Taste Testing Three Musketeers (3MK)'s Ledaig (Tobermory) 2008, 'The One Who Didn't Return With The Snow', 17 Year Old, 52.5% ABV

Things got crazy there for awhile and now it almost feels like a fever dream that's returning to the what it once was - this being in reference to the little corner of Singapore's whisky scene. Getting into the 2020's, whisky was mounting the comeback of the century. It seemed like its popularity was only exponentially increasing with each month, and every new release was the hottest ticket in town. It felt like there was no end in sight, and the inevitable vision begin to creep in; that everyone would soon enough acquire a taste for it was nothing short of unquestionable - it was never a matter of "if", only a matter of "when". And as the whisky flowed, so did the community grow, and friendships blossomed, with a seductive easiness in familiarity and camaraderie as one hopped from bar to bar. It felt like friends were everywhere, and everywhere was home. This warmth had even spread beyond the finite shores of the Little Red Dot (as Singapore is often nicknamed), and it became second-nature to drop a barkeep in Tokyo a message, set down a date for drinks with a homie in Taiwan, with a long anticipated catch-up with a pal in California in tow.

And as much as that felt blissful, there was also a more quiet retreat that had begun to manifest. It seemed like with each passing year, as the scene got more and more vibrant, the folks who had long anchored the community far before it was a thing would begin to slip out the back. No loud announcements nor fuss, they just quietly disappeared. And at times it almost felt like no one took notice, if not for the hushed questions that popped up from time to time, "Hey, have you met up with so-and-so recently? Any idea where they've been? Hmm..." Of course any number of highly probable theories were bantered, from the sharp spike in whisky prices (with flippers culprit for make exciting releases impossibly difficult to find, and when found going for multiples of release prices), coupled with an at least perceived (and arguably actual) drop in quality, to an overhang from the rampant buying frays during Covid. Insanity and madness are strong words, but those were certainly sprinkled in there. Perhaps it just felt like an overkill long due for a correction, that would hardly be the least sensible thing to do after all, with many folks touting having more whiskies in their collection than they could (reasonably) drink in their lifetime. I suppose in essence, folks (myself included) began wondering if we were just going through the moments simply for the sake of it. Somewhere along the lines, the intentionality got lost and the bill afterwards stung alittle harder than expected. "What am I doing this for? Am I even enjoying myself anymore?" was probably a nagging thought that became a little too difficult to ignore, although folks were probably too polite to voice these sorts of things out. Nevertheless, in hindsight that might have just underscored the point that you can't run too far from quality and that craftsmanship matters. Just like gravity, veer too far off and you'll find yourself pull even harder back down to earth.

Through it all, The Swan Song has been a home for whisky lovers and a respite from the bustle of the city.

But anyway for the most part, it felt like the party was simply just moving forward and maybe we were fooled to believe that it was just natural attrition and a matter of keeping up with a moving train that would inevitably see some passengers alight. No doubt folks were still thankful for the friendships made, the moments enjoyed and the whiskies shared, with perhaps the occasion wistful reminiscence. "That's life right?", was how these things were understood, which was probably more a coping mechanism. 

These days, the crowd has of course whittled down, and whilst certainly less vibrant than before, which is hardly a good thing for the establishments we cherish, there is a sense of a return to normalcy. Now whether or not normal is even a desirable thing is a whole other matter altogether. Putting that aside, these quiet days whilst perhaps less spectacular, do seem to offer something not quite seen in some time. Rare, even. Almost as if an endangered species had begun to delicately make a reappearance. It seems that with the noise dissipating, a sense of space has opened up once again. Intimate conversations, cheeky bursts of laughter, two friends simply sharing a drink and enjoying the serene evening. I can't help but wonder if those friends who've stepped out when things maybe got too crazy - definitely got too crazy - might even find themselves lured back. It's a trade-off for sure, and really a bittersweet feeling these days, but one that nevertheless softly - but pluckily - holds on to a shining ray of hope. Cliched as it may be, it feels like the rainbow hiding behind the clouds. What's even more heartening to see is that, with the community that has stayed, there's been many more grassroots events that have been organised by small, independent bottlers to try and bring the scene back together - SG Whisky Weekend, Whisk(e)y Matsuri, The Drinks Salon, are a couple of examples that come to mind, with The Malt Affair (TMA), the longest running of such grassroots events, also making a return after their absence in 2025 - where the focus is on appreciating these whiskies and meeting up with friends and fellow hobbyists, again deeply reminiscent of the vibe of the 2010's.

Vignettes of SG Whisky Weekend.

And so to those who might've found themselves disenfranchised from the craziness of the past several years, I think it's worth giving your old haunts a revisit, and to give whiskies a renewed look. You just might be surprised to find the home away from home that you once loved waiting right there for you. Prices have begun to start making sense again, and quality is mounting a slow but firm upswing. Whisky releases have become alittle more deliberate, showing much more restraint and thought, with bottlers who've had their feet firmly planted in the ground having weather the frenzy and stayed on. At least that's how I've felt. For the first time in a while, I've found myself falling back in love with whiskies.

That brings me to the whisky of the day - a Ledaig (a peated style from Tobermory Distillery, one of the prettiest and most underrated distilleries that sit along the Isle of Mull), 17 Years Old, that's bottled by a local Singapore based distributor Three Musketeers (or 3mk.sg).

"The photo was taken by my mother in 2021, In Liaoning, Jinzhou. A place where I was born and raised for a good 11 years. The last visit I made was in 2019. Before the lockdown, and before I intend to start 3MK. 

It is a corner of my hometown where I would like to share with you while you are sipping this beautiful Ledaig 17 Year Old."

Now, Three Musketeers (3mk.sg) was founded in late 2021 by Kris (Yubo), who has genially sought to build the business from the ground up, and I've watched try every which way to reach out to whisky lovers and bring something interesting to their glasses. Three Musketeers has since become the distributor for some solid names the likes of Acorn, Asta Morris, James Eadie, Chorlton, Hannah Whisky Merchants (of Lady of the Glen), Rare Find, Fragrant Drop and White Peak Distillery amongst others. It's hard work and something I've admired about Kris is that despite the blood, sweat and tears, he's never not wearing a smile. He's also the man behind SG Whisky Weekend, which is an initiative that the scene has long needed.

Yet, today we've got an extra special whisky - one that was bottled by Three Musketeers, and also happens to be their debut independent bottling. It strikingly carries on its label a photograph taken by Kris' mother of his hometown, with the title "The One Who Didn't Return With The Snow", which I suspect is a reference to Kris himself, who writes on the back that ever since starting Three Musketeers, he's not been able to find time to visit his hometown of Liaoning, Jinzhou. It's deeply personal and maybe that's what whiskies ought to be again. It's heartening to know that folks like Kris are out there passionately and earnestly trying to bring something honest and of quality to whisky lovers.

Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.

And so, of course I had to make my way down to one and only The Swan Song Bar (also called The Emerald Room, and is now sat along North Canal Road in Singapore) to give this a go!

Let's get to it!

PS. Big cheers Kris for your efforts in helping to build Singapore's whisky scene, and congratulations on your inaugural bottling! 

Whisky Review: Three Musketeers (3MK)'s Ledaig (Tobermory) 2008, 'The One Who Didn't Return With The Snow', 17 Year Old, 52.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Opens with a plume of smoke, alittle meaty here with BBQ'd bacon strips along with the coastal umami salinity of kombu and also of smoked mackerel, that's all wrapped up in a drizzle of luscious honey. Really well-integrated, and as the smoke fades, fruit jellies make an appearance, particularly of vibrant and gleaming grape jellies, lending a candied quality. With time, it persists with some herbaceousness, now joined by medicinal tinctures and bandaids. Deeper still is an evocative mustiness of antique bookshelves, leather, and a concentrated richness of stewed plums and prunes.

Taste: Medium-bodied, it's rich and candied, of vanilla cream and maltose, with then a vibrance of tropical pink guavas, all enveloped in a veil of BBQ smoke. That coastal bit still carries through with here lighter tones kombu and sea spray. The pink guavas are at once candied and also mesh with the BBQ smoke to produce something of grilled guavas. The body is luscious and rounded, most candied, with a nice bit of concentration and forwardness. 

Finish: Lingering grilled bacon fat, here with the medicinal bits coming through more prominently, of bandaids and iodine. It's backed up by candied maltose, smoked vanilla cream and those vibrant pink guavas. Clean, moderately long finish, with the medicinal qualities staying on.

My Thoughts

A nice little number here that just puts a smile on your face. It's not particularly mind boggling, but carries that extra vibrance and sparkle over and beyond the classic Ledaig flavour profile, with here a really well executed integration of whisky and cask, with the smoke, coastal elements, medicinal bits, and vibrant tropical fruits combining nicely with the Bourbon barrel's candied and vanillic tones. Neither dominates, yet both sides pushing the whisky forward, as it should be, with the flavours bold and forward, as it is elegant and textured. It's unhurried and holds its own, with that luscious body that carries forth the various flavour dimensions with great clarity and saturation. It's splendid enough to make your night, but not nearly so attention seeking to steal the conversation, it's the sort of whisky that you'll take notice of just how enjoyable it is, but without feeling the need to get on out on the rooftops and yell about it. And that all is a nice plus point to the otherwise personal and sentimental nature of the release - it's serendipitously bittersweet, and certainly goes some way in restoring your faith in the whisky scene we all love.

If you're looking for a bottle, I believe you can still find it here.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot