Set up under a flowering vine-covered trellis, Passion Garden charms with its ambience of lush nature. — Photos: JEREMY TAN/The Star
THERE isn’t a more befitting setting to sip the intricacies of gin than within the cocoon of a secret garden.
Far from the madding crowd lies a hidden craft gin bar at the Parkroyal Penang Resort’s Passion Garden that celebrates the wonders of botanicals.
From the greenery that enlivens its design to the myriad plant-based ingredients that give its spirits character, it creates the perfect setting for an uplifting, multi-sensory experience.
Entering the bar is part of the thrill to be met with a scene that takes one’s breath away.
Flowering vines frame a voluminous space, soaring overhead on vertical trellises, a canopy of green decks above the centrepiece of the bar.
Gentle dappled sunlight filters through the leaves, adding a soothing element to the ambience.
This garden is a rather apt setting to immerse in the “ginaissance” that has taken the world by storm, for botanicals are the soul of gin.
Beyond the essential element of juniper – a pine-flavoured berry which French name genievre evolved into the English ‘gin’ – distilleries can harness infinite bouquets of herbs, spices, flowers, berries, bark, roots or bits of vegetation.
This versatility was key to the elixir’s revival, transforming it from something once maligned for its astringency, to a cornerstone of modern bar and cocktail culture.
Sweet pomegranate meets crisp London dry gin in the De’ Delima.
Passion Garden prides itself on having the largest gin selection in Batu Feringghi, with an incredible 47 varieties ranging from classic London Dry and Old Tom to more esoteric expressions with up to 50 botanicals.
There are bottlings from Citadelle, Darnley’s, Edinburgh, Giniversity, Monkey 47, Opihr, Sakurao, Secret Garden, Sorgin, Sipsmith, The Botanist and Thomas Dakin to name a few, each with distinct nuances and terroir, or the “taste of place”.
While any of those would make a memorable G&T when paired with one’s choice of tonic and garnishes, it would be remiss not to try them in experienced mixologist Yuslan Hassan’s handcrafted cocktails.
The Smoked Cinnamon is built on Sorgin Yellow Sauvignon Gin, which has warming spice and wood notes from ageing in white wine barrels.
Tropical Butterfly has an island feel thanks to coconut liqueur, butterfly pea flowers and an ocean-like hue.
This contrasts against the brightness of lime and cranberry juices, as well as the olfactory titillation from a smoldering garnish.
Resort general manager Edward Kollmer shared that Passion Garden was his brainchild. It arose from a desire to bring some of the resort’s sprawling outdoor gardens inside.
“What we set out to create was a space that kindled different experiences at different times of day for different people.
“It is one that also reflects our commitment to sustainability and nurturing deeper connections between mankind and the environment,” Kollmer said of his “in-gin-ious” spacemaking.
He worked with landscape designer Frederick A. Walker to fill the area with five species of evergreen climbers – Thunbergia grandiflora (Bengal clockvine), Passiflora racemosa (red passion flower), Petrea volubilis (sandpaper vine), Passiflora quadrangularis (granadilla) and Congea tomentosa (shower orchid).
Yuslan harnesses the versatility of gin to make exciting drinks.
With purple and reddish blooms, they are a sight to behold. The mini-ecosystem has also attracted beneficial wildlife like sunbirds and bulbuls to nest.
F&B director Jegan Saruvani said, “You won’t find a more fitting environment to explore the intricacies of gin. As you savour its different botanicals, you get an equally refreshing, visual feast.”
As nightfall made the ambience more cosy and intimate, Yuslan served up the Javana Passion and De’ Delima, both spirit-forward and made with clean and crisp No.3 London Dry Gin.
This allows the citrusy notes of passionfruit and mango juice to shine in the former, while tempering the sweetness of pomegranate syrup and grapefruit in the latter.
The more herbaceous The Botanist Islay Gin proved a better fit in the Lady Clip alongside sour plum and rosemary, as well as Tropical Butterfly with coconut liqueur and butterfly pea syrup.
“With gin, the possibilities are endless. It’s meant to be exciting,” said Yuslan, who also serves all the classics.
Some get the smoker top treatment for added complexity.
Should you feel peckish after the tipples, adjourn to Gustoso for an Italian dinner or Cinnamon Asian Kitchen for sumptuous buffets.
PASSION GARDEN, Parkroyal Penang Resort, Batu Feringghi Beach, Penang. Business hours: 11am to 11pm Sundays to Thursdays, 11am to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays. Tel: 04-886 2288.
