Cocktail from Hong Kong's Bar Leone (Photo: Bar Leone)
Dry January is long gone and it is time to let loose a little. Perfect timing then as Kuala Lumpur gets set to host its first-ever cocktail week. It will take place from April 24 to 30 across five distinct zones (Bangsar, Petaling Jaya/Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Damansara Heights, Chinatown and the KL city centre) with each hosting its own series of unique events leading up to what is termed as the Festival Village extravaganza at APW Bangsar on April 27.
Spearheaded by some of the most talented names in the industry, including but not limited to Angeline Tan of Three X Co, Divyesh Chauhan of Junglebird, Nicholas Ng of Food For Thought and Tipple.my, and Rohan Matmary of the Four Seasons’ award-winning Bar Trigona, the event will also be joined by talents flying in from Asia’s A-list establishments. Expect to see (and taste) creations from acclaimed watering holes like Teens of Thailand (Bangkok), bar legend Yangdup Lama’s acclaimed Sidecar (New Delhi), Cosmo Pony (Jakarta), Bar Leone (Hong Kong) and trendy Gangnam district’s Alice Cheongdam (Seoul).
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There will also be a solid calendar of seminars and masterclasses and — touted as the festival’s cornerstone — the Open Cocktail Competition, which is open to bartenders across the nation and aims to uncover Malaysia’s best bartending talent. Naturally, an event of such stature is backed up by serious industry muscle. Bombay Sapphire, Cocchi Vermouth, Dewar’s Whisky, Hendrick’s Gin and a host of other names are all on board and, to ensure guests stay safely hydrated, Perrier is a sponsor as well.
Drinking on an empty stomach is also never recommended. Thankfully, the good folks on the organising committee have taken the steps to line up the big boys and girls of the culinary scene to offer exclusive cocktail pairing dinners in conjunction with the week-long event. If you have always wanted to eat at Yellow Fin Horse, Terra Dining, Waig by Chipta11a or Jus by Atelier Binchotan, now’s your chance — and with bespoke cocktails, to boot. Time to shake that (cock)tail feather? You got it.
This article first appeared on Apr 22, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
