Popular Taiwanese cocktail bar Draft Land (no.45 in Asia’s Best Bars 2019) has officially opened its doors to the public in Oct.
The first bar in Asia to serve specialty cocktails on tap, the cosy minimalist space along Purvis Street is a collaboration between Draft Land and Nutmeg & Clove (ranked no.7 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023).
Founder Angus Zou was inspired by casual, stand-up beer-drinking culture, and wanted to bring a sense of approachability to the world of cocktail mixology. “Our goal is to make cocktails accessible and casual while maintaining consistency — something you can enjoy at any time, not limited to intricate creations crafted by master bartenders,” he says.
Draft Land Singapore’s cocktails-on-tap menu features 20 pre-batched tipples priced from $18+ and $20+. They include signature Taiwanese drinks like the Green Negroni, Tropical Daydreaming, and Afternoon Tea Punch.
To celebrate the World’s 50 Best Bars announcement here on Oct 17, Taiwan’s Drinks Lab, a beverage R&D company founded by Zou, and Singapore’s Nutmeg Collective are offering six exclusive cocktail recipes from famous bartenders around the world throughout the month here.
They include Oolong Tea Collins by Antonio Lai of Quinary, Hong Kong; Margarita Spritz by Matt Whiley of Re-, Sydney; C & T by Shingo Gokan of The SG Club, Tokyo; and Hustlemagic Highball by Monica Berg of Tayer + Elementary, London. As for Hidetsugu Ueno’s Soul of Osaka, a complex and flavourful sake blend from Tokyo’s Bar High Five, we’d like to see it as a permanent on-tap cocktail at Draft Land Singapore, please!
The house cocktails are also worth trying. Thanks to the tap system, draftenders can spend more time introducing flavours to customers and helping them find the right tipple. Among our favourites are the Silver Fizz, which tastes like a Gimlet with dill, and Fancy Iced Tea, essentially a turbo-charged iced lemon tea with gin. For something stronger, the Afternoon Tea Punch combines rum, VSOP, earl grey, and lime.
Food-wise, modern bar snacks are inspired by Taiwan’s culinary culture. Featuring golden rice balls with braised pork, quail eggs, and pickled cucumber, Braised Pork Arancini ($14+) is a clever take on Taiwan’s beloved lu rou fan. Wagyu Cold Noodles ($21+) is a refreshing order of cold wheat noodles, wagyu A4 carpaccio, and toasted sesame sauce with soya-cured yolk.
There are also Fried Oysters ($15+), a Taiwanese favourite served with crispy egg and ikura. The sweet-toothed will enjoy Alishan Bubble Tea ($14+), which consists of Alishan Milk Tea gelato, gula melaka pearls, and pecorino cheese.
Draft Land Singapore is located at 24 Purvis Street, Singapore 188601.
