Last call: Drinks to try at the World Class Cocktail Festival before it ends this month
Time Out Singapore in partnership with Diageo
After five months of intense competition, June marks the final month of the World Class Bartender of the Year competition in Singapore. Some of the city's best bartenders have been pushing their limits – all vying for the number one spot and a chance to represent Singapore at the prestigious World Class Global Finals happening in Toronto in September this year.
Last month, the Top 20 were tasked to make cocktails starring both Tanqueray, the world's number one premium gin and bartender's favourite, and The Singleton, the award-winning single malt Scotch whisky celebrated for its profound flavour. For Tanqueray, they had to create a drink inspired by industry legends while The Singleton cocktail had to bring the theme 'Sense the Moment' to life with a music-fuelled and multi-sensory party experience.
After pulling out all the stops, only the top 11 bartenders remain. And you have a chance to taste their phenomenal creations at the World Class Cocktail Festival this month before the grand finals in June.
Meet the Top 11 bartenders and try their signature cocktails
Indian Lion – Jeeivan, The Elephant Room
With tandoori cooking – the hallmark of Punjabi cuisine – in mind, Jeeivan set out to create a bold cocktail with The Singleton 12 that's still fruity, nutty and delicious. He blends tandoori spices with honey and infuses vermouth with fenugreek to create a drink that's both herbaceous yet savoury in flavour with a brined onion garnish to really make things sing.
Tropical City – Tyson Quek, Side Door
Who doesn't love a good Paloma? Tryson's got the remedy for you with a take on the classic that's just the right balance of sweet, sour, bitter and salty with a fizzy finish. Starting with Don Julio Reposado, he layers in pineapple juice, lime peel and basil, then carbonates the whole mix for a vibrant lift. A final sprinkle of mitako powder adds a savoury umami kick that'll leave you wanting more.
The First Love – Sam Pang, Night Hawk
This one's for romantics. Or at least anyone who remembers that giddy, fizzy spark of something new. Sam channels the rush of falling in love into a bright, citrusy spritz with Tanqueray No TEN, grapefruit, lemon, and playful bursts of passion fruit caviar. A bubbly tribute to that moment when something – or someone – first sets your heart ablaze.
Mistakes & Magic – Marco Maiorano, KOMA
A happy accident turned into cocktail gold. While experimenting late one night with his colleague Mirko Furci, Marco mistakenly mixed a pandan cordial with a tomato one and discovered a combination was so good he had to put it in a drink. Now it lives on in this Martini-meets-Bamboo hybrid with Tanqueray No TEN, sherry, and that unexpected cordial duo. It's proof that sometimes screwing up isn't so bad after all.
Walker's Royale – Kelvin Saquilayan, Republic Bar
A cocktail with split personalities – like wearing a suit with sneakers. Kelvin merges the elegance of a French 75 with the casual cool of a highball, using Johnnie Walker Black Label, raspberry mignonette, and a generous pour of Champagne. It's refined but relaxed, fancy but familiar.
Gotham Sour – Ooi Foo Giap and Lam Ho Yung, Last Word
Just like New York City's darker and fictional alter ego, Gotham, the Gotham Sour is a brooding twist on the classic. This cocktail channels the moodiness of the city after dark, much like the streets Batman prowls. At its core is sarsaparilla, a nostalgic nod to 19th-century American soda shops, layered with the smoky complexity of Johnnie Walker Black and the smooth sweetness of amaretto.
Mariachi Margarita – Zana Mohlmann, Manhattan
If you've ever been to a music festival in the Netherlands then you know that the Dutch throw a great party. But even if you haven't, Zana's bringing a taste of that energy to Singapore with her Mariachi Margarita, a spicy and bold combo made with Don Julio Reposado, fresh cilantro, chilli and lime for that refreshing kick that'll have you dancing all night long.
JW in JW – Qing Ting, Madame Fan
Heritage meets hospitality in perfect harmony with this drink that pays homage to Johnnie Walker and John Willard Marriott, the founder of JW Marriott Hotel. Qing Ting plucks pandan leaves from the JW Garden, which she torches and mixes with rice, the staple Asian ingredient that also represents her bar, Madame Fan.
Mature on Optimism – Orman Bag-ao, CUT by Wolfgang Puck
Part of Orman's Bull Run cocktail menu, which as its name implies, reflects the emotional ups and downs of the stock market, Mature on Optimism represents that hopeful high when everything's going right. Made with Tanqueray No TEN, lime juice, basil syrup and put through milk clarification, it's a garden-fresh twist on the classic Basil Smash.
Pho-nastic Ensemble – Kim Dongje, The Backdrop
Inspired by, you guessed it, pho. Kim reimagines the beloved Vietnamese soup noodle dish as a savoury, sippable cocktail starring Don Julio Reposado and a medley of familiar Southeast Asian ingredients like kaffir lime, lemongrass, Thai basil and chilli. There's even a vegetable consommé base. It's a warm, comforting hug delivered in a cocktail glass.
More to try at the World Class Cocktail Festival
It's also your final chance to try out exclusive cocktail menus from the other participating bars of the World Class Cocktail Festival. Check out the promotional menus featuring premium spirits from World Class served with a creative twist. We've picked out the star drink you have to order from each bar when you swing by. Vote for your favourite World Class experience here for a chance to win a $200 voucher to spend at your participating bar of choice.
The Right Wing – Joel Accad, Silly Goose
A riff on the Right Hand rum negroni, but for those who aren't as big a fan of the usual bitterness. Joel blends Ron Zacapa XO, sweet vermouth and a banana oleo. It's bold, tropical and just bitter enough to keep things interesting. And if you haven't been to Silly Goose, you'll find that they only have 14 drinks on the menu. During the World Class Cocktail Festival, it has four specials on the menu to celebrate so you should find something you like when you head down.
Till The Sun Goes Up – Cherry Lee, Origin Bar
Like Jennie? Nah, we want a cocktail that's like Cherry – specifically Cherry Lee from Origin Bar, who's combined cherry liquor, bergamot, citrus and a touch of cherry glaze for her take on an Aviation with Tanqueray No TEN. She created a drink that reflects her personality – playful, classic and full of hopeful optimism, like watching the sunrise from the beach after a long night of heart-to-heart conversation.
The Geisha – James Dela Rosa, WAKUDA
James gives the Paloma a spicy Japanese twist with Don Julio 1942, homemade grapefruit soda infused with shishito peppers, and a grapefruit foam sprinkled with homemade wasabi salt. He credits this drink as the reason he's made it to the Top 42 of this year's World Class competition so you have to try it for yourself to see why he's come this far.
Gents and the City – Anton Gornev, The Mirabilis Bar @ Mt. Faber Peak
Just like how Carrie Bradshaw starts her essays with a rhetorical question, Anton built his cocktail menu around the simple yet profound query, 'What if?'. Gents and the City is his take on what the drink of choice would be if Sex and the City were about stylish men in New York. Carrie's favourite Cosmopolitan is given a Manhattan twist, featuring The Singleton 12 Years, a vermouth blend and a Cosmo foam.
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Aitken added: 'This is set to be our biggest summer yet at the distillery. We've been embracing the team's creativity, carefully listening to our guests and responding with an array of exciting offerings... we are ensuring there is something for everyone at the distillery.' For those looking to elevate their experience even further, the distillery is now home to The Singleton Gourmand , a rare collection of three 42-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, also available exclusively on-site. The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery invites guests to book this exquisite tasting at promising a rare chance to explore the meeting point of whisky and patisserie in a setting rooted in craftsmanship and Highland tradition.
