The enigmatic world of Elusive Umami: inside the Philippine launch of Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s limited-release whisky

Our host, food writer Angelo Comsti officially welcomed us to the Philippine launch of this intriguing whisky. “Today, we are lucky to have one of the makers with us,” shared Comsti, introducing Johnnie Walker’s first female master blender to the 20-odd guests in our session. “Actually, she’s only going to three countries and she’s chosen the Philippines as one of them, so it’s a big deal!” he continued. To the sound of resonant applause, Dr Walker took to the stage to tell us about the liquid that brought us all together. 

Set to marry the wonders of gastronomy and whisky, Dr Walker and chef Kobayashi worked together to uncover the essence of umami. “The emotional, visceral response you have as you’re trying something, the full sensory experience,” she explained.

The pair agreed: it’s about that mysterious, mouthwatering sensation that makes you want to try more. While it’s a flavour that’s common, if not essential in food, it is far less familiar in the world of whisky. This limited-release expression not only captures that character but resembles chef Kobayashi’s personal experience of umami— one with hints of the sea, and one reminiscent of the forests and mountains of his hometown in Nagano. Ultimately, only one in 25,000 casks succeeded in eliciting the profiles they were looking for, making this expression truly elusive indeed.

Elsewhere in Asia: Kyoto Calling: 9 trendy cafés to visit while exploring the Japanese city

The anticipation grew palpable, each of us eager to have a taste. But first, Dr Walker directed us towards our glasses of Blue Label, inviting us to enjoy their signature whisky. Warm spices, the richness of vanilla and caramel balanced with soft smoke and citrus notes.

“Scotland in a glass,” Dr Walker described. Picking up her glass of Elusive Umami and inviting us to do the same, she turns our attention to the gorgeous amber colour of the liquid, noting the way it lingers on the glass— a mark of depth and complexity. On the nose, that scent of mountain trees chef Kobayashi yearned for, with that gentle smoke characteristic of Blue Label. On the palate, the whisky reveals its fascinating complexity: a balance of blood oranges, forest mushroom, and cocoa, with a peculiar salinity and a long, fruit finish— truly a drink to be savoured.

Next, we sampled the expression in its perfect serve: neat, with a spoon of caviar. With its balanced brine and luscious, buttery mouth feel, the caviar underscored Elusive Umami’s depth of flavour, transforming the experience with every bite and sip.

Read more: How to pair wines with food, according to sommeliers from Les Amis, Wakuda and Summer Pavilion

Now all sat in the dining room, Comsti presented the next chapter of the immersive event: a six-course menu by chefs Edwin Loh (Makati Shangri-La), Don Baldosano (Limamnam), Nicco Santos and Quenee Vilar (Cafe Aurora). Divided into three sections inspired by the element, the menu was designed harmonised with the many evocative dimensions of Elusive Umami. As the digital screens that wrapped the walls turned to the fall of autumn leaves, introducing is to the “wind” portion of the menu, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra began their performance and our first dish came out of the kitchen in synchrony.

From chef Loh, a bowl with tuna sashimi, yuzu espuma, egg yolk, and crispy nori. Against the bright punch of yuzu, the egg yolk evoked the richness of the whisky, while the nori echoed both umami and the sea— unique elements distinguishable in Elusive Umami. Prepared by chefs Santos and Vilar, the next dish featured chicken liver with lime curd and sansho pepper on a crisp furikake tart. The creamy chicken liver enveloped the palate, much like the whisky, while the muscat grape that sat on top of it balanced the umami with a burst of fruit, mirroring the whisky’s notes of blood orange. The duo also prepared Japanese oysters with jalapeno ponzu and sake-kyuri granita, a refreshing bite that harmonised with Elusive Umami’s subtle salinity and its references to Japanese flavours like miso, before we entered the next part of the menu, “earth”.

In case you missed it: Johnnie Walker launches new umami-infused whisky with chef Kei Kobayashi in Singapore

The walls transformed into tall mountain trees, transporting us to a lush forest. Chef Baldosano’s “textures of chicken” was a truly captivating dish, boasting a range of textures and intoxicating flavours. The smoked chicken tempura captured the whiskey’s gentle smoke character, while the chicken poached in soy sauce exuded that smooth mouthfeel and complex umami flavour, amplified by leek and chicken jus. Chefs Santos and Vilar’s Wagyu rib-eye was up next, complete with shiitake-tare purée, chimichurri purée, onions, and “curry” demi sauce poured tableside. With so many elements to play with, plus sweet corn takikomi gohan on the side, the dish evolved alongside the whisky, revealing shared layers of earthiness, spice, and smoke.

As we entered the “water” phase, waves of deep blue filled the walls and chef Baldosano returned to introduce his dessert. Lifting the white ceramic cover revealed a mix orange marinated in calamansi, fermented passionfruit gelee, and burnt cream, mimicking that tease between sweet and savoury present in the whisky. This was soon followed by a caramelised black banana with kinako crumble, fresh cheese, and saltwater foam, paired with a delicious PB&J-inspired twist on an old fashioned by David Ong, using Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The final creatation, presented by chef Loh, sat a white chocolate sphere on mint ocean kohakutou, with buko foam and wasabi— an unconventional twist for an unconventional beverage.

Get your own bottle of the “Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami” exclusively at S&R, through Diageo Private Sales Channel via diageoprestige.ph@diageo.com and Singlemalt.ph.

NOW READ

Look inside the Johnnie Walker Blue Label immersive pop-up experience at Mandala Club in Singapore

The most sought-after food festival of the year: What happened at Off Menu 2023?

Quiccs on his new collaboration with Johnnie Walker Blue Label