Assorted cocktails at Man Tao Bar.
MAN TAO BAR
No.25, Jalan Kamunting, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 5pm to midnight
Tel: 03-2038 0000
UNDER the glow of the evening sky, sit back with a glass of cocktail and take in the spectacular city skyline and the fine view of KL Tower from the rooftop and pool bar of Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur.
First on the list of cocktails to try is the Moon Goddess, a combination of whisky, beer, amaretto, ginger, basil leaves, fresh lemon juice, egg white and Blue Curacao, inspired by the unobstructed view of the moon from the bar.
Paying homage to the storied neighbourhood below is Kamunting Club, a mix of whisky, beer, sweet vermouth, port wine, creme de cacao, white liquor, bitters and juniper berries.
Other signature cocktails are Rose, Rose I Love You, a concoction 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.
Korean chicken wings, shoestring fries with shaved Parmesan, spiced golden onion rings and crispy money bags are available for evening nibbles.
Minty Waikiki – Bara on Six
Bara on Six
Level 6, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Business hours: 6pm to midnight daily, except Mondays
Reservations: 011-7039 3409
This new cocktail bar in Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur will appeal to gin lovers and cocktail aficionados as it specialises in gin-based cocktails.
Facing the Petronas Twin Towers, the bar offers patrons a stunning view of the iconic building, especially when they light up at twilight.
The bar offers 10 signature cocktails. Start with something simple like the Negroni and Vesper.
Next, progress to OMG: Oh-My-Gin, which is made of gin, Cointreau, creme de cassis, orange and lemon juice, or The Gintleman that is a concoction of gin, Martini Bianco, Bitter Truth Orange and tonic water.
For something more citrusy, the Ginny @ Six gives a fruity sweetness with melon liqueur that is mixed with gin, mojito mint syrup and lemon juice.
Pinky Gin-tini has a sour aftertaste as it is made of gin, pomegranate syrup and lime juice.
Jungle Bird at Aviary Bar.
Aviary Bar
Lobby, 3, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, KL
Business hours: 5pm to midnight daily
Tel: 03-2264 2264
Positioning itself as the home of the internationally renowned Tiki cocktail – the Jungle Bird – Aviary Bar boasts five variations of the drink. Jungle Bird was concocted by Jeffrey Ong Swee Teik of Penang on July 6, 1973, as a welcome Tiki drink for hotel guests.
Made from pineapple juice, rum, Campari, lime and syrup, it gained international acclaim when it was listed in John J. Poistner’s The New American Bartender’s Guide in 1989.
One of Aviary Bar’s signatures is Original Jungle Bird, which is made with pineapple-infused Jamaican dark rum, Campari, pineapple juice and a squeeze of lime 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 the unexpected addition of curry leaf. The American Jungle Bird, which uses Makers Mark whisky as its base and Aperol instead of Campari, with the added twist of a frothed egg white topping.
Hitachino Nest Craft Beers at Takumi Craft Bar.
Takumi Craft Bar
• Third Floor, Isetan The Gardens, The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur (11am to 11pm)
• Isetan The Japan Store, Lower Ground Floor, Lot 10 Shopping Centre, KL (Noon to 10pm weekdays, 11am to 10pm weekends and public holidays)
Reservations: 011 6978 0780 (for both outlets)
Touting itself as Malaysia’s first artisanal Japanese craft bar, Takumi Craft Bar offers curated craft beers and artisanal cocktails.Its first outlet started in 2016 at Lot 10 in Kuala Lumpur and the bar recently opened its second outlet at The Gardens Mall.
With a fantastic line-up of signature Japanese cocktails like Suntory Highball and beers such as Hitachino Nest Craft Beers, the bar aims to give patrons a “real Japanese” drink experience that is complemented by omotenashi, which means “hospitality from our hearts”.
Besides craft beers, whisky, gin, rum, sake, spirits and highballs to cater to different tastes, there is also a tasting set of three for those who want to try more of what’s on tap.
Small bites such as snacks and pizzas are also available to accompany the drinks.
Assorted cocktails at MoMo’s KL.
MOMO’S KL
No.316, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit, KL
Business hours: Noon to 10pm daily
Reservations: 03-2776 6666
MoMo’s is not just a drinking place for hotel guests but also a watering hole for others in the vicinity.
It serves up a range of fancy cocktails like Momojito, Pisco Sour, Caipirinha and Margarita.
Those who prefer a bigger portion can opt for the 1l XL cocktails such as Momo Island, Red Sangria and White Sangria.
Award-winning single malts
THE SMOKE HOUSE
Level 1, The Majestic Wing, The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 11am to midnight
Reservations: 014-647 1060
A bartender adding the finishing touches to the cocktails at The Smoke House.
The Smoke House in Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, is offering Balblair 12-year-old, 15-year-old and Balblair 18-year-old single-malt whisky.
Earlier this month, a tasting masterclass guided by the distillery’s brand ambassador Paul Chanderaaj introduced guests to the brand’s craftsmanship and the distinctive taste of each whisky.
The Balblair distillery is located at the hillside of Dornoch Firth in the north of Scotland, where the first barrel of whisky was rolled out in 1790.
The polished, gold-coloured Balblair 12-year-old, matured in ex-Bourbon American oak and double-fired American oak casks, has a complex taste profile of ground spices and orange slices.
It also comes with a citrusy and vanilla aroma as well as an intense, honey-sweet aftertaste.
The 15-year-old Balblair.
Meanwhile, the bright amber-coloured Balbair 15-year-old has a smooth, velvety texture with leatherwood honey and creamy vanilla finish.
The 18-year-old Balblair whisky has a balance of juicy apricots, seasoned oak and vanilla custard with a rich toffee aroma.
All three Balblair whiskys have won awards.
The Smoke House bar also offers craft cocktails for customers to explore.
For instance, the Code 55 and 2 Bulat cocktail is made of beer, lemonade gin and whisky while the East India cocktail is a mix of cognac, Maraschino Liquor, Cointreau, raspberry syrup and Angostura bitters.
For something less spirit-forward, try the Tanqueray Blue, which is a combination of Tanqueray 10 Gin, lemon juice, syrup, cranberry juice and blue ginger infusion or the Gin Pahit that is made of gin and Angostura bitters.
Premium Nobu sake at Nobu KL
NOBU KUALA LUMPUR
L4A-05, Level 4A, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 11.45am to 2pm (lunch, Mondays to Fridays),
1pm to 4pm (high tea, weekends), 6pm to 10:30pm (dinner, Mondays to Sundays)
Reservations: call 03-2380 0028 or WhatsApp 019-289 5085
Nobu KL is offering a selection of sake and craft cocktails for “Tanoshi Hour”, which directly translates from Japanese as “pleasant hour”.
Tanoshi Hour is available on weekdays, from 6pm to 9pm, this month and next month.
With over 20 choices, the Tanoshi Hour menu includes a selection of beers, wines, specialty cocktails, non-alcoholic mocktails and Nobu’s very own sake, which is a cherished hallmark of the establishment.
Start with the light-bodied Hokusetsu Honjonzo Onigoroshi sake before advancing to the stronger Hokusetsu TK40 Daiginjo sake which has a more refined flavour profile.As for specialty cocktails, Nobu sake and soju take centre stage.
Indulge in the Nobu Sochu Dragon, which is made of the Nobu soju, dragon fruit puree, elderflower and lemon.
Cloudy with a Chance of Spice is a mix of Nobu sake, honey syrup, butterscotch, lemon juice and egg white for the foam.
For something more spirit-forward, the Sakura Negroni is a Japanese thematic derivation of the classic that is made of Sakura-infused gin, vermouth and Campari.
Two vodka-based martinis – Cucumber Martini and Lychee Martini – are also worth trying.
Wine by the glass is also available.
Choose from La Vila Sauvignon Blanc and La Vila Cinsault Syrah Rose, both from France and Norton Coleccion Malbec from Argentina.
