants together with Lisa Grech, realised 20 years ago that an objective restaurant guide was required. Having researched the best formula for Malta, it was decided that a survey-based restaurant guide was the way forward, since restaurants would be rated by their patrons.

The Phoenix Restaurant sports a magnificent dining room and stunning terrace enjoying delightful garden views all the way to Marsamxett Harbour. The culinary feats of the award-winning brigade of chefs are under the steady hand of Executive Chef Daniel Debattista whose food philosophy is based on serving dishes bursting with natural flavours is the basis on which this flagship restaurant has achieved the distinction of securing the Colin Best award ‘For the Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant In Malta & Gozo’. Locally sourced ingredients coupled to an acre of Kitchen Garden in the expansive grounds of The Phoenicia Malta means that dishes served at The Phoenix Restaurant are full of freshness.

Sister outlet, Café Phoenicia, was voted amongst the Top 40 Restaurants in Malta and Gozo for the first time in a hotly contested category, adding another prestigious award to the growing list of awards won by Malta’s only Leading Hotels of the World member. The chic, cosmopolitan and casual Café Phoenicia features exquisite dining in a relaxed atmosphere, a local favourite designed to be enjoyed with family and friends. Café Phoenicia offers a slice of the Mediterranean both from its menu and surroundings.

The Guide, which is now entering its twentieth year of publication, is now established as Malta’s foremost publication for lovers of good food. It is based on the reports and comments of regular restaurant goers who rate venues according to food, service and ambience. Awards are based on the highest rated overall, and in the individual Food, Service and Ambience categories, taking into account the number of people rating them, value for money, comments and other data from the survey.

The Phoenicia Malta’s General Manager Brice Kemper said: “I am very proud of the kitchen and restaurant teams led by Daniel and Silvan. The Colin Best Award is a reflection of their hard work and dedication in making The Phoenix Restaurant one of the great dining options in Malta.”

Silvan Camilleri, the hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager said: “We are delighted to have secured these awards, especially The Phoenix Restaurant being recognised as The Most Consistently Outstanding Restaurant in Malta and Gozo. Full credit goes to our dynamic team whose main objective is to create memorable experiences for our valued guests. Such awards can only motivate us to continue working even harder to achieve these positive results.”

Executive Chef Daniel Debattista said: “We only use the best ingredients in our dishes which are thoughtfully chosen based on my experience over the years in the culinary business. All the team at The Phoenix Restaurant deserve this award and we are all looking forward to sharing with The Phoenix Restaurant’s guests our interpretation of truly flavourful and healthy Mediterranean cuisine.”

For further information visit www.phoeniciamalta.com

Events and cultural activities

Using The Phoenicia as your base next year, you can fully experience Maltese Islands steeped in history, tradition and untouched beauty. Home to the oldest prehistoric underground temple in the world, Ħal-Salfieni Hypogeum, the fortifications of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem and the delicate and intricate filigree jewellery, a Maltese detailed art form made by twisting fine silver wires or threads, there are some things in life that shouldn’t be missed. Whatever you are interested in, whether it is cultural and art exhibitions in Valletta, world-class classical music, open air concerts or big themed-festivals, Malta can offer all that and much more!

Some of the biggest reasons to visit Malta are its endless events, such as tenor Joseph Calleja’s annual performance at the Fossos in Floriana adjacent to the hotel. Get ready to soar on song next August with this multi-award-winning singer, whose “blazing stage presence could light a thousand lamps.” Don’t miss Celine Dione during her world tour ‘Courage’ also in July.

Visit one of the many ‘Village Feasts’ for a truly Maltese folklore experience, with colourful costumes, ceremonies galore and loads of fireworks lighting up the night sky with brilliant blues, roaring reds and glittering greens. Visitors and locals alike rub shoulders amid the celebrations featuring statues of Saints, a raft of processions, all accompanied by performances of the village band playing rousing tunes and marching under a snowfall of confetti.

Malta enjoys one of the world’s best climates with mild sunny weather throughout the year making it the perfect setting for sports, open air concerts and music events. Malta also offers several annual festivals such as the Malta Jazz Festival, Malta Arts Festival and yearly Wine Festivals, alongside established events such as the Rolex Middlesea Race with its rousing regatta and the Mdina Grand Prix, a weekend of racing for vintage cars that attracts enthusiasts from all around the globe.

In nearby Valletta, almost everyone is tempted to view the “the world’s most beautiful floor” at St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the long-departed knights immortalised with inlaid intricate colourful marbles creating a rich tapestry effect all over the cathedral floor; along with viewing the Caravaggio masterpiece ‘The Beheading of St. John’ which is an experience all on its own. The chiaroscuro light effects of the painting help visitors focus on the two most important figures in the painting, St John and his executioner. Case Rocca Piccola, a nobleman’s house in-use until today, is another interesting visit when walking the grid of streets that make-up Valletta, which was the prototype design for many great cities across Europe. The Lascaris War Rooms, an underground complex of tunnels and chambers in Valletta, housed the War Headquarters for the Islands’ defence the Second World War and are now can be enjoyed throughout the year.

A night at the theatre can be a fun way of spending an evening during your time at The Phoenicia. Watch exciting dramas, plays or performances at the lovely Teatru Manoel, Europe’s oldest working theatre, and enjoy the Beethoven commemoration concert in May 2020 which features celebrated violinist Charlie Siem playing with The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Malta’s national symphony orchestra. The 8th edition of the Valletta Baroque Festival will once more feature top-notch artists, both from Malta and internationally, playing 31 concerts at 17 venues from the 10th to the 25th of January.