BAR TRIGONA
Level 6B, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, KL
Business hours: 5pm to 1am daily.
Tel: 03-2382 8888
Bar Trigona was recently ranked No.36 in this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, effectively making it the best bar in Malaysia.
Its newly launched cocktail menu named “Foraged Malaysia”, uses local ingredients sourced from across four regions, namely Sabah, Sarawak, peninsula and the islands, for four new cocktails.
Strawberry Fields – Bar Trigona
For Sabah, the Teh Tarik cocktail mixes Michter’s rye whiskey, Sabah tea, Chantilly cream and cassia with monkfruit for a hint of sweetness while representing the peninsula is Bak Kut Teh that blends Jura 12-year-old Single Malt, brown butter, sweet vermouth, bak kut teh herbs and mushroom cream.Representing Sarawak, the Mangoism cocktail is made from JW Gold Label whiskey, bambangan (a wild mango), Borneo rainforest honey, citrus and edible gold which 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, while Kunyit Royale combines Monkey Shoulder whiskey, 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).
MARIA’S SIGNATURE
Lot 157, First Floor, Suria KLCC Shopping Centre, Jalan Ampang, KL
Oolong Fashioned – Maria’s Signature
Business hours: 11am to 9pm. Reservations: 010-902 0386
Primarily known for its prime beef cuts and steaks, Maria’s cocktail menu was created by a renowned mixologist.
Crafted by Malaysia’s first female award-winning mixologist Amanda Wan, the 10-cocktail menu reflects Maria’s origins, using Ipoh’s signature ingredients.
One of the signature drinks, Pompaloma, uses pomelo which is synonymous with Ipoh, mixed with reposado tequila, grapefruit juice, agave syrup and lime juice with pomelo pulp.
Ipoh’s famous peanut brittle is incorporated into the Sesame Sour cocktail, a mix of bourbon, roasted hazelnut toffee syrup, lemon juice, sesame oil and egg white.
The spirit-forward Oolong Fashioned is a concoction of bourbon infused with longan, oolong tea syrup, Angostura bitters and torched longan shell.
Other cocktails include Violet Tonic with a lavender and butterfly pea-infused gin, elderflower, pandan syrup, lime juice and dried rosebuds while the Earl Grey Tea-Ni is a mix of vodka, milk-clarified Earl Grey tea, rose syrup, lemon juice, egg white, crushed rosebuds and orange slivers.
The cocktail menu is available at Maria’s outlets in Bangsar, KLCC, 1Powerhouse and Sunway.
FERRIA KL
Fun in the Wild – Ferria KL
Westin Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, KL
Business hours: Noon to midnight.Reservation: 010-303 1122
Ferria KL bar offers a range of cocktails inspired by the flavours and ingredients of the tropical rainforest, each served in unique glassware.
Rum is the base for most of the cocktails, others use whiskey.
Tropical fruits like pineapples give citrusy, refreshing notes.
Signature cocktails include Monkey Business that has rum, Malibu rum and coconut cream which has a sweet, fruity and tropical taste that makes it perfect for a sunny day or to wind down.
For something more zesty, try Fun in the Wild that is made of gin, passionfruit and lime.
The ingredients create a well-balanced drink with a complex flavour profile.
THE ALCHEMY
Bee’s Knees – The Alchemy
LG floor, Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
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.
Each of the six signature cocktails has 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 is the Bee’s Knees, which is made of gin, fresh lemon juice and honey.
The Butterfly 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 for their gin of choice to be used for the signature cocktails.
