It might be known as a producer of some of the world’s finest whiskies but something else interesting is happening in the world of The Balvenie. The legacy Scottish distillery has partnered up with local crafts purveyor The General Company for an exciting four-weekend-long pop-up event brimming with a slew of craft experiences—and not all of which involves whisky.
The Balvenie House of Craft, happening every weekend from now ‘til Sep 30 in an old industrial unit right next to The Refinery, is hosting a series of intimate demonstrations and hands-on workshops by local craftsmen, supper club dinners by local chefs, indie film screenings, as well as community talks with inspiring creators, entrepreneurs and artisans.
During our last visit, we spent an evening with the incredibly hospitable Neil Strachan, regional brand ambassador of The Balvenie, and chef Petrina Loh of Morsels restaurant, tasting different variations of single malt Scotch from the label and indulging in Loh’s wonderful East-meets-West creations like a house-poached Fremantle octopus with green gazpacho, celtuce kimchi, and brown butter granola, a pork jowl char siew, and a gochujang chicken. Next up on the dinner schedule are Chef Shen Tan (Ownself Make) on 13 and 14 Sep, Chef Terence Chuah (South Union Park) on 20 and 21 Sep, and finally, Chef Charles Tan (STRAY and Fat Cat) on 27 and 28 Sep.
More than that, you’ll be able to see the beautiful works—some never-before-seen—of homegrown talents like marquage painter Cherie Sim, embroidery artist Teresa Lim, hand-lettering artist Ewe Jin Tee and floral artist Josephine Lau, amongst many others. There’s also an open bar helmed by a roster of Singapore top bartenders including Peter Chua of Junior and Gabriel Martin Escoto Carlos of Manhattan Bar. Local food brands such as Fossa Chocolate and Creamier + Sunday Folks will also be offering their signature creations over the weekends.
The General Co. and The Balvenie have more in common than you think. The award-winning 126-year-old whisky label is the only distillery in the world that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings, and keeps both coppersmiths and coopers on site. In the same spirit, The General Co. represents a pool of aspiring craftsmen who are pursuing traditional trades, such as leather crafting, woodworking, calligraphy and the likes, with the hopes of preserving heritage and supporting craftsmanship in Singapore. “The Balvenie House of Craft is our small way of giving back to the community,” says Colin Chen, founder of The General Co.
Registration is required to visit The Balvenie House of Craft, but you’ll get a complimentary drink at the bar for your trouble. Film screenings, community talks, and craft demonstrations are free and open to public, while workshops ($75 onwards) and supper club dinners ($98) are ticketed events. Pop in before it turns into the woodworking facility, material lab and showroom of Roger & Sons.
The Balvenie House of Craft is located at 115 King George’s Avenue. For more information, visit its website.
