If you consider yourself not one who imbibes with abandonment, but one who is an appreciator of well-crafted alcoholic beverages, then you’re in luck.
A new online alcohol boutique has opened here (since April), and unlike many e-commerce stores out there that cater to the masses, this one is all about proper curation and supporting independent labels. Perhaps that’s how it got its name—Selects SG.
With its headquarters here in Singapore, expect (for once), an emphasis on locally produced and regional spirits. Find items you normally won’t find elsewhere, such as those from Brass Lion Distillery, Tanglin Gin and The Orientalist Spirits. You can even get a bottle each from all three brands via their #SGUnited All Star Gins package for only $250, which is a really good deal.
The atypical international product lines are what makes Selects SG stand out as well. In their succinct spirits list are interesting bottles from the likes of Mexico’s Quiquiriqui Mezcals, Norway’s Det Norske Brenneri distillery, and one of our favourites, Denmark’s Empirical Spirits.
Empirical Spirits, started by folks formerly from world-renowned restaurant Noma, produces spirits that are non-categorical. They focus on flavour and how they can best showcase that flavour using alcohol as a vessel. Their obnoxiously-named Fuck Trump and His Stupid Fucking Wall, for instance, is a genre-defying spirit made using ingredients like habanero chilies, pearled barley, Belgian saison yeast and koji, yet resulting in an unexpectedly floral profile.
In the mixers department, Selects SG only stock from brands such as organic Swedish label EB Tonic (known for their range of non-quinine tonics), pioneering German drink producers Thomas Henry, and surprisingly, Coca-Cola. No, they’re not marketing their soft drinks here. Instead, you’ll find their range of Signature Mixers being sold. The Smoky one works wonders with whisky.
As for craft beers, wines and sake, expect a well thought out list as well. We have our eyes set on natural wines like the Buccia Nera Pa’ro Rosso, brews from Singapore’s own 1925 Brewing Co., and the unique Sunday’s Coffee Shochu, produced by the same guys behind Hong Kong’s famed izakaya Yardbird.
If it seems like there’s a lot happening on Selects SG, that’s because there is, in terms of depth. Rather than offering a wide variety, the curated selection of items put up on the site feels purposeful.
As you shop, you’ll find that there is an emphasis on the stories behind each product, giving you that much more understanding of how and why they came to be—and that can only enhance your appreciation for them.
Check out the online store for yourself here.
