
The Singleton of Glen Ord 41 Year Old I meet Trykowski when he is in Kuala Lumpur on one such assignment — the annual launch of The Singleton of Glen Ord’s Forgotten Drop series. The collection features whiskies that have been rediscovered from a few extremely rare casks, promising the signature rich and balanced distillery character but with a unique twist. Limited to 24 bottles in Malaysia (retailing at RM15,193 ($5,089) each), the coveted 41 Year Old is highly exclusive. There has been a boom in the demand for single malt whiskies in Malaysia in the past 10 years and Trykowski is decidedly positive about it. “Scotch whisky is here to stay. It is the biggest whisky in the world and it is not going anywhere,” he says, referring to the popularity of the drink. “Usually, the brands that enter the market first tend to be the most successful, but there are exceptions. For a whisky to break through and be successful, the way The Singleton has in Asia, is not something you see every day,” he explains. As one whisky lover’s preference may vary from another’s, evolving drinking trends are also worthy of note. Over the years, people seem to have become less concerned about sticking to a specific way of enjoying a dram, taking a more relaxed approach to whisky drinking. Trykowski agrees that this change has possibly worked in favour of increasing its appeal. “I think part of the growth will go beyond just -drinking whisky neat and exploring a whole manner of different ways. [For instance, people in the] Caribbean may opt to drink it with coconut water, whereas in Asia, it could be green tea.” In fact, he tells us that a significant part of his role entails tapping new markets by focusing on this extremely adaptable characteristic of the spirit. “I recruit a new generation of whisky drinkers and encourage them to drink it however they deem fit instead of dictating how they should do so. You find the whisky that you like to drink and you drink it whichever way you like,” he smiles. While cautious about picking favourites, he goes on to describe the joy of drinking whisky as “a shared experience” and tells me that his choice of drink is usually dictated by the company he keeps. There is no denying that his previous experience has given him knowledge of the subject matter as well as invaluable insight into the industry. In addition, the experience allows him to speak with bartenders and managers in their own language — an advantage that an ambassador can certainly benefit from. But as he has done a number of guest shifts in some of the world’s top 50 bars, including 69 Colebrooke Row and Door 74, I am curious as to whether he misses all the action that takes place behind the bar.