Cover Shareen Yew in her element at Single and Available in Bangsar Shopping Centre (Photo: Daniel Adams)
Shareen Yew in her element at Single and Available in Bangsar Shopping Centre (Photo: Daniel Adams)
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The registered pharmacist and founder of ‘Single and Available’ is on a mission to help others appreciate single malt whiskies
A brand that has been around for over two decades already, Shareen Yew first enthrals me with the story of how the company name and logo came about, back in 2000. “I came up with the name Single and Available and designed the logo using PowerPoint. Those days, you didn't have as many apps to help you create–I wanted to use the ampersand symbol in between the black and white [elements] of the logo, but it just couldn't be done at the time,” she explains, referring to her aptly named business that initially focused purely on the distribution of single malt whiskies.
Read now: A Woman & Her Whisky: A Spirited Interview With Eiling Lim, Malaysia's First Independent Bottler
Single malt whiskies tend to have a more pronounced and complex flavour profile. The use of malted barley and the unique characteristics of individual distilleries contribute to the distinct flavours of single malts. In comparison, blended whiskies aim to create a balanced and accessible flavour by combining different whisky styles. It can offer a smoother and more approachable taste, although the flavour profile may be less distinctive.
Yew first discovered single malt whisky during her university days in Nottingham University, UK. It was there that destiny led her to get her hands on and taste the Glenfarclas 10 year old.
“The bottle was not readily available in Nottingham, but the distillery owner, [John Grant], would come down to service his car there, and [during his visit], he'd naturally make some sales. That was the only reason Glenfarclas whiskies were selectively available in Nottingham, with that special bottle I tried ending up in my local bar!” shares the registered pharmacist of the whisky that got her “hooked” to single malts for life.
Back in the day, single malts weren't as widely available, or popular, locally compared to now. “You have to try really, really hard to find a bottle of Macallan, Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. In fact, Glenfiddich didn’t even have an age statement back then. Those were the three main players within the single malt realm when I first started, but it was tough to come across them,” she says. That was of course before her business made whiskies from sole distilleries more available.
She then travelled to Scotland to connect with distilleries there, and import labels that had yet to be marketed locally. “The plan was to choose whiskies that we liked, because, if we couldn't sell them. we would drink them!” she jokingly reveals. And that's when one of her main challenges began. Breaking through a market that was more accustomed to blended malts was no easy feat.
“When we came back, nobody wanted, understood or was willing to pay for single malt whiskies. I had to convince and convert drinkers using a limited portfolio. For instance, I started off promoting Arran, of which I could only acquire its three-year-old expression at the time. And I had to compete with renowned labels like Johnnie Walker, Chivas, and Royal Salute-which starts bottling at 25 years old. But I'm glad to say that Arran now also offers whiskies with the same age statement,” she says.
Despite the initial hiccups, after conducting market research that involved educational tasting sessions, she eventually succeeded in convincing people (and proving some wrong) about the different types of whisky available and why single malts can be as enjoyable, or even more so, than its blended counterparts.
See also: ‘The Spirit of 1926’ Celebrates the Woman Behind the Macallan Fine & Rare 1926 Single Malt Whisky
Above Yew and her husband when she was given with the Keeper of the Quaich title in 2019
Yew and her husband when she was given with the Keeper of the Quaich title in 2019
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Fast-forward years later, Single and Available is flourishing with an extended product line-up-with various labels that are difficult to find elsewhere too. Yew's trips to Scotland are a major highlight for her, as she's now personal friends with many of the distillery owners.
”My most memorable trip was when I was honoured as a Keeper of the Quaich in 2019. The event celebrates everything whisky, and it's just lovely to be in Blair Castle, surrounded by familiar and friendly faces. It feels like one big family, and that's exactly what the whisky industry is like in Scotland. All the distilleries work together, as the product from single distilleries is what goes into your blended whiskies. So it's in everyone's best interest to help each other, in the world of Scotch whiskies, explains
Yew, who is recognised for her contribution in building the Scotch whisky industry locally and remains the only female recipient out of six Malaysians who carry the title.
If tall, dark and handsome is what you're looking for, Aaron Pereira ticks two out of three. This fine chocolate man (that is, a connoisseur of fine chocolate), enjoys the theatre, futsal, real-life conversations and of course, the English language. He believes that language should first be used to express, but the business of a sub-editor is to impress.
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