In High Spirits
Eiling Lim and Luc Timmermans’ love for whisky is widely known, so much so that she became Malaysia’s first independent whisky bottler, writes Tien Chew
Shortly after arriving at Eiling Lim and Luc Timmermans’ home away from home, in Malaysia, I was politely ushered in and warmly welcomed into their lovely abode. After I made myself comfortable on a barstool, Lim does what any good host would do and offers me a drink. “Would you like to start with some Belgian beer?” she asks. Taking a brief moment to ponder and quickly glancing at my watch, its hour hand tucked cosily at the two o’clock mark, my gaze shifted back towardss my smiling host. How could I refuse when I’ve come to speak to a whisky bottler? Our conversation soon shifted from beer to whiskies and I discovered that the couple’s shared loved for whisky was the spark that ignited their relationship, as they met at a mutual friend’s whisky tasting sessionion in Singapore. Let it be known that alcohollhl can indeed sow seeds of love. “I was 25 when I drank my first whisky, it was from a closed distillery and it was a 25 Year Old Port Ellen,” says Lim. To non-whisky aficionados, Port Ellen is an exceptional sought-after spirit since its closure in 1983. With such a fine introduction, Lim fell in love with whisky and began to develop a further fondness, going so far as to becoming Malaysia’s first independent bottler. “It isn’t so difficult if you want to become an independent whisky bottler. The most crucial skill you need is your ability to earn good casks,” says Lim. “Anyone can be a whisky bottler, you just set up a company, have someone design the labels and then you buy what you want from the market. The problem is, how would you know that your bottle is going to be popular or any good?” With the help of her husband, well-versed in the subject and having tried and scored over 5,000 varieties of whisky, Lim counts herself fortunate that she has someone to help advise and guide her when it comes to investing in whisky. Quite the avid whisky collector, Timmermans is also known as a Glenfarclas expert and has experience dabbling in independent whisky bbottling. Thanks to his expexpertise and knowledge, casks selected by him will have hhis name displayed next to his wife’s on the bottle’s label. Four important elements, each carrying 25 points, are crucial when it comes to scoring whisky. When it comes to whisky selection, using your nose is the first essential tool at your disposal. Second is taste, which in theory should harmonise with what the nose has first announced. The third is the finish—how long can the whisky stay on your palate—and it can be measured by duration, while the fourth is balance and complexity. “For me, my personal scale for Eiling Lim whiskies should be 88 points and above. That’s my standard,” states Timmermans. Anything under an 88 will not make the cut. Lim specialises in Scottish single malts, and although Scottish whiskies take precedence, she isn’t afraid to venture out at times and even allowed us to try a fantastic Irish single malt with fruity notes during my taste test of her personal whisky range. Affable lovers of the amber spirit, Lim and Timmermans have a collective knack for purchasing exceptional casks from distilleries in Scotland and selling quality whisky that will surely delight the various calibres of drinkers.