Cocktail menus are some of the most predisposed to evolution. Some rotate on a daily basis, are separated into themed volumes, while some bars forego the use of physical menus entirely and foster omakase-style drinking experiences. In recent times, cocktail curation has grown bespoke to the philosophies of each bar, with no two menus looking alike.
Pushing the envelope when it comes to mixology has become the new norm, from putting left of centre spins on classics to crafting mixed drinks with established culinary techniques. We’re shining the spotlight on a few patterns you’ll probably notice the next time you’re browsing through a cocktail menu.
Read more: 4 Malaysian bars named on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 51-100 list for 2024
Fat washing
Textural complexity takes centre stage with fat washing. The technique calls for an infusion of spirits and fat to lend the foundations of cocktails a silky finish and unique profile. Whether mixed with butter, duck fat, or olive oil, spirits are left to marinate in freezers before the fat is skimmed. Its simplest and most obvious use is olive oil infusing gin for dirty martinis, but some bars, even locally, have elevated this technique even further.
On Reka:Bar’s menu you’ll find a savoury twist on the Parisian boulevardier called Come to the Duck Side. Bourbon is washed with duck fat and combined with Campari, vermouth, and a finish of truffle oil in this intensely umami tipple.
Clarified creations
Virtù’s Fig Cognac and Spices (Photo: Instagram / @virtutokyo)
Here & Now’s Trust Issue (Photo: Instagram / @hereandnow.my)
Crystal clear cocktails are slowly but surely shoving classic piña coladas out of rotation. When looking for a milk-based tipple, expect it to come served clarified. The most common process involves combining a milky mixer with spirits, causing the milk to curdle. This mixture is then filtered to lose colour and impurities yet retain a distinct creamy texture.
Virtù in Tokyo offers its own saccharine rendition of a Milk Punch, combining clarified milk with cognac, figs, and Japanese black tea. Closer to home, Here & Now’s menu takes shape with its signature Trust Issue—a tropical blend of tuak, vermouth Bianco, passionfruit, and clarified coconut milk.
Smoke, spice, and all things nice
Cocktails from Bar Leone (Photo: Instagram / @barleonehk)
Savoury cocktails have usurped their rightful spots on cocktail menus, becoming some of the most sought after drinks out there. The classic dirty martini may never lose its iconic status but is now being used as a base for playful elevations. Hong Kong’s Bar Leone, recently crowned The Best Bar in Asia, amplifies the savoury profile of dirty martinis by smoking Spanish olives over cherry wood.
On social media, outdoing dirty martinis is all the rage. Some creators stuff olives with blue cheese or anchovies while others prefer outlandish infusions, washing gin with the fat of grilled steaks or replacing olive brine with pickle juice.
See also: Asia’s 50 Best Bars revealed for 2024, Bar Leone in Hong Kong wins first place
Ready-to-drink cocktails
A draught cocktail of earl grey infused gin, basil, strawberry, and lemon (Photo: Instagram / @drink_taptap)
Cocktails on tap at Here & Now (Photo: Instagram / @hereandnow.my)
Cocktails on tap and canned concoctions are becoming just as common as those made to order. Desa Sri Hartamas’ Tap Tap has quite literally made a name for itself with its ready-to-drink cocktails on tap or served in bottles. Find a blend of vodka, grenadine, blue curacao, and lime or opt for tipples in a bottle, from refreshing sake-based creations to beer infusions.
Here & Now in Bukit Damansara also offers a variety of cocktails on tap, such as its savoury Celery Cider, a berry-flavoured gin and tonic, and a classic highball. Chinatown’s Neighbour Club transforms its daytime coffeehouse into a draught cocktail haven, blending jackfruit with gin and curry leaves with tequila.
Hyperlocal infusions
Petrichor, a pandan and fig cocktail (Photo: Instagram / @bartrigona)
Reka:Bar’s Dusun 2.0 of tequila, chilli padi distillate, tempoyak, jackfruit soy milk, and tomato foam (Photo: Instagram / @reka.bar)
As broader culinary scenes shift towards sustainability, mixology has been placing emphasis on local sourcing and hyperlocal produce. While florals and botanicals will always weave their way into mixed drinks, our local bar scene is becoming increasingly inventive when it comes to local ingredients.
Bar Trigona’s most recent cocktail lineup is rooted in Malaysian culinary tradition, infusing each cocktail with endemic ingredients. Its Parakeet sees salted cucumber with asam boi come together with lime leaves and mezcal, while its Petrichor, a zero-waste cocktail, platforms pandan and locally grown figs.
Reka:Bar shares a similar drink-making ethos, offering a cocktail crafted with chilli padi distillate, tuak, jackfruit soy milk, and tempoyak.
More than mocktails
The demand for zero-proof and non-alcoholic cocktails has grown exponentially. Gone are the days of conventional mocktails, with non-alcoholic drinks now being crafted with the same precision as their conventional counterparts. Soberside, opened in collaboration with Bar Mizukami, focuses entirely on alcohol-free tipples.
You’ll find a collection of classics crafted without spirits, from its hojicha-flavoured Hyeball to its Jeffrey’s Punch, a blend of toasted coconut water, pineapple, and bitter orange. Caffeinated beverages are also on the menu here, including a coffee tonic, Earl Grey tea sour, and an oolong tea and spice infusion.
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