The Original Jungle Bird at Aviary Bar.
Aviary Bar
Lobby, No.3, Jalan Stesen Sentral,
Kuala Lumpur Sentral, KL
Business hours: 5pm to midnight daily
Tel: 03-2264 2264
With its elegant curved walls that arch out from the softly lit bar area, Aviary Bar’s cosy atmosphere is perfect for after-work drinks or night out with friends.
Positioning itself as the home of the internationally renowned tiki cocktail – the Jungle Bird – the bar boasts five variations of this drink.
Jungle Bird was concocted by Jeffrey Ong Swee Teik of Penang on July 6, 1973, as a tiki welcome drink for hotel guests.
Made from pineapple juice, rum, Campari, lime and syrup, it gained international acclaim when it was listed on John J. Poistner’s 1989 The New America Bartender’s Guide.
One of Aviary Bar’s signatures is the Original Jungle Bird, made with pineapple-infused Jamaican dark rum and Campari as well as a squeeze of lime and pineapple juice for a fruity yet balanced thirst-quencher for the tropics.
Other cocktails in the series include Morning Bird, which blends coffee-infused Campari and dark rum with an unexpected dash of curry leaf completing it, and American Jungle Bird that uses Makers Mark whiskey as its base and Aperol instead of Campari, with the added twist of frothed egg white topping.
Blue
Handcrafted cocktails at Blue.
Level 51, EQ, Equatorial Plaza
Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL
Business Hours: 5pm to 1am daily
Tel: 03-2789 7777
This bar offers one of the most dazzling panoramic views of the city skyline.
Visitors can watch the sunset as well as admire the beauty of buildings such as the Kuala Lumpur Tower as well as the illuminated PETRONAS Twin Towers.
Selected bands perform indoors on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays but VIP members can party on the upper deck.
An all-time favourite cocktail here is Smoked Negroni, consisting of Tanqueray gin, Campari, Cinzano 1757 Rosso vermouth, local spices and hickory wood smoke.
Other signature cocktails include Little Piece of Heaven, made of light rum, melon liqueur, lime, rosemary, kiwi and aquafaba, as well as The Borneo Head-Hunter, a concoction of tequila, Strega, lime, kaffir lime, aquafaba and Sabah chilli tincture.
Aperol Spritz at The Cove.
The Cove
Level 7M, Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
Business Hours: 6pm to midnight daily
Tel: 03-2117 2888
High above the city streets, The Cove offers guests a good place to unwind in a bustling cosmopolitan setting.
Designed with three large private rooms that seat up to 10 people, the bar with its classic rustic decor gives guests a sense of privacy while enjoying a night out.
They can indulge in a selection of international cocktails, beer packages and delectable bar snacks after a long day.
Its signature cocktails include White Russian, a mix of coffee liqueur, vodka and fresh milk, as well as Gimlet, which has gin, fresh lime juice and syrup.
The bar also offers a selection of bottle packages for liquor and wine as well as beer by bottle packages daily.
Vertigo Negroni at Vertigo Bar.
Vertigo
Level 59, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Conlay, KL
Business Hours: 6pm to midnight daily.
Tel: 03-2113 1888
One of the highest rooftop bars with a 180° view of the city, Vertigo has the PETRONAS Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur Tower, Tun Razak Exchange and Merdeka PNB 118 in its line of sight.
At this modern and stylish bar, visitors are treated to a range of international and signature cocktails prepared by its mixologists.
Savour bar snacks inspired by South-East Asia as you listen to beats from the DJ’s turntable.
Signature cocktails include Fruity which is a mix of vodka, grenadine syrup, orange-flavoured liqueur, lime juice, egg white and mixed berry syrup, as well as Mount Genting which is a blend of gin, dry vermouth, lime juice, lychee and raspberry syrup and egg white.
Vertigo also offers a selection of bottle packages for liquor and wines.
Innovative local delights
Mangoism at Bar Trigona.BAR TRIGONA
Level 6B, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, KL
Business hours: 5pm to midnight daily
Tel: 03-2382 8888
Bar Trigona’s newly launched cocktail menu allows patrons to discover innovative expressions of Malaysia’s most-loved flavours and highlights the country’s diverse local ingredients.
Named “Foraged Malaysia”, the playful menu uses local ingredients sourced across four distinct regions, namely Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsula and Islands, where each region showcases four new cocktails.
Besides crafting cocktails, the team also works closely with local partners to support the natural habitats of honeybees and promote sustainable farming practices.
Led by head bartender Rohan Matmary, guests can try out 16 new beverages inspired and named after some of Malaysia’s favourite food and drinks like Teh Tarik, Bak Kut Teh and even Laksa.
For example, the Teh Tarik cocktail under the Sabah region mixes Mitchter’s rye whiskey, Sabah tea, Chantilly cream and cassia with monk fruit for a hint of sweetness while Bak Kut Teh under the Peninsula region is made of Jura 12YO Single Malt, brown butter, sweet vermouth, bak kut teh herbs and mushroom cream.
Much thought has also gone into the way the cocktails are presented.
The Mangoism cocktail from Sarawak region, which is made from JW Gold Label whisky, bambangan wild mango, Borneo rainforest honey, citrus and edible gold, sparkles when you swirl the glass.
Other signatures include Pandanico, which is made of Tanqueray No.10 gin, sesame oil, pandan tonic water and salted seaweed air, as well as Kunyit Royale which combines Monkey Shoulder whisky, turmeric leaf, ginger, Trigona honey and Prosecco.
Guests can also explore Trigona’s bottled cocktails and honey flights (a set of three glasses of whiskeys mixed with honey).
Enjoy a drink at Man Tao Bar with unobstructed view of Kuala Lumpur Tower.
MAN TAO BAR
25, Jalan Kamunting, KL
Business hours: 5pm to midnight
Tel: 03-2038 0000 The chic rooftop and pool bar of Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur is a treat for those who enjoy a relaxing evening with a clear view of the Kuala Lumpur Tower and city skyline.
Man Tao Bar offers some delicately crafted cocktails and a variety of beverages that pair well with its sumptuous snacks.
Its Moon Goddess, a combination of whiskey, beer, amaretto, ginger, basil leaves, fresh lemon juice, egg white and Blue Curacao, is inspired by the unobstructed view of the moon from the bar.
Also try out Kamunting Club which is a mix of whiskey, beer, sweet vermouth, port wine, Creme de Cacao, white liquor, bitters and juniper berries. It pays homage to the storied neighbourhood here.
Other signature cocktails are Rose, Rose I Love You, which is made of gin, red wine, beer, grapefruit, elderflower, egg white and fresh lemon juice while the Stripe Tease cocktail is made of gin, beer, creme de cassis, blueberry, cranberry and basil leaves.
Guests can also order small bites such as air-fried Korean chicken wings, chicken pie, shoestring fries with shaved parmesan, spiced golden onion rings and golden money bags.
