For the first time ever, a Malaysian-made whisky was honoured with a Silver Award at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition (SFWSC) 2020.
The 8-year, double-peated Timah (Malay for ‘tin’) gained the Silver award for “outstanding spirits that show refinement, finesse and complexity” in The Other Whisk(e)y category.
The Other Whisk(e)y category covers whiskies that cannot claim provenance from traditional whisky-producing regions, like Scotland or Ireland.
For the casual drinker, Timah is a light, fruity whisky that starts faintly floral and moves to a peppery palate before settling into a sweet, lingering light oak finish, according to producer Winepak Corporation.
As a nod to the British’s introduction of whisky to Malaya and the two countries’ shared history, the bottle is decorated with an image of Tristram Speedy, a British explorer who became the first Assistant Resident of Perak.
Popularly known as Captain Speedy, he is best remembered for his role during Perak’s Larut Wars, which were fought by Chinese secret societies over control of tin-mining areas in Taiping.
“His spirit of conquest and thirst for adventure is encased in the light embers of Timah,” Winepak managing director Gilbert Yeo told OURDAILY.
“Subtle, smooth, yet strangely rich, it represents a dignified new generation of Malaysian whisky founded on a proud heritage,” he continued.
Since 1984, Winepak offers a wide range of services such as contract manufacturing of existing brands, private label production, and marketing and distribution for local and international markets.
Aside from Timah, the company produces its own brands, like the Kharaso Vodka, which won a Silver Award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2017, and a gold at the World Vodka Masters (Asia) 2019, among others.
According to Yeo, Winepak has plans to take advantage of this recent win to market Timah to the US market and the rest of the world.
