THE TRADITION, ’S MANDARIN ORANGE COGNAC-BASED CONCOCTION

AUGUSTMAN

The Golden Ratio

Reichman has often spoken about the concept of the ‘Golden Ratio’ ‒ the organic mathematical formula in nature that produces aesthetically pleasing and balanced compositions. According to Reichman, it sits at the heart of the design of every Aston Martin. Absolute beauty can be created when you achieve a perfect relationship between each proportion of the car.

“Proportionality defines every precise detail of designing an Aston Martin. We are constantly striving to achieve the Golden Ratio; the optimal of proportions,” Reichman explained. “To achieve this, we must combine our skill, passion and experience. Coming together with Ron just brings a whole new perspective on this and is hugely inspiring and enlightening. This whisky perfectly and harmoniously brings us together to create a beautiful, yet powerful equilibrium.”

For Bowmore, proportions define character and shape flavour combinations ‒ from cask selection and ageing, to blending. “For the first time with this whisky, we have adopted the Golden Ratio to inspire each of the elements bringing their own unique flavours and selecting the optimal casks to forge the desired character, taking inspiration from Marek and his team,” explained Ron Welsh, master blender at Bowmore.

An Engineered Approach

Taking inspiration from this engineered approach, this whisky incorporates the divine proportion of 61.8 per cent formed from a base of 21-year- old Bowmore matured in fi rst fi ll Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. The remaining parts are made up of exact ratios of one another, in line with the Golden Ratio theory, and include exceptionally aged Bowmore matured for over 35 years.

For this single malt, a powerful and complex yet sweet warming, the creators seem, on the face, to have created absolute contrast but in reality, they have captured perfect balance and proportion. Powerful yet elegant; from sweet to spice; sherry to coffee; honey to pepper ‒ the perfect proportions to achieve absolute depth and balance.

With a clear nod to Aston Martin in the very creation of this Bowmore whisky, it exudes a sophistication and complexity which is truly considered yet promises a thrilling taste experience.

Bowmore Aston Martin 21 Masters’ Selection is available in key global markets at an expected retail price of USD300 (S$403) (ex VAT/duty).

If you didn’t manage to get your hands on either the Masters’ Selection or Black Bowmore, look out for the Designed by Aston Martin collection. Set to be an annual release, it features Bowmore’s iconic 10, 15 and 18 Year Old single malts, paired with intricate designs of Aston Martin’s iconic cars ‒ the LM10, Atom and DB Mk

III respectively. The collection is available at Bowmore and Lotte Travel Retail’s pop-up store in Changi Airport Terminal 3.

Creating Your Own Traditions with Hennessy XO Over the Lunar New Year, Augustman took the time to ponder how we could make a Classic Old Fashioned cocktail of our own. Inspired by the art of Zhang Enli, we developed The Tradition specially for Ren Ri. Birthdays typically mark the anniversary of one’s birth, but for Ren Ri or 人日, the seventh day of Zhengyue (the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar) is regarded as the day human beings were created, and is celebrated not only in China, but also in regions that have a Chinese dispora and are influenced by Chinese culture. That said, AM’s Tradition, like Zhang’s art, can be consumed on any occasion.

Maison Hennessy ushered in the Chinese New Year with a dreamlike work of art by the internationally renowned artist Zhang Enli. Born 1965 in Jilin Province, Zhang teaches at the Arts and Design Institute of Donghua University, refi ning his signature artistic style of depicting the familiar and the overlooked, often from unusual viewpoints or focusing on seemingly insignificant details. Celebrating the Chinese New Year in collaboration with an acclaimed contemporary artist is Hennessy’s way of honouring a spirit, a vision, and a commitment to art.

• Orange angostura bitters ‒ 6 dashes • Hennessy XO/ VSOP ‒ 60 ml

• Brown sugar/gula melaka ‒ 2 cubes

or 2 fl at tablespoons

• Slice of Mandarin orange peel

• 20 ml sparkling soda or to preferred

level of sweetness/thickness

Zhang Enli builds on this tradition with an original artwork that expresses the regal nature of Hennessy blends through classical Chinese brush painting techniques combined with a bold, modern and creative vision. Coming after a time of challenge and loss, the Tiger represents hope and augurs renewed energy and vitality.

For Hennessy, Zhang Enli draws strength from nature, offering a universal portrait of energy and optimism entitled “Poetry and Wine Welcome the Tiger.”

Following a visit to Hennessy’s historic seat in Cognac, Zhang Enli transposed his impressions into a fluid, dream-like composition in which sprays of water disperse and re- converge into a prowling tiger. Just as every drop of water in the river is unique, so is Hennessy’s unique eaux- de-vie, each assembled by a master blender into an amazing cognac. For the Year of the Tiger, Zhang sought muse in the peaceful beauty of the Charente River in Cognac, using it as a metaphor for transformation and the passage of time; a fitting analogy that a great cognac truly becomes transformative across time.

According to the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac ( BNIC), the industry’s trade association, cognac’s three largest markets are the United States (78.7 million bottles), Singapore (23.6 million bottles) and China (22.6 million bottles). Singapore has the distinction of having the largest per capita consumption of cognac in the world, however the reality is that most of it is likely to have been on- sold to China or Chinese consumers.

A common notion that cognac is the domain of old men regaling stories of wit or bravado is just that, a conception. The fact is, 90 per cent of worldwide sales consist of VS (very special) and VSOP (very superior old pale) cognacs with roughly half consumed as trendy cocktails. And in 2001, there was that milestone moment when Busta Rhymes and P. Diddy’s hit song Pass the Courvoisier ignited a 30 per cent jump in the brand’s sales.

The association of cognac with urban culture isn’t new. Since the 1950s, AfricanAmericans have represented the largest single segment of cognac drinkers in the

US. Meanwhile the French had fallen in love with African-American cultural exports like jazz and blues long before they became mainstream. The current association of cognac with urban music is simply the most recent manifestation of a relationship that goes back almost three-quarters of a century, no doubt spurred by former Hennessy vicepresident of sales Herb Douglas, one of the first African-Americans to hold a senior position in a major spirits company.

“WHILE THIS PAINTING MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL TIGER-THEMED PAINTINGS, MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WILL INTUITIVELY RECALL THE ANIMAL’S BEAUTY AND VITALITY. ‘POETRY AND WINE WELCOME THE TIGER’ IS ABOUT SPIRIT AND SENSE OVER APPEARANCES; ABOUT THE FORCE OF TRANSFORMATION, EVEN IN THE TINIEST DETAILS.” – ZHANG ENLI