TAKE A BOW if you were part of the “popular demand” that’s prompted Johnnie Walker to reintroduce its Green Label blended malt Scotch whisky to Thailand.

First available here in 2005, Green Label is crafted in venerable distilleries across Scotland. It’s malt whisky that’s matured for at least 15 years.

Johnnie Walker revised its range in 2012 with the launch of Gold Label Reserve and Platinum Label, and Green Label vanished from the market everywhere except in Taiwan, where the fans must be particularly tenacious.

Now the Green is back, though, rejoining the global line. To celebrate, Attico at the Radisson Blu Plaza hosted a launch party last week at which Green Label was paired with a multiple-course feast.

The place was decked out in green for the occasion, suave jazz music played and the Italian cuisine was impeccable.

Green Label blends only malt whiskies – there’s no grain whisky in it. Speyside, highland, lowland and island malts from the distilleries Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore and Caol Ila share their virtues in a tipple of greater depth and broader flavour.

Talisker malt whisky from the Isle of Skye has a woody, smoky tang and tastes of pepper, oak and rich fruit, giving the blend power and character. Linkwood from Speyside adds finesse with its flavours of light garden fruit, flowers and cedar.

Cragganmore, a sweet and fragrant Speyside malt, gives the blend its heart along with sweet wood smoke and sandalwood. And Caol Ila from the Isle of Islay offers an element of maritime mystery with notes of rich fruit, drying sea salt and peat smoke.

“Johnnie Walker Green Label is an exceptional whisky that’s a tribute to the craftsmanship of our blenders and their great skill in selecting and blending malt whiskies to deliver a rich, multi-dimensional and balanced flavour profile,” says global brand director Guy Escolme.

“We’ve listened to our consumers and we are responding to popular demand and reintroducing it. Green Label has always had a following, and releasing limited volumes in the US and Australia this year to mark its 10th anniversary revealed how much consumers missed it and wanted to see it back.”

Master blender Jim Beveridge says the challenge in making Green Label is capturing the broad flavour spectrum from malts matured for at least 15 years in American and European oak.

“You have to ensure that those flavours really complement each other and work in harmony to create a blend of great complexity, which, at its heart, is true to the Johnnie Walker style of big and bold flavours with a signature smokiness.

“Crafting this blend is all about making the aromas more pronounced and vibrant,” Beveridge says, “allowing us to shape a blend that has the depth of character which just isn’t possible from one malt whisky alone.”

Green Label has won several international awards, including Double Gold and Best Blended Scotch at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, both in 2006 and 2007.

Johnnie Walker Green Label will be available again in Thailand any day now.

THE GUY BLOWS BUBBLES. Babies blow bubbles, but this guy has 19 Guinness World Records for blowing bubbles. He performs onstage blowing bubbles. And he spent many millions of dollars preparing the latest show, “Bubble Legendary”, which is at the Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre until Sunday.

Vietnamese-born Canadian Fan Yang was last in Bangkok in 2011 with yet another sold-out performance of “The Gazillion Bubble Show”. By all accounts this one is even bubblier, and much better.

Fan Yang has used lasers to dramatic effect before, but this show has silver, gold and 3D “cosmic” lasers. He opens with the eye-popping “Bubble Blizzards” effect and the artistry never stops. Other segments are called “Galactica Bubbles” and “Legend of the Silver Sea”, the latter an awe-inspiring spectacle in its own right thanks to the astonishing use of lasers.

“Even as a little boy I was fascinated by bubbles, floating on the river, made by vortices and waterfalls,” he says. “I wondered how I could make the bubbles really big, and when I was 18 I began experimenting, trying to find just the right liquid solution. I came up with really good mixture that allowed me to make enormous bubbles. And that’s when I became a bubble artist!”

Here’s what impresses the Guinness Book assessors, though: Fan Yang doesn’t just make big bubbles – he puts people inside them, lots of people. His 19th record was awarded at Science World in Vancouver, Canada, after he encased 181 giggling audience members in a bubble.

That’s the sort of amazing stunt that has kept his “Gazillion Bubble Show” running in New York City and touring the globe since, tallying more than 2,000 performances, with his wife Ana and daughter Melody entertaining the audiences while Fang’s elsewhere.

Fan Yang says his shows are so popular because of the way they combine art and science. “The science is in understanding the mechanism of the fluid – the substance, the molecules and the composition of the water – and how to put them together to create a bubble solution that has enough density and elasticity.

“Bubble film is very thin and it evaporates very fast, so you have to come up with a solution that evaporates slower for the bubble to stay formed longer. I don’t have a degree in science, but I understand liquid through years of experimenting. I have my own composition, which is my trade secret, based on seven kinds of ingredients. I use distilled water because it’s softer, cleaner and safer. If I can’t get distilled water I use boiled water, because if the water is hard or has lots of minerals, it’s not going to mix well with the other ingredients.”

The art is, of course, in what Fan Yang does with that magic solution. He can create bubbles inside bubbles and on top of bubbles. He can fill them with smoke (as well as human beings), make them fly in startling fashion and burst them in unexpected ways. The bubbles become his acrobats, tumbling and doing tricks that stretch plausibility and challenge the viewer’s imagination.

Asked if he’s got a favourite effect, Fan Yang says immediately it’s the “Rainbow Table”.

“I grew up surrounded by nature and rainbows were one of the elements of nature I liked most. So it’s great to be able to create the visual effect of a rainbow with bubbles and bring it onstage.”

The appeal of Fan Yang’s craft often draws Hollywood celebrities, no strangers to special effects themselves. Julia Roberts and Tom Cruise are among the most famous names who’ve attended performances with their children in tow, although it’s a safe bet they got as much of a kick out of the show as their kids. In both cases they happily agreed to be “bubblised” – put inside a bubble. Computer-generated effects aside, you just don’t see stuff like that in the movies anymore.

And Fan Yang’s been all over television, too, appearing on Oprah Winfrey, David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres’ shows, a Cirque du Soleil special and “Fox & Friends”, among many others.

Fan Yang’s “Bubble Legendary” is at the Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre (Esplanade Ratchada, MRT Thailand Cultural Centre) until Sunday.

Seats cost Bt500 to Bt2,000 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3838.

See daughter Melody give a glimpse of what’s in store at https://www.YouTube.com/ watch?v=ryGMG06sd38.

AFTER ORGANISING successful “Game of Thrones” exhibitions at Bangkok Comic Con over the last two years, HBO Asia is upgrading the treat this year by bringing a series-related virtual reality experience to Thailand for the very first time.

The unprecedented 4D, Oculus Rift-powered “Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall” virtual reality experience, the highlight of the third Bangkok Comic Con, allows fans to ride the winch elevator at Castle Black to the top of the 700-foot ice wall. Along the way, 4D elements help bring this deeply immersive, 90-second experience to life, among them wind fans that create the sensation of wind blowing through your hair and rumble-decks that allow you to feel the rickety elevator moving as you’re hoisted to the top of the Wall.

The experience combines the latest in interactive technology and computer graphics generated by Framestore, winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for its work on the film “Gravity”. Visitors can also enjoy being King of the Seven Kingdoms by sitting on the series’ famed Iron Throne.

And that’s not all that’s in store for geeks at this year’s comic con. Billing itself as the “biggest pop culture festival in Southeast Asia”, the convention offers entertainment and fun activities drawn from Hollywood movies and series, as well as Japanese animations.

Favourite characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, the Suicide Squad from DC Comics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and those from globally renowned series like “The Walking Dead”, “X-Men”, “Ice Age” will be on hand to play with and interact with fans.

Budding comic artists and collectors will have the chance to get up close and personal with talent seekers from Marvel Comics, among them CB Cebulski, plus successful Thai artists who have already achieved success in Hollywood such as Kochakorn “Pop Mhan” Manochayakorn, who works with DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Actress Caity Lotz from “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow” TV series will make a special appearance at the festival on April 29.

This year will also feature Thailand’s biggest Western cosplay contest led by international cosplayers Nicole Marie Jean from San Diego who has two million followers on social media and has attended comic con festivals around the world, and Luffy and Olivie from V-Project, Hong Kong.

“Bangkok Comic Con 2015 was very well-received and attended by many people,” says Ong-ard Prapakamol of True Visions Group.

“We received great support from the private and public sectors, as well as from our exhibitors, and comic con, series and anime fans from around the country. Thanks to last year’s success, this year’s edition is bigger than ever. It’s a comic con festival that will go down in Thailand’s comic history. We bring together producers and other relevant parties from the film and animation industry from Hollywood, Asia and Thailand. Fans of actors and superheroes will have a chance to meet, exchange knowledge and ideas. The aim is to make Thailand the centre of the |international film industry.”

Bangkok Comic Con 2016 is at Bitec Bang Na Halls 101-120 from April 29 to May 1.

It’s open from 11am to 9pm.

Tickets cost Bt200.

Find out more at http://www.BangkokComiCcon.com and Facebook/BangkokComicCon

 

WE’RE ALL IN need of some “divine nourishment” from time to time, and that’s literally what the “Mana” means in the name Mana Cuisine by Blue Elephant. It’s the new “supperclub dining” concept at the restaurant Chi.

Executive chef Tony Bish is also head teacher at Blue Elephant Phuket, and that restaurant chain, specialising in Royal Thai cuisine, has become Chi’s partner in this venture.

The yearlong collaboration pools the talents of Chi pioneer Daryl Scott and the culinary school and international restaurant group Blue Elephant, driven by Kim Steppe, son of master chef Nooror Somany Steppe.

Bish’s interpretation of “divine nourishment” results in a menu that blends exotic, spiritual and technical influences. The selection of dishes in each course is interchangeable among the elemental themes fire (meat), water (seafood) and earth (vegetarian). The menu changes every three months, says Chi’s management, “fulfilling Bish’s desire to continue to learn, anticipate change and implement new ideas in the spirit of Blue Elephant and Chi”.

“Mana is an Asian food style with flavour profiles created for both Asian and European tastes,” says Bish. “Kim, Daryl and I, along with our teams, have worked really hard to build the concept, and finally it’s ready to be introduced with the exciting elemental themes of Mana.

“We want customers to have a choice, so we have our favourite ingredients from many countries as well as the ingredients we buy directly from Thailand’s Royal Project farms. We’re mindful of every single step, and customers can feel that dedication to getting the steps perfectly right in every dish they enjoy here.”

The Mana menus will be an ever-evolving component of the fun concept for Chi, always offering something new, says Bish.

“We plan to change menus every three months because we want customers to have a new experience with every visit. “I’m committed to continuing to learn and take on new skills and techniques. I want to change and implement new ideas in the style of Blue Elephant and basically to make sure everyone who comes to our supperclub leaves thinking that the experience is one that will stay with them – at least until they come again.”

Daryl Scott, owner of Chi, explains the inspiration for the partnership between Chi and Blue Elephant.

“It’s extremely important that people understand that Chi is not a nightclub but a supperclub. It’s a place where they can come and enjoy amazing food, spectacular entertainment at the table, transparent menu pricing and unbelievable cuisine straight out of our Blue Elephant-designed kitchen.

“We’ve begun this collaboration with Blue Elephant because they’ve maintained a reputation for greatness over the last 33 years and it lets us implement a menu of Mana, which is an entirely new vision in food. It’s taken us a long time to implement this concept because it cannot be rushed.”

Chi, billing itself as an imaginative, holistic supperclub experience, aims to change the future of Bangkok nightlife, Scott says.

“It promises to be a unique lounge and restaurant destination brimming with Asian style, cutting-edge beats, one-of-a-kind culinary creativity and a chic Asian-mod aesthetic unlike anything that’s gone before.

“Guests can dine in the belly of the imperial dragon while Chi’s video-animated ceiling offers gentle, captivating entertainment before the club really begins to rock each evening and carries on until 2am.”

Chi Supperclub is at 32/8 Sukhumvit Road Soi 13.

Mana Cuisine is served Tuesday through Saturday from 7pm to 2am, with a set dinner menu (Bt1,800-plus) available from 7 to 10.30 and tapas until 1am.

Make reservations at (02) 102 0013. Online see http://www.ChiUltralounge.com and the “chiultralounge” sites on Facebook and Twitter.

FORMERLY KNOWN AS Ku De Ta Bangkok, the city’s popular nightlife hotspot has now been rechristened Ce La Vi and is celebrating its new name tonight with a party marking the official grand opening.

Having already made its presence felt in key destinations in the region, Ce La Vi is aiming to create a global family of glamorous, world-class dining and nightlife hotspots in key cities.

That started last June in Singapore with the launch of the international lifestyle venue atop the SkyPark of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands and was followed by the opening of a club on the rooftop of Hong Kong’s California Tower, the jewel of Lan Kwai Fong. Ce La Vi will also be launching its beachfront venue on Pampelonne Beach in St Tropez this month and is targetting other key urban centres across the world, with Dubai and Taipei already in the works.

Tonight, though, it’s Bangkok’s turn to shine as Ku De Ta is officially rebranded Ce La Vi. Patrons will be treated to a sensual elevation of the look and feel of the brand as the group’s “modern Asian heritage” signature flair is translated through sleek motifs and textures.

“We are taking indulgence to new heights with unique experiences that stimulate the senses, elevate the spirit, amplify passion and fuel the pursuit of pleasure,” Ce La Vi chairman, Ravi Thakran, told XP.

“Born from a universally known French phrase that translates as ‘This is Life’, we believe there is no better name to sum up who we are and what we do – the pursuit of pleasure, passion and play and of living life to the fullest.”

Entertainment will remain the stronghold of the brand in Ce La Vi Bangkok, with weekly club night programming staying, including Tuesday’s Soul Kitchen, which harks back to the old school of hip-hop, house and soul by DJs Sg and Jedie. Crush Wednesday’s, named one of the best ladies’ nights in Bangkok, with the Bangkok Invaders pulling in up to 800 people per week, is also staying while Stereo Saturdays have Tommy Nori, Kimball Collins and Knatz offering an enthusiastic crowd a glimpse of the future in dance music.

A new Thursday night will be introduced next month. Called Canvas, this weekly event aims to combine art, music and people in a fun social environment to give a dynamic platform for local and international artists to showcase their work. In addition, monthly theme parties and regular high-profile international guest DJs will frequent the calendar to ensure a fresh and current entertainment agenda.

Ce La Vi also houses a full-fledged mixology programme, devising incredibly creative and unique concoctions with a distinctively refreshing modern Asian philosophy. Swedish-born Ce La Vi regional head mixologist Knut Randhem oversees the crafty array of international classics and signature drinks. Rendhem spent more than 10 years honing the art of bartending at Europe’s most esteemed venues including the Bella Sky, Copenhagen’s most reputed hotel and “Ourselves Alone” bar, rated among Europe’s top 50 bars, and most recently judged the Diageo World Class Thailand 2014.

“We’re very excited to bring the Ce La Vi experience to Bangkok. Every element has been carefully considered and orchestrated to get the crowd to lose their inhibitions and let go. Our team is solely focused on providing the highest quality of entertainment, audio and visuals, DJs and mixology,” says general manager, Denis Hemakom.

Tonight sees special performances by Bangkok Invaders DJ Tob and Ono, plus DJ Ono’s highly acclaimed new project, OZMO. The night will be supported by talented DJs Jedie, SG, Knatz and Tommy Nori. In celebration of the new brand, come early to receive limited complimentary cherry shots, snacks and exclusive give-aways. The dress code for tonight is red, black and white.

Ce La Vi is located at 37th & 39th Floors of Sathorn Square Building, close to BTS Chong Nonsi.

Call (02) 108 2000 or visit http://www.CeLaVi.com.

BANGKOK’S WHISKY aficionados learned more about their favourite tipple earlier this month when Johnnie Walker’s Master Blender Jim Beveridge dropped into the Thai capital for two exclusive showcases of his magnificent masterpiece. Even more was to be learned from expert Tom Jones, the Johnnie Walker ambassador and a Keeper of the Quaich, the exclusive international group recognised for their commitment to Scotch whisky.

Held at Il Fumo on Rama IV and the St Regis Bangkok respectively, Beveridge and Jones co-hosted an elaborate whisky tasting session for VIP guests, celebrities and selected media.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is one of the pinnacle offerings from the house of Johnnie Walker. Only rare whiskies at the summit of perfection are used in the blending of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, with just one in 10,000 casks containing whisky of sufficient character to deliver its remarkably smooth signature taste. Each is hand-selected by the Master Blender himself, who is part of an unbroken lineage of Master Blenders stretching back 190 years.

Beveridge’s first job when he joined the company in 1979 was tracing the origins of malt and grain whisky character. His fascination with Scotch whisky began at this early stage, and he devoted his time to studying distillation and maturation, travelling around the distilleries and warehouses of Scotland and spending countless hours with samples at his table to understand the intricacies of whisky making.

He developed a great sensitivity to the aromas and flavours of Scotch Whisky, which has enabled him to develop an incredibly olfactory memory and understanding of the spirit and its behaviour for blending. Through a full and well-preserved archive, Beveridge has the privilege of studying the origins of John Walker & Sons Blended Scotch Whiskies. He remains faithful to the intentions of the founding Walkers – a commitment to flavour and smokiness, and a vision for their whiskies to move forward with confidence, improving relentlessly.

Beveridge draws on his own lifetime of knowledge, experimentation and experience in the science and art of Scotch Whisky blending to guide skilled craftspeople at every stage of the process – coppersmiths, distillers, coopers, warehousemen, and his team of blenders.

“Blue Label has a mellow, rounded nose, with a dry smokiness mixed with raisin sweetness. It is best savoured with the palate cleansed and cooled by iced water.” Beveridge told the guests at the mentoring session. “One sip reveals a velvety mouth-feel, then an explosion of flavour. At once you’ll discover hazelnuts, honey, rose petals, sherry and oranges. Subsequent sips reward you with more hidden secrets like kumquats, wispy aromatic smoke, sandalwood, tobacco, and dark chocolate.”

During the exclusive sessions, Beveridge also crafted a personalised Signature Blend drawn from the largest reserves of whisky in the world.

Jones, who has nurtured his unwavering passion and knowledge for fine spirits for more than 20 years, explained that Blue Label is presented in individually numbered bottles and is reminiscent of the 19th-century style of whiskies. To achieve such powerful, complex, smooth character, the Master Blender had to travel back to Scotland to seek out exceptional quality and distinctive flavours from the private reserves’ casks. For prosperity, each Signature Blend recipe is then recorded, encrypted with a bespoke seal, and vaulted in the John Walker & Sons distilleries in Scotland.

Once completed, each bespoke blend is decanted in 50 unique crystal decanters, custom produced according to the customer’s preference, before being serialised and hall-marked with your signature to make every bottle matchless and unrivalled.