Global Gin Stories from far away shores

Gin is a rather popular pastime in Singapore.  Perhaps it’s the constant heat, the amazing sunsets or simply due to the famous Singapore Sling but, for whatever the reason, gin is the (not so) new black on the tiny red dot. Let’s take a quick tour of three very different Singapore gin joints where you can experiment with cocktails, taste the latest infusion, or just enjoy a well-made G&T.

The first is well known outside of Singapore and is regularly named one of the top bars in the world: Atlas. The exterior of Atlas bar looks like a Gotham City set from a Batman movie, but once inside you are wrapped in decadent Art Deco riches. That Art Deco interior is followed through with the drinks list, centred around an exhausting list of gins from around the world.

Here you can choose from over 1,300 gins including rare vintage spirits from as early as 1910, to the latest distillations hot out of the still. Should you find it hard to narrow your choice down to just one drink, don’t worry as they offer a variety of gin flights with all the accompaniments for every taste or mood.

Let’s move from this large and impressive collection to something a little bit smaller and a little bit more unusual. The Spiffy Dapper is not a bar for the faint hearted. You just need to read their profanity-riddled website to realise this bar does not offer the usual experience. The bar itself is a small speakeasy-style venue up a tiny staircase hidden off Amoy Street, a popular evening destination for the more hipster Singaporean and visitor.

Once you’ve finally worked out how to enter the bar you are rewarded with a traditional Singaporean shophouse-style narrow room where the bar takes centre stage. And so, it should, as this is where unbelievable creations are made. The barman will grill you on your taste preferences and current mood and quite possibly create a brand-new drink just for you and for this precise moment in time. Alternatively, he may provide a masterclass in how to create that perfect gin to tonic ratio and explain the real reason lemon slices are added to some G&Ts. Then again, he may not, depending on his mood and how much he likes you.

For our final example, let’s visit one of the many new distilleries arriving on the scene. If you haven’t tasted Butterfly Pea Gin, you really should - and the Brass Lion Distillery is the place to do it.

The gin is flavoured with a calming mix of lavender and butterfly pea flower, which is indigenous to the region and used extensively in local cooking. The flower turns the gin a deep blue which in turn, when diluted with a tonic, turns a rich lilac. Of course, that’s not the only gin on offer at Brass Lion. They offer a wide range of limited and standard editions all available for tasting at their purpose-built distillery. 

When you step through their impressive entrance and immediately view their large stills you instantly know you are in for a treat. Head upstairs to their tasting room where you can speak to the distillers whilst tasting their wares in a very modern, functional but also intimate space.

These are just three very different examples of how to experience – not just drink – gin in Singapore. There are many more in this hugely vibrant and diverse city. If you haven’t found a good reason to visit yet, I hope I’ve changed your mind!