The T+L Guide to A visual tasting note for Jean-Louis Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin 2003, by Sarah Heller: "dense; chalky tannins; dried black fig; finishes with brightness."
Drin k s
Thirsty? No need for that with next-gen tipples in Singapore, the team of top n by sarah heller o i Bangkok barkeeps, the coolest spots in Taipei and new-look wine-tasting notes. Oh, you can also stir things up in Hokkaido and Saigon, and country-hop for
Illustrat stellar craft beers or fresh mixes from some of Asia’s best female bartenders.
travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 53 guide drinks
These days, it's hard to distinguish Madame Fan Bar few kitchen shenanigans up his between a bar and a chem lab. Move Border-jumping tipples and nibbles sleeve. Think sous-vide, reductions, over infusing: techniques such as fat with an Oriental twist is the mission carbonations and original syrups, washing, milk washing and smoking statement from Italian-Filipino all of which translate to heady blends are increasingly common to imbue mixologist eye-candy Davide such as the Sugarloaf, where drinks with more layered profiles. Boncimino. Shoot for the unorthodox pineapple rum, cognac, house- Rotary evaporators have practically (Not) Classic PBJ concocted from fermented pineapple skin tepache, become standard equipment—even peanut butter fat–washed tamarind, lime and palm sugar are though they cost anywhere between Glenfiddich whisky and caramelized mixed together and the final result S$8,000 and S$20,000. Bartender- kumquat liqueur, which comes with garnished with a mini taco rolled owner Kamil Foltan of IB HQ, for a bamboo tray of three smoked from pineapple skin and pickled one, only broke even on the price of chocolate-coated macadamia nuts watermelon rind. Whew. idlewild.sg; his rotavap, including staff, utility and chili puree. madamefan.sg; cocktails from S$22. and ingredient costs, after about cocktails from S$22. 1,500 drinks. But, we assure you, his MO Bar next-level innovations are worth it. Smoke & Mirrors Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s With more mad scientists investing What you see is not what you get at sophisticated bar has a beguiling in toys like bee smokers and sonic this rooftop bar with smashing cocktail list inspired by the flavors wave machines, now is the best time sunset skyline views. New head and cultures in Southeast Asia, the to have your drink and eat it, too. bartender Jorge Conde conjures up Pacific Ocean and the Coral Sea.
rors; flavor illusions such as a clear Liquid treasures in bar manager r i singapore JAM at Siri House Bloody Mary and his weirdly Michele Mariotti’s experimental Sour-cream potato chips, sesame oil delicious Dali’s Self Portrait, which chest include a barrel-aged water and burnt butter are just some of the completely befuddles your mind and herb cognac in-house concoction Molecular homey ingredients lending their about the typical Manhattan, as he called Rough Waters by the Coral whiffs to the cocktail list of JAM makes his twist on it with smoky- Sea, topped with an edible coral restaurant and bar in chichi bacon fat, artichoke and swirls of garnish that is dotted with mild red- Gastronomy Dempsey’s lifestyle space Siri House. rosemary smoke added to a pepper sauce. In the 7,000 Leagues Head bartender Kavinn Raaj vermouth and whiskey base. Come Ahead is the unlikely scientific mix in a Glass recreates a refined yet fun home- when you’re feeling particularly of gin and oils from kaffir lime skin dining atmosphere with delish food- adventurous. smokeandmirrors.com. using a sonic-wave machine that From saucy to wacky, cleverly concocted q
b h results in a highly concentrated cocktails are bringing kitchen techniques behind i and-drinks combos such as the sg; cocktails from S$20. the bar. Grace Ma filters and distills Singapore’s Spudni, a blend of gin and house- version of the light and zesty gimlet.
tastiest new tipples. bar; courtesy of b bar; courtesy of smoke & m made sour-cream liqueur—the b bar mandarinoriental.com; cocktails
MO latter a mix of vodka, sour cream Don’t let this bar’s western outskirts from S$24. and sugar—that is topped with three address nor its hidden location in the wee cubes of onion chutney jelly wine-and-spirits section of a SKAI Bar house; courtesy of i
r balancing on a rice crisp. sirihouse. supermarket deter your hunt for it. On the 70th floor of Swissotel, The i com.sg; cocktails from S$15. From toasted sesame seeds in honey Stamford, the heights that offer lining the glass of a Beehive to a bee killer views act as a metaphor for the IB HQ smoker sending delicate sandalwood theme of elevation that divides the Industry veteran Kamil Foltan and wafts into the Rhubino cocktail with 12-cocktail menu into the categories his wife Zurina Bryant run this lab- tart rhubarb notes, bar manager of sea, rainforest, high desert and bar on the upper floor of a shophouse, Anton Gornev pulls out all the stops alpine. Salty sips Samphire and d; courtesy of jam s at l i spinning odd, local ingredients such to deliver drinks ranging from low Buckthorn Cliff change to fruity and
lew as curry leaves, bananas and to high ABV, depending on your herbal gems such as The Shaman d i jackfruits into brilliantly balanced mood for the night. instagram.com/ (which has curious earthy drinks that leave a lingering, often bbar_sg; cocktails from S$18. undertones from house-made unforgettable, aftertaste. Go sweet- shiitake syrup) before giving way to and-spicy with the Maharaja, or be a Idlewild thirst quenchers such as the Desert e from top left: courtesy of madame fan bar; courtesy of
s daredevil with the Pi Pa, which was Fly high in this live-music bar Rose and ending on a herbaceous i bar; courtesy of i inspired by cold parsnip-and- decorated with golden-age-of-travel high in drinks such as Rolling Stone, pineapple soup. Their house-made paraphernalia, including a cabinet of where rye whiskey is blended with bottled cordials are available for curiosities featuring rare and exotic an Austrian Amaro that has been t i purchase, too. ibhqsingapore.com; spirits (go ahead, ask for a tasting sous-vided with fragrant wild oppos e, clockw courtesy of ska cocktails from S$24. shot). Bartender Andy Griffiths has a thyme. skai.sg; cocktails from S$25. clockwise from top left: M adame Fan Bar's (Not) Classic PBJ comes with snacks; Michele Mariotti experiments at MO Bar; the Beehive cocktail at ultra-hidden b bar; the head bartender of Smoke & Mirrors, Jorge Conde; a nori cocktail called Sea Level on the 70th-floor SKAI Bar; settle into throwback seating at Idlewild; head bartender Kavinn Raaj elevates homey to haute at JAM at Siri House; snap peas garnish IB HQ's Snap That. travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 55 Arron grendon guide drinks Paradee Bar Manager Sahathanasomboon Tropic city (Bell) Supawit pind su a parom malakul pongprom Assistant Group Bar Manager Muttarattana (leo) (ann) Vesper (Palm) Senior Bartender Group Bar Manager Head Bartender Backstage cocktail bar Da nny yeung VEsper The Bamboo bar jamie rhind Head Bartender Ddae s k a Bar Operations Manager Smalls Thianthong Da vid jacobson The bamboo bar (Kenny) Founder Senior Bartender Smalls VEsper
T he gang gathered at Tropic City, in the ever-hipper Charoenkrung neighborhood.
bangkok Suwincha p hilip Singsuwan Nsaoppa te Nki s Hirunwathit top of their game stefanescu (Chacha) anuman- sasi eb t an (depp) T his year, seven Bangkok watering holes made it onto the Co-Founder Head Bartender rajadhon de la cruz Senior Bartender Asia's 50 Best Bars list. Credit these guys and gals for the tropic city Rabbit hole great drinks, good vibes and all-important je ne sais quoi. Founder Co-Founder Rabbit hole Teens Of Thailand tropic city
m ix like a pro Bar: Backstage Bar: The Bamboo Bar Bbar: Rab it hole Bar: Smalls Bar: Teens of Thailand Bar: Tropic City Bar: Vesper Drink: Forgetful Painter Drink: Hawker Drink: CRY ME TO THE MOON Drink: Lucid Dreams Drink: Guava-Salty Plum GT Drink: Tropic Thunder Drink: Spatial Concept • Vodka infused with chamomile • Coconut fat–washed tequila, • White-truffle fat–washed gin, • La Maison Fontaine Blanche, Macerate guava with salty • Jerk spice–infused Appleton • Campari, 30ml tea, 45ml 45ml 45ml 20ml plum, then infuse it with gin. reserve Rum, 40ml • Clarified milk punch with secret recipes • Passionfruit juice, 20ml • Lemongrass syrup, 20ml • Apple juice, 45ml • Martini Bianco, 20ml • Special guava plum gin, 50ml • Plantation OFTD Overproof espresso, vermouth and gin, We persuaded the bars • Pineapple juice, 20ml • Lime juice, 15ml • Homemade pandan syrup, 15ml • Punt E Mes, 20ml • Dash of fresh lime Rum, 10ml 60ml to let you (try to) • Lime juice, 20ml • Coriander bitters, 4 dashes • Citric solution, 10ml • Homemade grenadine, 10ml • Guava slice for garnish • Falernum, 15ml vesperbar.co • Maple-and-caramel syrup, 10ml • Kaffir lime leaves, 2 rabbitholebkk.com • Lemon juice, 15ml Topped with Mediterranean tonic. • Ginger syrup, 20ml
recreate their winning • Absinthe, 2 dashes Shaken and topped with ginger santosaaron joel • Kaffir lime leaf fb.com/teensofthailand • Pineapple juice, 25ml tastes at home. • Egg whites, 15ml beer. Topped with tonic. • Lime juice, 25ml fb.com/backstagecocktailbarbkk mandarinoriental.com/bangkok fb.com/smallsbkk Shaken and topped with soda and Angostura bitters. tropiccitybkk.com guide drinks
Stff a Only Club Heading for the tiny Draft land Cé La Vi Like most speakeasies worth their kitchen of Room by Le “We make cocktails for people who With last year’s completion of Nan Kief. left: O wner salt, the first rule of Staff Only Club Seven Yi. usually order beer,” says Angus Zou, Shan Plaza, Taipei 101 is no longer was, “do not tell anyone.” But good the brains behind Draft Land. After the only tower poking through the news travels fast, and soon after building a name for himself at clouds on a foggy night. Perched on opening late last year, this members- Alchemy, a trailblazer in Taipei’s Nan Shan’s 48th floor is Cé La Vi, a only club became Taipei’s worst-kept speakeasy scene, he opened this ritzy rooftop lounge attracting the secret. Set against a backdrop of taproom in 2018 to take the fuss out city’s young, hip and well-heeled like rickety dwellings in an unlikely of ordering a mixed drink. “I try to bees to a nine-meter-long copper- corner of the Zhongsheng suburb, its avoid the often-dreaded ‘What are clad bar. Snug, sunken seating team has transformed a former soy- you in the mood for?’” he says. All booths dot the semi-open-air sauce factory into a Gatsby-esque drinks served in this utilitarian- Eurasian-fusion skydeck on all sides, each equipped cocktails at hideout, replete with plush velvet looking space are tapped straight The Tavernist. with climate control units to offer couches and copper chandeliers. The from the keg. The ever-rotating above: Clubby comfort year-round. Bottle service cocktail menu (presented in vintage drink list spans fizzes to cobblers, all and photogenic. (starting at NT$5,500) is the name of pop-up books) focuses on elevated served sans gimmicks or garnishes. the game here, but that doesn’t make takes on tried-and-tested classics, Patrons are encouraged to sample a the cocktail menu any less creative. and locally inspired mixtures. sip before committing to full Signature drinks include a grown- Signature drink Navy Club, for pours—which start at a dangerously up spin on Taiwan’s ubiquitous example, combines kaffir leaf– affordable NT$200 a pop. Upstairs, bubble tea (black tea–infused vodka, infused gin, house-made oleo- taipei Roo m by Le Kief The Testing Room functions as a honey, milk and herb jelly), or a riff saccharum, peppery capsicum juice, This tiny cocktail kitchen in buzzy sandbox for new concoctions. Here, on the Old Fashioned, given a local and saline solution into a punchy Da’an district actually serves up a Zou collaborates with pioneering touch with Taiwanese tea–infused drink, perfectly capturing the local N ew full culinary experience. In his space local restaurants such as Gen bourbon and orange bitters. Award- palate for salty-and-sour. The list of dimly lit booths around a stage- Creative to develop new drinks. winning local Kavalan whiskey extends during the monthly “Part like bar, owner Seven Yi takes guests After each two- to three-month shines in the Dancing Bird, a sweet Time Bartender Project,” which sees Capital on a two-hour tasting journey. As a sprint, the favorite recipes are made number with plum liquor, white the movers and shakers of Taipei’s chef at Joël Robuchon’s kitchen in into keg-ready batches (a process wine and pineapple juice. tw.celavi. cocktail scene whipping up their of Cool Taipei, Yi didn’t just pick up a involving clarification and The Tavernist com; cocktails from NT$400. signature drinks during guest Hidden above coffee shops and French cadence; he also learned to carbonation) to be served from one Occupying the 12th floor of the shifts. There is a strict “no card, no behind pizza parlors, Taipei’s push his ingredients to perfection. of the 18 valves downstairs. recently opened Kimpton Da’an Drink with a view entry” policy, but out-of-towners can drinking dens are pushing the From his lab, he concocts wildly draftland.tw. hotel, restaurant-slash-bar The at Cé La Vi. call ahead for a travelers’ pass cocktail envelope. Get on-trend creative spirits, redistilling them Tavernist offers yet another reason below: The (NT$2,000 for a week). staffonlyclub. tipsy in the Taiwanese capital. with such items as toasted bread, to venture around this district after copper-clad bar. com; cocktails from N$430. S tory and photos by Chris Schalkx kombu and grass. The menu rotates dark. For their first opening in Asia, with the season and combines Kimpton has tapped into the cocktail matching canapés, ever-changing knowledge of James Barker, the Staff Only Club's signature Navy decor, and music to hit all the senses. Hong Kong–based British bar Club. left: Buy a Yi took inspiration for his latest manager at institutions like travelers' pass to menu from A-sha instant noodles, a Duddell’s and Potato Head. “The this members' club. brand that lies deep in the country’s drink list brings together the best of collective nostalgia. Each drink is Draft Land speaks British and Taiwanese ingredients,” named after a sauce: The Sesame for itself. below: T he Barker says. Relying heavily on both tastes like a comforting bowl of ma bar's ever-rotating local whiskies and Scotch, the row of taps. jiang mien (spicy sesame noodles), signature cocktails deliver derived by redistilling gin with flashbacks of childhood memories sesame, and garnished with a fruit with witty English names like the leather–like sheet of dehydrated Taking the Biscuit, a combination of pickle juice; the Tomato is a clarified peaty Scotch, dry sherry and tropical Bloody Mary infused with Sichuan fruit that hints of Taiwanese peppercorn that delivers a tongue- pineapple cake. Or try the Savory numbing hit. There are two seatings Sour, which combines two Macallan per night (from 8 p.m.), and booking single malts with Earl Grey tea and ahead is highly recommended. house-made scallop powder. fb.com/lekief.00; NT$1,200 for flight thetavernist.com; cocktails from of three drinks and three canapes. NT$400.
travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 59 guide drinks
hokkaido specific. Clearly you can’t totally avoid cultural disconnects—using a specific fruit that isn’t available outside of Asia can create confusion W inter Warmers Japan’s most northerly island isn’t just for thrill-seekers. Snowbound at for someone who has never tried it— Nikka Whisky but this more abstract medium has Julian Ryall bypasses the ski slopes for three distinct tastes of the distillery. helped me bridge some of the gaps I prefecture’s best booze. noticed with verbal notes,” she says. “They also stimulate discussion and Though it’s better known for its tongue. The 40-percent Junmai and more rounded, with the barrel- seem to excite non-technically winter powder, Hokkaido also Daiginjo Takaragawa is sweeter and aging showing through in the taste. minded wine drinkers; it puts them produces some of the best food and more fruity, with a good depth to the Ultimately, Kura envisions Yoichi, at ease and makes the whole subject drink in Japan. Given that snow flavor. Stock up here, because the with several established wineries more intuitive.” sports leave me cold, I’m here to brewery’s limited output means already in town, becoming Japan’s ewery
Some elements of her digitally r exercise my tastebuds on a tour of its these sakes are primarily sold locally Napa Valley. This lofty goal is B
layered images are hand-drawn, ke native brews, wines and spirits. and difficult to find off the island. confident proof that his labels stand a some are painted (physically or S My first stop isT anaka Sake Brewery up to some of the best wines out there. digitally) and others are her own (tanakashuzo.com), which has been Given Hokkaido’s severe winters, photographs or those sourced from making the traditional rice wine in I’m surprised to learn that heavy Yi o chi is also home to one of stock—an in-depth creative process the west-coast port city of Otaru snow and sub-zero temperatures Hokkaido’s most famous and that makes sense from an art since 1899. The brewery’s heritage aren’t an obstacle to cultivating the historic brands, albeit one with its
graduate of Yale University, which ourtesy of tanaka building is entirely made of wood, vines needed for high-quality wines. roots in the Scottish highlands. The ; c awarded her the departmental prize i and when I walk in during the But more than 280 wineries spread Nikka Whisky (nikka.com) distillery ab G for an installation that was her i middle of winter, icicles taller than a across the prefecture. At O cciGabi was first opened in 1934 by Masataka senior year thesis. Heller opened her man hang from its eaves. (occigabi.net), in Yoichi, winemaker Taketsuru, after he finished several own graphic-design consultancy, all I join the brewery’s free guided Kiyoshi Kura takes advantage of the whisky apprenticeships in Scotland. hong kong while falling in love with wine and tour and see first-hand the polishing, city’s fertile soils and slightly milder Like Kura, Taketsuru chose working towards her MW. washing and fermenting processes. climate, and has spent decades Yoichi for its climate and nature: its
Heller calls Hong Kong home, and ky; courtesy of occ All the rice is locally grown, and the perfecting his product, which he proximity to the ocean; mountains s A Feast for All Senses when she’s not traveling or being i brewers insist it is the best in the makes of 40 varieties of European on three sides; fresh water; and Even the most seasoned oenophiles can do with palate primers.
called on to share her expertise, you ka wh country because of Hokkaido’s cooler grapes he brought to Japan after crisp, clean air—which reminded Janice Leung Hayes chats with a Master of Wine whose visual tasting k might find her in her favorite wine Ni climate and clean water. Like on all graduating from the National Wine him of his time abroad. He insists on notes ensure you aren’t at a loss for words. spots there getting inspiration for good brewery tours, we inevitably School of Germany in the 1970s. using direct coal-fired pot stills to her next visual tasting note. Here’s end in the shop, where staff offer On a tour of the vineyard, we pass give his whisky a bold and smoky Tas ting notes can seem abstract. “The background color is supposed what she has to say about them: tiny tumblers of sake to taste. rows of aromatic French barrels, flavor, a method rarely used today Words such as “soft” or “earthy,” to evoke the overall flavor category— While mass-produced brews can which Kura says add depth and because controlling the temperature “stone fruit” or “ripe berry” have is the wine a grassy, greenish white L QV Les Quinze by owner Camille be harsh on the palate, these small- character. I swirl a splash of requires skilled distillers. been the most common way that or a luscious, golden white? The Vins “The spot in Glass.” brut.com.hk; batch bottles are as smooth as a Zweigeltrebe 2017 around my glass; At Nikka, the practice lives on. As e from top: courtesy of
town for relatively Shop C, GF, Tung s flavors, aromas and textures in wine outline, which you read from top to i Hokkaido snowdrift. The Junmai aged for six months, it is smooth and a member of the distilling team have been communicated for bottom, is a chart of the impression affordable, intriguing Cheung Bldg., 1-11 Ginjo is sharp, clean and warming, light with hints of incense. The opens the heavy metal doors of the bottles from every Second St., Sai Ying decades. But as the appeal of wine the wine makes over time. Some corner of France, Pun. clockw with a taste that lingers on the Dornfelder 2016 is brighter in color furnace beneath each still and heaps frequently with some spreads far and wide, the idiomatic wines start really faint then seem to Francis “Somm fresh coal on the glowing embers, I age as well.” lqv- nature of such descriptions has get bigger in body and flavor Simone Sammuri take an involuntary step backwards group.com; 9 Swatow brings his magic to become apparent; words are in intensity, others seem massive and St., Wan Chai. at the white heat that emerges. This danger of being lost in translation. fade quickly. Additional elements are the list at this Israeli task is carried out every 10 minutes, Nocturne “The most eatery (the food is Enter Sarah Heller, the youngest sometimes fairly literal, for example, calming, quietly brilliant too).” francis. around the clock, to prevent the Master of Wine in Asia-Pacific. recognizable fruit if those fruit luxurious urban com.hk; 4 & 6 St. distillation from burning. Heller shares striking works of art aromas are clearly present, and oasis of a wine bar Francis St., Wan Chai. Taketsuru’s vision has paid off. you’ll find in the city; as an extension of her written sometimes more metaphorical like Giando “Chef Gianni The whisky world’s head was turned but expect to pay Caprioli has dug into tasting notes on her social media textures or abstract patterns that Tokyo prices!” in 2001 when a single cask, 10-year- his own cellar for channels (principally Instagram: come to mind when I taste.” nocturnehk.com; old Yoichi won the “Best of the Best” beautifully matured 35 Peel St., Central. @sarahhellermw). She calls them In speaking to oenophiles multi- Italian gems hard to category in the U.K.’s Whisky “Visual Tasting Notes,” and they lingually, Heller finds a picture can Brut! “A rotating find elsewhere in Magazine competition. The brand provide a pictorial mind map of her be worth all the words in The Oxford selection of Hong Kong.” O cciGabi grows 40 has continued its winning streak, interpretations of wine. Companion to Wine. “The major thoughtfully sourced, giandorestaurant. varieties of grapes. scoring World’s Best Blended Malt at international 'natural com; Shop 1, GF, left: T anaka Sake “There are a few consistent advantage is that images don’t rely and friends' wines, Tower 1, Starcrest, craft brewery. the World Whiskies Awards this a elements in each note,” she says. on words, which are so culturally charmingly explained 9 Star St., Wan Chai. S rah heller (4) year. I’ll drink to that.
60 j uly 2019 / travelandleisureasia.com travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 61 guide drinks
beer guide homemade bitter melon infusion, and for those in need of ballast, there’s also a full dinner menu. Lane 27, 10 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Dist. 1; O n the Cutting Edge cocktails from VND170,000; open Asia’s craft suds scene keeps getting better. Craig Sauers 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. (1 a.m. weekends). checks in with six exciting breweries using local flavors and ingredients to push beer boundaries. M urakami- The time has come inspired speakeasy, Following a creaking staircase to the In The Mood. third floor of a French-colonial building, a soundproof door opens to reveal D rinking & Healing, a livelier apartment block by the Opera House. affair than its peers (i.e., less soft jazz, “I started to drink whisky after more throbbing bass). “Drinkers” reading novels by Haruki Murakami and “healers” trade banter across a in my 20s,” says Hoang, who became funky, photogenic bar lined with so obsessed with single malts he fermenting potations, botanicals traveled to Scotland, Taiwan and and syrups—all house-made—and R abbit Hole was Japan solely to visit distilleries. Now distinctive glassware (I’d caution chen
founded to perfect t i the Negroni. thanks to pioneers like him, in a city against the signature creation Your where peaty Scotch and premium Toilet). Though there’s an iPad with
spirits were once exclusive to the ar and k a fun, build-your-own cocktail l b corporate domain, hip, young i platform, I elect for a top-shelf G&T saigon T ake your pick at Saigonese think nothing of sipping (Monkey 47 with Thomas Henry and Young Master. on Bruichladdich or a Sazerac made berries, served balloon-style). “It’s Cnomi g of Age with Pikesville Straight Rye. crazy. We’re full every single night, Overwhelmed by an inventory of 180 even Mondays,” says head “healer” Ta ihu Brewing taiwan Young Master Hong Kong scotches and whiskies, I opt for an Vien Du as we step out onto the Taihu might be Asia’s most I f Hong Kong’s craft beer is finally Story After Dark (cacao bourbon, Campari, smokers’ (and, of course, vapers’) progressive brewery. The getting the global attention it Y oung, discerning cocktail drinkers and single-malt connoisseurs are Martini Rosso and the essence of balcony, facing the 68-story Bitexco
ourtesy of the cockta atm bathrooms are gender neutral, for deserves, thank Rohit Dugar. His ; c
raising the stakes in Vietnam. Connla Stokes sips his way to the sous-vide shiitake) and raise my g Tower—a handy visual reminder of starters, and when it comes to beer, brewery Young Master has n source of this intoxicating tale. glass to Haruki-san. 3F, 151 Dong i how quickly this city moves when the head brewer Winnie Hsu is as continually pushed the boundaries Khoi, Dist. 1; cocktails from time comes. 3F, 25 Ho Tung Mau, Dist. relentless in her devotion to quality since opening five years ago. Now, u brew h Not so long ago in Saigon, a night owner Leon Nguyen reveals the VND220,000; open 6:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. i 1; cocktails from VND210,000; open as she is in her rejection of the brand hosts an international of cocktail consumption most likely catalyst for Rabbit Hole was a city- 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. (3 a.m. weekends). traditional boundaries. That leads beer festival and boasts a huge involved a hastily made mojito or a wide search for just-so classics The backlash theory to some ground-breaking brews, barrel-aging program that slapdash margarita, typically rather than creative cocktails: “We Despite the au courant portal (an like the Old Fashioned, a barrel- produces some wild creations. shaken and served in a clamorous drank a lot of Negronis that night, ersatz cash machine at the end of an Sorry, it's a aged Berliner weisse that replicates Those include a white stout called club or a flashy rooftop bar. But but couldn’t find anywhere that otherwise typical Saigon alleyway— bar, not the flavor profile of the classic Bak Mo Sheung, which comes in a bank. lately a more mature species of nailed one, so we opened our own fear not: you don’t need a pin code), cocktail (“A pain in the ass to brew, variations like matcha-vanilla “soft watering hole has created a far bar to do just that.” Despite Leon’s there’s a throwback vibe inside T he but a hell of a beer,” says co- serve,” as well as an IPA brewed in master (2); courtesy of ta g mellower habitat for those who hint, I can’t resist summoning The ATM Cocktail Bar and Kitchen: jazz he mood. founder Peter Huang), and the Woo collaboration with Norway-based n t prefer more considered concoctions. Mad Hatter (Earl Grey–infused music, a gorgeous high wooden bar, i May, a smoked sour ale brewed Lervig that uses a farmhouse yeast bourbon, strawberry syrup, lemon and low, leather seating in a lounge with Taiwanese smoked plums. strain and juniper straight out of Curiouser, and curiouser… juice, homemade spiced palm syrup area. “I used to have customers W here to try it: Taihu beer is now the Scandinavian fjords. R abbit Hole is an urbane, and tonic). BF, 138 Nam Ky Khoi asking for an Old Fashioned with served at Taiwanese institutions W here to try it: Young underground lair with a long bar Nghia, Dist. 1; cocktails from apple juice, but day by day, drink by like Din Tai Fung, The Regent Master operates four ole; courtesy of
and chiaroscuro lighting that VND200,000; open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. drink, everyone’s knowledge has t h Hotel and even Starbucks. bars in Hong Kong, i attracts a young, cosmopolitan been growing,” says the ever-dapper bb It’s also available including Second Draft a clientele through the night. I am The Murakami effect and utterly charming owner, Tan R in Osaka at and TAP, plus The e from top left: courtesy of youn immediately tempted by the themed With a sheepish grin, Hoang Nguyen Pham, who partly attributes Saigon’s s Watering Hole Guild in Singapore. i cocktails and Drink Me (gin, Lillet admits he hadn’t heard of an Old speakeasy trend as a backlash to the and in Shanghai The beers frequently Blanc, Chartreuse Green, orange Fashioned just a few years ago. Now city’s brash clubs and pubs, where at 233. appear at Mikkeller
he’s the co-owner of I n the Mood e, clockw bitters) would seem an appropriate , a deafening tunes negate confabulation. t taihubrewing. Bangkok, as well. i starting point for the evening but, snug but sophisticated speakeasy, Make sure to try Tan’s Mekong com. youngmasterales.com. from left: courtesy of emerging from the shadows, co- squirreled away in a French-period Negroni that eschews Campari for a oppos
62 j uly 2019 / travelandleisureasia.com travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 63 guide drinks
Goa Brewing Company india Heart of Darkness vietnam The Subcontinent probably isn’t the I nspired by Joseph Conrad’s seminal first country that comes to mind novel, John Pemberton turned his when talking about craft beer in homebrewing hobby into a full-time Asia. But if Suraj Shenai has profession in 2015. Vietnamese beer anything to say about it, that’s about hasn’t been the same since. Heart of to change. The founder of Goa Darkness made its name on bold, Brewing Company is bringing the hoppy IPAs, like Kurtz’s Insane IPA craft movement to the south of India, and the Loose Rivet hazy IPA, two of brewing beer in an old heritage home 250 beers to come out of its Saigon explainer while striving to be as sustainable as operation. But some of its most possible. That means making beers fascinating beers lean local: the with local ingredients like lemon and White Surf, a passionfruit- Mead pineapple, the latter of which goes laced Berliner weisse, and W hat is it? Believed to be one of Natalie Priscilla Lolita into a refreshing pineapple saison. the Hot and Cold, a pilsner the world’s oldest beverages Lau. Leong. Goh. It’s funky but tropical—“the brewed with cucumbers dating back thousands of years, perfect beer to have after a and Vietnamese chilies. mead is made from a fermented dip in the sea,” Shenai says. W here to try it: The home blend of honey, water, fruits and other spices that takes about a on the rise W here to try it: Goa Brewing base in Saigon’s District 1 year to mature. The Old Man sits atop the Asia’s 50 Company, based in and the new Heart of Best Bar list and in the top 10 of the Sangolda, is only available Darkness brewpub in Where can you get it? On the World’s 50 Best. They’ve opened two third floor of a small, nondescript in India at the moment. Singapore have the U nmanning the Bar other venues, The Sea, in Hong Kong, industrial space on the outskirts M eet some of the cool women shaking things up in Southeast Asia’s Try the beers fresh biggest range. They also of Singapore, one of the country’s and The Old Man in Singapore, and best drinking dens. B y Alessandra Gesuelli at restaurants in export to Thailand and most unique alcohols is are running a pop-up til August 31 at
fermenting. Rachelle The co.;
Goa like Hong Kong. heartof g The Bamboo Bar in Bangkok. n
Rabbit Meadery i Gunpowder and darknessbrewery.com. (rachelletherabbit.com) is the t he world over, talented young Almost a century on, Priscilla “We created a new standard Bomra’s. Lion City’s first ever meadery. rew women are making their mark in Leong has taken over the renovated for Hong Kong,” Lau says. “All the e b i
Named after the daughter of p
instagram.com/ g the hitherto male-dominated bar Long Bar, and is renovating their staff are bartenders, and everyone goabrewingco. Anglo Japanese Beer (AJB) owner Simon Zhao, this all- industry. Hong Kong is the stomping classic drink. Much like Raffles is proactive in speaking with natural, no-additive meadery is japan ground of Victoria Chow, the Singapore, reopening next month to guests about the cocktails—or making this golden elixir with “When we started the brewery, we honey from South Africa and mastermind behind The Woods and its original colonial splendor with about anything in life.” Bartending M agpie Brewing Co. didn’t want to be confined by styles. Malaysia combined with Asian Kwoon, Asia’s first artisanal pre- contemporary innovations: “we here means mastering the use of south korea Allowing ourselves the space to work flavors and ingredients. batched cocktail series. In Singapore, wanted to retain Long Bar’s heritage, culinary gadgets and lab equipment d r
Pizza-and-beer pioneer Magpie outside conventional parameters A selection of the brand’s five i Sasha Wijidessa manages Operation and stay true to the integrity of the to combine flavors, coaxing out eb
helped make craft beer a thing in enabled us to create some really flavors can be found at nearly 40 l Dagger, where the hooch bottles have iconic Singapore Sling recipe, while interesting notes rather than making South Korea with its pale ale, an easy- unique beers,” says Thomas Livesey, bars, restaurants and retailers g no labels, and Bannie Kang is head revitalizing it with craft ingredients eye-catching garnish, an attitude she drinking brew with hints of apricot co-founder of AJB. That’s putting it around Singapore starting at craftsman at Anti:Dote, using spices to suit the modern palate,” she says. says is new in the Hong Kong market. S$40 each. Keep an eye out for that seven years on is still its most mildly. Consider the Nagano-based their masterclasses, sometimes and herbs from her native Korea. The grenadine is all-natural, the Take Lau’s favorite drink, The popular. Now, Magpie is throwing brewery’s Momo Sake Gose. Livesey In Bangkok, multi-award-winning custom bitters “provide a backbone Sun Also Rises: copra fat–washed
held at Native, one of Singapore’s eadery; courtesy of ajb; courtesy of ma best bars, as well as their new beer geeks a bone. Look out for and company take a traditional t m maestro Pailin “Milk” Sajjanit heads of spice to play off the cocktail’s Applejack, curry leaf–infused gin, i imperial stout Black Rock when it German gose (a salty/sour beer) and line of spirits distilled from mead. up hard-to-find, plush den 008. Here fruity notes,” Leong says, and the sweet vermouth, sous-vide pandan bar; courtesy of jun g comes at the end of summer. “Pastry mix in sake ingredients and local What to order? Although the n are some other outstanding ladies bespoke gin, Widges, is made by leaves, and kaffir lime.I “ t is a very o stouts are super popular globally,” peach to create a distinctly Japanese honey wine flavors may sound L manning the bars across the region. Langley’s Distillery in England. complex drink. The flavors come up says co-owner Erik Moynihan, “but beer rooted in German traditions. cloyingly sweet, they’re The new Singapore Sling is a touch layer by layer, and it creates a long, surprisingly not. Rachelle’s we wanted to do one that was a little Now, AJB is also aging beers in Bandung is a play off the rose- Priscilla Leong, head more gin forward, which we think is lingering taste.” Much like the novel bit more Korean, so we based it on the French foeders (large wooden syrup beverage of the same bartender, Long Bar at Raffles exactly what the ladies—and maybe that inspired it. theoldmanhk.com; chocolatey, marshmallowy flavor of barrels) to develop some especially name, but it is dry in texture. singapore gentlemen, too—always wanted. The Sun Also Rises, HK$90. the Lotte Choco Pie.” wild and funky flavors. Rachelle’s Uppercut, a mix of Way back when Long Bar was the raffles.com; Singapore Sling, S$28. W here to try it: W here to try it: ginger and lemon, is light and
Magpie AJB is company; courtesy of heart of darkness place for gentlemen and plantation Lolita Goh co-founder, t: courtesyt: of rachelle the rabb
refreshing. Their newest g h n g i kuala lumpur has bars in Itaewon and relatively small, but its seasonal flavor, Rachelle’s i owners to gather, etiquette dictated Natalie Lau, bar manager, The JungleBird Hongdae in Seoul, as well beers can be found at Fireball, combines honey and that ladies couldn’t consume alcohol Old Man hong kong I f 250 hand-curated rums sounds
Canadian maple syrup, while a brew
as two venues in Cheju. craft beer bars across o in public. Long Bar’s Ngiam Tong I n 2017, Agung Prabowo had big like caramel-colored heaven, then The beer should hit Hong Japan, including Watering Rachelle’s Double Kick tastes like g Boon saw an opportunity and ambitions for his new Hemingway- fly as fast as you can to JungleBird,
Christmas in a glass: a e from top r s Kong’s shores this year. Hole in Osaka. combination of orange, cinnamon i created a cocktail that looked like themed bar, and he poached Natalie Kuala Lumpur’s first rum bar, co- magpiebrewing.com. anglojapanesebeer.com. and clove. — Kioat e L ckhart juice but was actually brimming Lau from American Bar at The Savoy founded in 2017 by Lolita Goh. It is from left: courtesy of the old man; courtesy of clockw courtesy of with booze. Hello, Singapore Sling. in London to fulfill them. Today one of the hottest destinations in the
64 j uly 2019 / travelandleisureasia.com travelandleisureasia.com / july 2019 65 guide drinks
explainer No n-Alcoholic Spirits
W hat is it? Imagine an herbal G&T that you can sip on all day without fear of a hangover, health risks if you’re pregnant—or that dangerous sense of confidence that'll let you text an ex. You’re the target for Seedlip (seedlip. Suwincha com), a line of gin-like, booze-free “Chacha” Shelley Tai. Singsuwan. spirits made by blending individually distilled botanicals. It is part of a larger trend towards city and the most awarded bar in the engineered to stimulate the senses, mixed drinks with less or zero country. Goh’s latest passion project using techniques from the kitchen alcohol-by-volume. “Low ABV cocktails allow bars to be even is a fermentation program, making world. Tai’s favorite creation is a drink more inclusive for potential ginger beer, vinegars, tepaches and made of Yuk Bing Siu, a Cantonese rice guests. Bars can be intimidating lacto-fermented fruits using local liqueur. It’s infused with coriander, to people who choose not to drink ingredients and leftover produce that mezcal, amaro Montenegro and alcohol,” says Charlie Ainsbury, of craft-spirits distributor and bar would otherwise have gone to waste. toasted rice syrup. It has a smoky, consultancy Proof & Co. In fact, Kakariki Orchards is a New Zealand– sweet, spicy flavor with aftertaste of studies show that millennials are inspired gin cocktail with homemade toasted rice that lingers pleasantly. actually drinking less than their kombucha, plus feijoa, lemon, honey quinary.hk; Yuk Bing Siu, HK$150. predecessors—but a glass filled and lavender-infused kombucha soda. with soda water or a sugar-bomb of a mocktail just doesn't cut it. The bar is named for the Jungle Suwincha “Chacha” Bird, a rum drink with pineapple juice, Singsuwan, head bartender, Where can you get it? Pioneer Seedlip is widely available in lime and Campari that was invented Rabbit Hole and Libération bangkok Singapore and Hong Kong; try in the 1970s as a welcome beverage for When your aunt and sister are top-ranked mixology valhallas guests at KL’s old Hilton Hotel’s Aviary bartenders, a career mixing drinks is Operation Dagger, Native and The Bar. “This tropical creation has seen a as steeped in your blood as that white- Old Man. Diversifying the non- recent revival,” Goh says. She serves truffle oil you’ve fat-washed in gin. liquor cabinet, Lyres (lyres.co) has a full line of “spirits” that p it with Diplomatico Mantuano rum, Suwincha “Chacha” Singsuwan range from absinthe-like to i which imparts soft and sweet notes heads two popular speakeasies, the coffee “liqueur.” They’re now only with herbal hints. But if that’s not your sultry, award-winning Rabbit Hole available in Australia, but are bag, hey, there are 249 more options— and its even harder-to-find baby moving into Southeast Asia soon. plus their homemade grog. junglebirdkl. sis, Libération. “My cocktail style is What to order? The Old Man has com; Jungle Bird, RM38–RM80. minimal. I do a lot of preparation, a section of non-alcoholic options and present the finished drink quite on the menu wryly titled “Not Hemingway’s Favourites.” Order hole; courtesy of seedl of courtesy hole;
Shelley Tai bartender, The neat,” she says. At Rabbit Hole, the t the African Safari for a zesty mix i Quinary hong kong menu is categorized according to nose: of rosemary, Seedlip Spice, H er warm smile and graceful manner “We process them a lot to get the most turmeric-tamarind cordial, and lend her strength as a host at work, aroma to the cocktail.” Prep time might citrus. — Vea ronic Inveen where she never cracks under pressure, be a full day, like for one of her faves at essential for working at Quinary, a Libération, the Vegan War. She clarifies high-volume multisensory bar helmed tomato juice, heats up red cabbage ary; courtesy of rabb of courtesy ary; n by master mixologist Antonio Lai. to extract the purple color, and adds i “Bartending to me is two parts: the carrot slices to prize out their taste. The bar and the tender,” she says. “The bar alcohol is vodka redistilled with basil. represents the craftsmanship and the Look out for a third Singsuwan- creativity. The tender part allows me to helmed joint coming to Bangkok’s show care and hospitality.” Langsuan area in November, which Only in her early twenties, she uses “will be vintage deco and play jazz her talent and love of experimenting most of the time.” rabbitholebkk.com,
to contribute to the menu of cocktails liberationbkk.com; Vegan War, Bt390. qu the of courtesy left: from
66 j uly 2019 / travelandleisureasia.com