We’re never short of great reasons to have a drink in Singapore and this month, the good booze news has just kept coming. Thirsty? Read on.
1. There’s a new bourbon specialty bar in town
A one-stop drinking and dining destination, Urban Saloon is a bar and restaurant at the Red Dot Traffic Building styled in the form of a western saloon. It promises to provide you with the “ultimate bourbon whiskey experience like no other” with plenty of dining options. Their bourbon selection includes the fancy Jefferson’s Reserve ($20 a glass) and Four Roses Single Barrel ($20 a glass) while the Scotch whisky section of the menu features the usual suspects including 21-year-old expressions from Aberfeldy ($35 a glass) and The Macallan ($65 a glass).
2. A new “American KTV” has opened up with affordable cocktails
Touted as an “American KTV”, Skinny’s Lounge is the creation of former Cufflink Club and Vasco bartender Nick Haas. The grungy Boat Quay bar is decked out with disco lights and graffitied windows, and features a private KTV room that can accommodate up to ten people. Targeting the late night crowd, they close at 3am on weekdays and 4am on weekends.
While that’s all pretty cool, the affordable cocktails at Skinny’s are what you’ll be writing home about. Their “Fast and Cheap” cocktails, including the Americano and the tequila-based Paloma, are available for just $15 while their classic cocktails, like the Daiquiri No. 1 and caipiroska, will only set you back $18 (you can take up their “Make it Nice” option and get your classics made with premium spirits for an extra $3). You can also order a tower of Pimm’s Cup that serves 12 people ($200). Food highlights include hotdogs ($12) and jumbo pretzels ($10).
3. A Singaporean craft spirits company has launched an Asian-inspired gin
American expat couple Simin Kayhan and Rick Ames recently founded Singaporean craft spirit company, Paper Lantern Distilling, to produce spirits made entirely with Asian ingredients. They’ve just launched a Pozible campaign for their first product, the Sichuan Pepper Gin, a rice-based craft gin distilled at a facility in Chiang Mai. With the Sichuan pepper as its backbone, Sichuan Pepper Gin also uses ingredients like ginger, galangal, lemongrass, honey and the Thai spice makhwaen.
4. You can drink for a good cause
Launched in 2013, Negroni Week has grown exponentially in its brief existence with 100 participating outlets in the US for its inaugural edition expanding to 3,500 establishments around the world last year. Taking place from Jun 6-12, the 2016 edition will involve at least 30 bars and restaurants in Singapore with a portion of proceeds going to charity. You can look forward to new twists on the classic cocktail at places like Bitters & Love, Manhattan, Jigger & Pony and more (see the full list here). Charities that will benefit from Negroni Week include the ST School Pocket Money Fund, Community Chest, Food Bank Singapore and Nepal relief funds.
5. DFS Changi Airport is making free cocktails for travelers
Happening from May 20-Jun 30 (5:30-7:30 p.m), the DFS Cocktail Festival features pop-ups by five of Singapore’s most popular bars: 28 HongKong Street (May 20-21), Jigger & Pony (May 27-28), Manhattan (Jun 10-11), The Library (Jun 17-18) and Smoke & Mirrors (Jun 24-25). Each bar will create signature cocktails inspired by Singapore and the first in the series by 28 HongKong Street takes its cue from our hawker food.
