Coley tops Malaysian entry on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 list

Coley has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a cocktail bar tucked away in the back half of Dr.Inc Café then in Bangsar. This year, the bar nabbed the 27th spot, an impressive leap from its previous number 46 ranking. Hong Kong’s The Old Man, an establishment that pays homage to Ernest Hemingway’s 1952 novel of the same name, swept the top gong, ousting two-time winner Manhattan in Singapore. 

Not every new bar in Kuala Lumpur needs to be an Instagram-seducing venue, invariably lodged in a “speakeasy location” that, really, isn't a secret at all. Coley is instrumental to the city’s presence on the cocktail map because of the mad skills of owner CK Kho and his advocacy of bartending. The ever-inventive mixer of elixirs often gives local ingredients top billing — all presented in a way that’s fun (did we mention brandy and air mata kucing?) and visually stimulating. 

Fellow Malaysian bar JungleBird, previously in the 38th spot last year, dropped to number 44. Surpassing this rum-themed speakeasy by just four spots is newcomer Bar Trigona of the Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur. 

Known for using honey from trigona bee farm in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, the bar honours the hotel’s tradition of paying tribute to its locales. Creativity is exhibited in spades, as evidenced in the signature Trigona Old Fashioned, which replaces muddled sugar with trigona honey for an unusual sourish tang, and Terra, an alchemy of botanical gin, fresh lemon and turmeric, bianco vermouth and dry orange Curaçao, that has a deceptively healthy kick to it. 

Regent Singapore’s Manhattan might have been dethroned but the number of Singaporean entries on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list proved that the Lion City is still a force to be reckoned with. It's well represented by Tipping Club, Gibson, 28 HongKong Street, Operation Dagger, D.Bespoke, Employees Only and The Other Room.

Here’s the full list of this year’s winners:

1. The Old Man, Hong Kong
2. Manhattan, Singapore
3. Indulge Experimental Bistro, Taipei
4. Native, Singapore
5. Atlas, Singapore
6. High Five, Tokyo
7. Speak Low, Shanghai
8. The Bamboo Bar, Bangkok
9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore
10. Quinary, Hong Kong
11. Tippling Club, Singapore
12. Coa, Hong Kong
13. The SG Club, Tokyo
14. Charles H, Seoul
15. Gibson, Singapore
16. Sober Company, Shanghai
17. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo
18. The Wise King, Hong Kong
19. Le Chamber, Seoul
20. Backstage, Bangkok
21. 28 HongKong Street, Singapore
22. Operation Dagger, Singapore
23. Trench, Tokyo
24. Aha Saloon, Taipei
25. D.Bespoke, Singapore
26. Vesper, Bangkok
27. Coleys, Kuala Lumpur
28. Bar Orchard Ginza, Tokyo
29. Alice Cheongdam, Seoul
30. Union Trading Company, Shanghai
31. Tropic City, Bangkok
32. The Pontiac, Hong Kong
33. Lobster Bar & Grill, Hong Kong
34. Rabbit Hole, Bangkok
35. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou
36. Stockton, Hong Kong
37. The Curator, Manila
38. Otto E Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong
39. Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar, Jakarta
40. Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur
41. Employees Only, Singapore
42. Smalls, Bangkok
43. Bar Mood, Taipei
44. JungleBird, Kuala Lumpur
45. Draft Land, Taipei
46. The Other Room, Singapore
47. Oto, Manila
48. Teens of Thailand, Bangkok
49. Mixology Salon, Tokyo
50. The Backroom, Manila

The latest edition of the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 list was revealed at an awards ceremony held at the Capitol Theatre in Singapore on May 9.