Culture | Travel

When Capella opened its doors in Sydney’s heritage sandstone precinct, it was never going to be just about the city-resort hotel. F&B play a leading role in the luxury group’s establishments, as witnessed by the launch, earlier this year, of McRae Bar and Brasserie 1930.

Restaurateur and gourmet seafood importer Jason Ong has a straight-forward approach to both businesses – do what you love. His two restaurants, Caviar and Uni Gallery, underscore the point. “I love eating uni on its own,” he says, “with a spoon, like ice-cream.” Tonight, however, it’s a pairing of five courses of caviar with matching Champagne by Legras & Haas, whose vigneron Jerome Legras aims “to elicit every nuance Champagne can offer.” This runs the gamut from the crisp and citrusy Blanc de Blancs paired with a creamy Kaluga Queen caviar and Hyogo oyster, through to the Rosé, with its structured breadth of red fruits, setting off sake lees, white chocolate and the enveloping and buttery Polanco Oscietra.

Singapore’s sublime new members’ club began in London, when founder and former banker Grant Ashton found himself with a wine problem. The dilemma was an overabundance of fine wines in his collection – and a desire to share it.

The parallels could not be more perfect. Just like its stunning sister in Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney was once a grand General Post Office and remains a beloved local icon, with layers of history to unfold. Launched in 1874, the GPO Building has long been a landmark and meeting spot; its clock tower was once the tallest building in the city – and while Sydney’s skyline has since surpassed it, the allure of this place endures.

Cruising is synonymous with fun in the sun, lazy days drifting around tropical isles. Yet the more adventurous cruise aficionado will probably have advanced beyond such quotidian travels. Instead, they’ll seek journeys offering truly extraordinary experiences. Trips that are not simply vacations – they’re full-blown expeditions. For those intrepid voyagers looking to go somewhere awe-inspiring, but unwilling to sacrifice creature comforts along the way, Silversea has long been the go-to cruise line. Specialising in ultra-luxury aquatic journeys to remarkable locations, the company recently launched its most sumptuously appointed expedition ship yet, the Silver Endeavour.

The past few years have been difficult for the hospitality industry, to say the least. But for the proprietors of Nihi, an ultra-luxury surf resort on the Indonesian island of Sumba, one hour’s flight east of Bali, there’s been a silver lining to the restrictions on international travel. 

Esin Güral Argat is the vice-president of the board at the Gürok Group, the Turkish conglomerate founded in 1948 and run by her family ever since. The company has interests in packaging, real estate, mining, roof tiles and construction, among other concerns. Entering the family business in the 1990s, Güral Argat quickly seized the initiative to build a start-up of her own within the company, LAV. Today, it’s the world’s fifth-largest glassware manufacturer, producing some two million drinking receptacles per day, while employing more than 2,000 people at its offices and factories.

Some years ago, Sullivans Cove discovered five casks from the distillery's earlier days in a remote area in Tasmania, which were considered lost to time. Four of these casks were released in 2020 as a 21-year-old vatted expression, leaving the final cask to mature longer.

Bruichladdich's Octomore, the distillery's annual collection of heavily-peated expressions, finally re-emerges with another triumvirate of 5-year-old single malt Scotch whiskies with the 15th Octomore series. This lineup includes the second most heavily-peated spirit in its category yet, following the 8.3 Octomore with a 309 phenol parts per million (PPM).

Glenfiddich is known for its exceptional Grand Series collection that celebrates the combination between single malt and cultures from around the world. This includes the 29-year-old Grand Yozakura, the first single malt Scotch whisky finished in rare ex-Awamori casks, as well as the rare Palo Cortado Sherry cask-finished Gran Cortes.

This year, the House of Suntory introduces its oldest blended whisky yet, the Hibiki 40 Year Old. This expression is set to be launched at Oncore by Clare Smyth in Crown Sydney on 24th October. This exclusive gathering offers guests the opportunity to be part of the first tasting of the Hibiki 40 Year Old in Australia. Individuals are also invited to experience the bespoke five-course menu designed by Chef Clare Smyth at the Michelin-starred restaurant.

Since its inception in 1724, the House of Remy Martin's cognacs have been a staple among the most important gatherings in France and the rest of the world. Its name has always been synonymous with prestige, world-class blends and an exceptional legacy that only a few cognac-makers have attained.

Yarra Yering is one the oldest vineyards in Victoria's Yarra Valley, but is also one of the youngest in the region to hold a Langtons Classification. Heralding a legacy of more than five decades, the brand's winemaker and general manager Sarah Crowe talks us through its heritage, evolving practices and how the Langtons Classification have enhanced their reputation in the winemaking industry. 

The Macallan is celebrating its 200 years with two new expressions that pay homage to the craft of whisky making. With it comes the Time: Space Collection, which, as Master Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell says, is unique in the sense that it takes individuals into a journey through time. The distillery selected two whiskies that look at its storied past and would lay the foundation for future whisky makers and consumers alike.

The world’s sixth-largest importer of Swiss watches, Singapore is a voracious consumer of luxury timepieces. So it makes sense that the city-state should possess somewhere suitably sophisticated for the watch-collecting community to congregate. Enter 33 Club, a plush new private member’s establishment that opened late last year at Raffles Place.

As the holiday season commences around the world, there’s no better place to escape the daily rush than Australia’s breathtaking Great Barrier Reef during the pristine summer season. 

For more than three decades, Langtons Classification has served as the ultimate form guide for connoisseurs. It has found, recorded and predicted how demand, preferences and wine styles have ebbed and flowed over the years, as well as the emerging influence of Australian fine wines globally.

As an Italian heritage brand, Molteni&C's pursuit of exceptional design has led to some key collaborations with titans like Angelo Mangiarotti, Tito Agnoli and Luca Meda. The Italian furniture maker, after all, has always sought out creative partnerships that exercise its artisanal vision and legacy of craftsmanship.

Set amidst the spectacular alpine paradise of Queenstown, New Zealand, the award-winning, boutique hotel, The Carlin, has been offered for sale in a unique opportunity to buy a luxury retreat in this renowned resort town.

As the second oldest whisky distillery in Tasmania, Sullivans Cove enjoys the distinction of producing some of the most complex single-cask expressions in the Australian market. Further adding to the award-winning distillery's exceptional portfolio is its rare 17-year-old American oak second-fill whisky release, the TD0107. With this blend, collectors enjoy a unique blend of herbal notes and a powerful dark and heavy finish.

If there's one thing Hublot has always understood, it's the beauty that lies in heritage. Since the Maison's launch in 1980, it has continued to push the boundaries of Swiss watchmaking and what a modern timepiece could be. This, of course, started off with the introduction of polished and brushed gold and rubber into haute horology, presenting new ways of defining style and adaptability.

After spending 15 years as a professional – and highly regarded – jazz pianist both in Singapore and on the international circuit, Peter Ng eventually started and settled down into his core property business in London. It was only when he found himself looking for somewhere to smoke a cigar that he conceived of, and then opened Robusto – the first incarnation of Maduro. The now beloved jazz, whisky and cigar club recently relocated to the Sofitel hotel in Sentosa, where Boulevard caught up with Ng over a Montecristo…

In the world of fine whisky, The Macallan has stood consistently as a true innovator of the single malt Scotch whisky. For two centuries, the distillery's expressions have showcased the flavours and texture of the picturesque Speyside region. Collaborations with artists and designers over the years have only enhanced the brand's status.

Bruichladdich had been built on the stories that shaped the remote Isle of Islay. The Scottish distillery honors its heritage all the while embracing modern techniques to create more dynamic expressions.

The House of Rémy Martin is a name synonymous with prestige, world-class blends and an enduring power only a fortunate few have attained. For about three centuries, its cognacs have been a staple among the most important gatherings in France and the rest of the world.

As one of the premier distilleries in Scotland, Highland Park continues to cultivate expressions that mimic the natural environment that is home to its Orkney distillery. Such is the case with its new whisky, the 10-Year-Old Single Cask #3439, which embodies the brand's vision for 'Wild Harmony'.

Sullivans Cove adds another layer to its legacy with the release of its 24-year-old single cask spirit. The award-winning Tasmanian distillery recently announced the limited run of the HH0004. With it comes an expression that not only surpasses the brand's 22-year-old record-breaking blend, but also exudes newer levels of depth and complexity in flavor.

The Macallan's fabled Harmony Collection is a celebration of creative force. Harmony I brought together the worlds of chocolate and whisky with some help from the Roca brothers. Meanwhile, Harmony II drew from five coffee experts, creating two whiskies with a distinct coffee flavour.

South Australia's climate conditions and geographic character make it the ideal region for wine production. The Barossa Valley, in particular, is famous for its lush vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and of course its iconic Shiraz.

Louis XIII is widely considered the pinnacle of cognacs for a reason. An ode to French art de vivre, its blend is a product of a vision built from the motto, 'Think a century ahead'. The Remy Martin flagship prides itself as a spirit ahead of the curve, constantly showing new ways to appreciate and consume its complex expression.

As the Phuket property market transforms into one of the most robust in the region, it welcomes its latest luxury wellness residential and hospitality community along beautiful Bang Tao Beach. Gardens of Eden reflects Thailand's tropical splendor in many ways. With it comes a breezy arcadia of grand proportions.

Luxury spirits and cryptocurrencies aren't two words one would hear strung together very often. Dictador, nonetheless, thinks differently. As one of the most celebrated fine and rare rum producers in the world, the brand continues to explore ways to galvanise the ultra-mature rums community. Its ArtHouse Spirits Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) project does just that: it blends together decades of rum excellence with the latest innovations.

In the Scottish island of Islay, Bruichladdich Distillery has been a beacon of the community for centuries. This remains as true as it was years ago. It connects Islay's past to its present in many ways – employing much of the original 19th-century machinery it first had when it began in 1881 while simultaneously retrofitting greener solutions for a more sustainable future.

A Night on Earth is The Macallan's way of capturing the spirit of the quiet moments during the season. It recognises the universal truths of home, meditating on them through good old-fashioned single-malt scotch whisky.

An entire century of craftsmanship is a milestone worth celebrating. For Japanese whisky maker, House of Suntory, the exemplary art of distilling spirits turned one man’s humble passion into an unwavering global reputation spanning decades.

The name 'Kim Jones' needs no introduction in the world of high fashion. From Louis Vuitton to Alexander McQueen to Alfred Dunhill, Jones is a bonafide stalwart amongst fashion's most elite creatives in the 21st century.

Cinematic, seductive and quasi-surreal, Firangi Superstar announces itself as a “foreigner’s love letter to India.” Aesthetes with an eye for eccentricity might wonder if that foreigner is American francophile filmmaker Wes Anderson, the great creator of dreamlike worlds. But the applause here goes to restaurateurs Rohit Roopchand and Michael Goodman of the Dandy Collection, with creative director and principal of EDG, Piya Thamchariyawat, mastering the mise-en-scène.

As the mercury rises, drinking whisky can seem a wee bit counter-intuitive. Not for nothing is this revitalising libation known in its homeland of Scotland as ‘highland central heating’ — a good, generous dram never fails to warm the cockles.

From those early morning laps and poolside BBQs to a spot of sun-catching or splash around with the fam – where would condo life be without swimming pools?

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