Hong Kong Whisky Festival co-founder Caskells has launched a whisky shop in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Owner John Rhodes says this is in response to Hong Kong’s “growing curiosity” regarding single malts. “There is still a lot that can be done to inform people of the wide scope of whisky there is, not only in Scotch but worldwide.”
Like many markets, Hong Kong is dominated by some big players with some excellent products, says Rhodes, but there are also many smaller companies with similarly high-quality products. “It is these we want to bring to the general market.”
In Tsim Sha Tsui’s K11 shopping mall, the shop will offer “try-before-you-buy” drams and fully matured whisky ready to be bottled sitting in bonded warehouses in Scotland. There will be aroma workshops and tasting masterclasses, as well as personalised engraving for bottles and glassware (Caskells imports Glencairn crystal whisky glasses).
Meanwhile, Caskells is teaming with the InterContinental Grand Stanford to bring whisky and chocolate mooncakes to the market, with in-store tastings in the run-up to next month’s Mid-Autumn Festival.