Cocktails with a Roku gin base at Jann.
WOOBAR
W Hotel Kuala Lumpur Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 10am to 10pm, Tel: 012-347 9088
Urban, chic and vibrant, Woobar is where cocktail lovers can discover new concoctions.
During the day, guests can have afternoon tea or snacks between 3pm and 5pm while enjoying the view of the city. For drinks, you can pick coffee, tea, fresh juice or ice-cream cocktails.
At night, the place transforms into a vibrant bar.
Recently, the cocktail menu was revamped and now some of its signature cocktails include Cosmopolitan, Crystal Skull, Maple Smoked Old Fashion and Most Expensive.
Guests can also expect a snack menu that pairs well with the cocktails.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow by The Rebel Penguin of Funky Town.
THE REBEL PENGUIN OF FUNKY TOWN
Lot 1.24 (1st Floor), Wisma Cosway, No.88, Jalan Raja Chulan,
KL Business hours: 5pm to 11pm (Wednesday and Thursday) and 5pm to midnight (Friday and Saturday). Reservations: 011-2506 3313 or message via Instagram @therebelpenguin
Inspired by the 1980s, a decade which has been often regarded as the greatest to some but referred to as the “dark ages” by those in the bar industry because of the explosion of bright neon colours and artificial-tasting drinks, The Rebel Penguin of Funky Town gives these misunderstood drinks a modern flair and playfulness.
Expect bold colours when you step into the bar and sample all 21 of its cocktails, each with distinctive ingredients, flavours and garnishes.
A must-have is Permanent Surprise, which features bak kwa-infused whiskey with peanut butter foam and milk Oolong tea served in a doughnut-shaped cup.
Meanwhile, Somewhere Over The Rainbow pairs mango-infused gin with Indian borage that is served over homemade purple yam ice cream rather than the typical cube of ice.
Coley’s Gin and Coconut.
COLEY
No.6G, Jalan Abdullah, off Jalan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 5pm to midnight daily except Sundays
Reservations: 019-270 9179 (WhatsApp)
Tucked away in a quiet Bangsar street, Coley pays homage to Ada Coleman (1875-1966), the iconic female bartender of The Savoy in London.
The bar’s cocktail menu plumbs the rich depths of local ingredients like coconut water, kedondong, pandan, asam boi and air mata kucing.
The Gin and Coconut drink, which has London Dry Gin, coconut water and sugar, became such a hit that it is synonymous with the bar.
Coley’s Hanky Panky adds a unique twist to Coleman’s creation by using Jenever, a botanically rich spirit made in the Netherlands, mixed with London dry gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca.
THREE X CO
Bangsar Shopping Centre, Lot T6A, Level 3, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, KL.
Business hours: 5pm to midnight (Monday to Thursday), 5pm to 1am (Friday and Saturday). Closed on Sunday unless Monday is a public holiday. Reservations: 019-336 6031
“Hidden” within Bangsar Shopping Centre, Three X Co is fronted by a vintage barbershop.
Choose from two main types of cocktails here – the Cockytails Signature Series, which features local-and oriental-inspired drinks, or the Inner Circle’s List, which offers classic cocktails with a modern twist.
One highlight of the Cockytails series is the Eastern Poem that blends ginseng rootlets, gin infused with pei pa kou (loquat syrup) and East Imperial Yuzu tonic water.
Meanwhile, the Gentlemen Speak from the Inner Circle’s List is inspired by the classic Manhattan cocktail.
It uses Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon, Mancino Bianco vermouth, Bigallet China-China and bitters to bring about a more layered profile with cinnamon, vanilla and orange notes.
Pour Over Negroni cofftail at CO2 Coffee Bar
CO2 COFFEE BAR
E3.109.00 Level 3, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Bandar Bukit Jalil, KL
Business hours: 10am to 6pm, 6pm to midnight (Sundays to Thursdays), 6pm to 1am (Fridays, Saturdays), Reservations: 03-8080 7199
While CO2 usually stands for carbon dioxide, this bar’s name represents “coffee” and “cocktail”.
During the day, the bar functions as a cafe but at night, it transforms into a cocktail bar.
Some of its signature drinks include Pour Over Negroni cofftail that is made of washed Colombian coffee beans, Roku gin, Martini sweet vermouth, Campari and CO2 chocolate bitters spray, while Crush on You is a mix of Roku gin, peeled yuzu cordial, Campari and house-made yuzu peel liqueur.
Those preferring a sober night out can try the non-alcoholic Passiflora which is made of Ethiopia Keffa Bonga G1 Cold Brew and Heirloom Natural dried pineapple with passionfruit, pineapple and orange thrown into the mix.
It also offers a range of bottled cocktails and cofftails, enabling customers to enjoy their drink of choice at any hour.
The coffee bar does not take reservations.
Celebrating the seasons
The Alchemy serves a selection of gin-driven cocktails.
THE ALCHEMY
LG floor, Starhill Gallery, 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: noon to midnight. Reservations: 018-929 8060
Enjoy cocktails inspired by the four seasons at The Alchemy Bar, where gin takes centre stage.
The gin bar is also named after the Alkkemist Gin, which uses Muscat grape in its production.
Visitors can expect flavourful, artfully presented drinks from the bar, from traditional cocktails such as Negroni and Juniper Sling to innovative signatures from the mixologists.
The six signature cocktails each have individualised descriptions with interesting facts.
James Bond fans will immediately identify the Vesper cocktail, said to be made famous by the spy in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale.
Vesper, which is made of gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc and lemon twist, is also the name of James Bond’s love interest in the movie.
Other signature cocktails to try are the Bee’s Knees, which is made of gin, fresh lemon juice and honey, and the Butterfly that is made of butterfly pea-infused gin, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.
For something stronger, order the Corpse Reviver 2 which consists of gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, absinthe and lemon juice.
Guests can request that their gin of choice be used for the signature cocktails.
The Alchemy serves an extensive gin collection from around the world, from fry gins to fresh gins.
The bar also offers afternoon high-tea sets for two.
Jann at Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur
JANN
Level 7, Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown, KL
Business Hours: 4pm to midnight, Reservations: 012-507 3327
Capitalising on Roku gin’s refreshing, citrusy yuzu taste, Jann’s Roku Spring Campaign will feature three specially crafted cocktails for gin lovers until May 26.
Made from a blend of six Japanese botanicals, each harvested at seasonal peak, the gin is one of the best to be served during spring.
With Roku gin as the base, the Kumquat G&T that’s made of kumquat shrub, kumquat oleo saccharum, peated whisky and tonic water is a highball-styled cocktail that balances sweet and sour, seasoned with a slight hint of peat.
Meanwhile, the Kyushu cocktail is a concoction of Roku Gin, Fino Sherry, kumquat cordial, salt and mint while the more spirit-forward Nozomi cocktail is made of Roku Gin, Vermouth Rosso, kumquat, mushroom, strawberry and honey.
These cocktails are each priced at RM45+.
The Best Combo Ever promotion allows diners to enjoy a set of snacks or a main course with beer or wine at RM50+ per set.
Food options include crispy chicken, Pi Pah Prawn, sweet potato burger, Chinatown chicken burger, tiger prawn char kway teow and stir-fried Pi Pah Tofu while beverage selections are Carlsberg, Connor’s or Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 (mug) or house red or white wine (glass).
The bar also runs a Reverse Happy Hour daily from 8pm to 9pm where patrons can buy two house-poured wines and beers and get one free or 20% off 300ml or full-bottle spirits.
