Dram city: how Hong Kong pours itself into Glenmorangie and Ardbeg
Hong Kong is not a city that does half measures. Its skyline is a jagged sculpture of ambition, its dining scene a constant crescendo of new openings and bold flavours, and its bars regularly rank among the world’s best.
Into this theatre stride Glenmorangie and Ardbeg: two Highland and Islay houses with centuries of heritage, but also an enduring spirit of reinvention. For them, Hong Kong is where whiskies find their boldest audience.
Caspar MacRae, president and CEO of The Glenmorangie Company, traces his connection back decades. “I first came to Hong Kong over 30 years ago… it was the first time I tried dim sum, and even today Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities in the world for dining.” For Dr Bill Lumsden, director of whisky creation, distilling and whisky stocks, the spark came later but no less vividly. “Compared to some other countries I have visited, I found Hong Kong whisky consumers more open-minded, and willing to accept and try different ways of drinking and enjoying Scotch whisky.” Both men are struck not only by the skyline but by the palate of the city itself: informed, demanding, but always curious.
Poured neat, Infinita reveals itself slowly: figs, honey, jasmine and spice unfolding with measured grace
That curiosity dovetails with Glenmorangie’s most intricate expressions. The newly renamed Infinita takes the house’s famed 18-year-old into more opulent territory, a whisky designed to be discovered in layers like courses of an elaborate banquet. “With each sip, you experience endless flavour, complexity and elegance,” says MacRae. Lumsden elaborates: “It seamlessly unites subtle sherry-cask hints and woody notes during its ageing process, balanced with the distillery’s signature soft and fruity character. The result is a beautifully balanced Glenmorangie that’s so multi-layered that a new flavour unfolds with every sip.” Infinita, like Hong Kong, rewards revisiting—it’s never quite the same twice.
If Infinita represents harmony, Signet plays on indulgence. Inspired by roasted ‘chocolate malt’ and Jamaican coffee, it is whisky with the swagger of a black-tie soirée. “Signet is one of my proudest creations,” says Lumsden. “We have also recently released… Signet Reserve, where we have matured Signet stock in PX sherry casks for even more layers of flavour, including chocolate truffles and forest fruits.” Its new black-and-gold redesign mirrors the liquid’s own decadence: mocha and spice wrapped in sleek packaging. For MacRae, the refresh was deliberate. “We felt it was time to revisit its design to convey more of its dark and decadent tones.”
Behind the elegance: oak, sherry and time, the quiet architects of Infinita’s endless layers
Glamour, inevitably, takes on a Hollywood glint in Glenmorangie’s latest campaign, fronted by Harrison Ford: silver-haired, wryly charismatic and as comfortable with a dram as he was with a whip and fedora. “Harrison Ford is a timeless icon… but crucially, Harrison is a genuine whisky lover, with a great sense of humour and having that authentic fit was key for us,” says MacRae. Lumsden adds with obvious delight: “It was wonderful to introduce Harrison to our range of creations. He’s a huge single malt whisky fan.”
Ardbeg’s smoky depth also matches well with the briny sweetness of seafood, a natural conversation between ocean and Islay
Yet both men emphasise that whisky comes alive in the glass, and in the city’s best venues. “I enjoy sipping a Glenmorangie 18 at the Chin Chin bar in the Hyatt Regency, and I will indulge in an Ardbeg or two at the iconic Bar Butler, or the fantastic Tiffany’s New York Bar, or a late nightcap at Whisky & Words,” says MacRae. Lumsden recalls one enduring serve: “I particularly enjoyed the ambience in the bar at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, and really loved the Glenmorangie Old Fashioned they made me.”
The 18-year-old turned cocktail is proof that Infinita’s richness can play both classic and unexpected
Their imagined “perfect whisky moments” say as much about the men as they do the malts. MacRae conjures conviviality on Islay: “Old friends… enjoying my favourite cocktail, an Ardbeg Penicillin. The locals in the corner have taken up their pipe and fiddle, and the night is starting to warm up.” Lumsden leans toward intimacy: “In my glass is either an Old Fashioned, made with Glenmorangie Lasanta, or a dram of Signet with some ice. I’m listening to jazz music and the crackling of a roaring fire.”
When asked to describe Hong Kong as whisky, MacRae sees it as “intensely flavoured, bold, vibrant and complex.” Lumsden describes it as “very colourful… and a little bit unexpected.” Between them, they sketch the city as a dram that refuses to sit still: layered, surprising and infinitely compelling.
‘Once Upon a Time in Scotland’ is Glenmorangie’s film series with Harrison Ford, where whisky meets wit, Highland craft and Hollywood charisma
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