It’s been a good day. Time to end it with arguably the best Kilkenny I’ve had in years, at @arthursstorehouse. #beer #beers #guinness #arthursstorehouse #ale #kilkenny #tipsyturvybeer #mytipsyturvy (at Pavilion KL) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClVsdxXp0gj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

VESAPPLER 3 parts Le Gin de Christian Drouin 4alvados Cask Finished Small Batch Gin, 1/2 part vodka, 1 part Lillet Blanc. Had a little bit of this brilliant Calvados Cask Finished gin left so decided to use it in a Vesper riff. This is a gin that is good enough to drink on its own, so I didn’t want too much vodka to dilute the subtle appley notes from the Calvados finish. It’s definitely boozy af, the way I like it lol. But it lets the gin shine while still tasting vaguely Vesper-y. #tipsyturvycocktails #cocktail #cocktails #mytipsyturvy #vesper #Martini #legindechristiandrouin #calvadosfinish #smallbatchgin #gin #gincocktails #lillet #lilletblanc https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck5TEoVJkbO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The new Sui Gin sees Suntory aim their sights on a quite specific niche in the gin market - a light, citrusy gin that is specifically meant to be mixed in highballs, and paired with food. The latest spirit from Beam Suntory has 8 traditional gin botanicals and 3 Japanese botanicals in it - Yuzu, Ginger and Green Tea. Neat, the gin is quite light and citrusy, with the yuzu and juniper the dominant flavours, followed by a hint of spice from the ginger. It’s definitely a gin made for lighter mixers or drinks - it’ll probably be drowned out in a Negroni, and even with tonic, it might need a higher measure to stand out more. Heck, I’d say it was made specifically for highballs with soda, like the usual Japanese chuhais and so on. The launch at Miyako Izakaya served us a range of Sui Gin highballs, from a Gin and Soda to a Gin Sonic, and some paired with yuzu, ginger and pandan/kalamansi. And they all went really well with the food we had there, including sashimi, yakitori, and an awesome bowl of livers that almost tasted like pate (the yuzu in the gin cuts through the heaviness of the liver perfectly). If you’re looking for a reasonably priced gin for mixing highballs with, Sui is definitely one to try. #gin #ginlovers #suigin #perfectwithmeals #japanesegin #tipsyturvygin #mytipsyturvy #japanesefood #suntory #highballs https://www.instagram.com/p/CllAnXWp9u8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

For me, the main reason to pay Moon Bar a visit is its head bartender, none other than Ash (@ash_arsenio) himself, a veteran of the KL bar scene and IMHO one of KL’s best bartenders. I’ve known Ash from the very beginnings of Tipsy-Turvy and have always learnt very useful things from him everytime we speak, so it’s great to see him@back behind a bar again. Anyway, the bar itself is a small cozy area that shares its space with the diners of DC Restaurant, but it’s still relatively “bar-like”. Almost all the drinks are named after the phases of the moon, or are just moon-related. Full Moon was a delicious mix of Le Domfrontais Le Calvados, Heart of Darkness IPA beer reduction, and Yuzu, while the Waning Gibbous is made from peanut butter fat-washed Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Angostura Cocoa Bitters, and figs whey syrup. Then there’s the Third Quarter, which uses Ki No Tea gin, Crème de Cacao, Giffard Menthe Pastille, Angostura Cocoa Bitters, a homemade barley almond mix and a float of laksa leaf oil for a lovely chocolate/mint drink with layers of flavour coming through with each sip. I’ll have to be honest, Moon Bar is a little… pricey for my budget. Then again, it IS oart of acclaimed chef Darren Chin’s DC Restaurant after all, so you know that you’re going to be getting the highest quality drinks there. If you’re in TTDI looking for a good drink, do check it out, and don’t wait till the blue moon. #moonbarkl #dcrestaurantbydarrenchin #cocktailbar #barreview #mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvybarreview (at MoonBar at DC Restaurant) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci2KLMKJ7R9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I’ve always liked anCnoc. Distilled at the Highland distillery of Knockdhu, its core 12 Year Old is a relatively easy dram that I would recommend to a whisky beginner, or to someone who just wants a simple everyday dram. But another unique side of anCnoc (yes, spelled with the little a and Capital C in the middle) is their tendency to release whiskies in vintages. We got to try the 2002 and the newly launched 2009 Vintage at a lunch event at Bunglow37 earlier this week. The anCnoc 2009 Vintage is distilled in 2009, fully matured in first-fill European and American oak casks and bottle in 2021 (which pretty much makes it a 12YO). In fact, the feeling I got from it is almost like drinking two different drams in one. On the nose, you get sweet honey and clean, crisp orchard fruit notes, predominantly green apples. The palate is where the most drastic changes occur. Initially, you get a brilliant sweet shine of honey candied fruits, but in the middle, the heavier spiced notes start coming out, with hints or cinammon, toffee, pepper and chocolates, segueing into a long and spiced finish. We also got to try the older 2002 Vintage, which is matured in Spanish and American oak casks, and apparently bottled in 2017, which makes it a 15YO. This was a bit more straightforward than the 2009, but no less tasty. On the nose, there’s lovely light spice notes and honey, very reminiscent of anCnoc’s core 12YO, and that dash of sweetness upon entry is also there, which then moves into spiced cinnamon and a bit of dark bitter chocolates. The finish is long and spiced, but much mellower than the 2009. Another really good core expression is the Peatheart, which is the heavily peated expression but reminded me more of a Peated Cask whisky rather than one made with peated malt. So yeah, if you’ve not had an anCnoc yet, it’s definitely worth a try. #whisky #whiskey #scotch #singlemalt #ancnoc #tipsyturvywhisky #mytipsyturvy (at Bunglow37) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjaVYNsJtoT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The first ever The Macallan M Collection Annual Release was launched last Thursday in a lavish event at Grey Box @ GMBB, featuring some quite innovative dishes by Chef Raymond Tham paired with The Macallan 15YO Double Cask, 18 Year Old Double Cask, The Macallan M Black 2022, and The Macallan M 2022. It was also the launch of the brand new The Macallan M Copper, though sadly we didn’t get to try that. The two new Ms we DID get to try, however, were lovely drams. The M Black had a light peaty nose with very fresh orchard fruit notes of apples and pears. You get the light peat on the palate immediately, but sherry overpowers it mid-palate, with spiced dates, raisins and honey taking over, finising with a honey sweetness and long lingering faint peat. The M was totally different: sweet raisins and sultana are strong in the nose and palate, and that honey note is even more pronounced. A real sherry bomb on the palate, finishing with a long lingering dark fruit note. #themacallan #themacallanmy #macallan #whisky #whiskey #scotch #singlemalt #macallanmcopper #macallanMcollection #tipsyturvywhisky #mytipsyturvy (at GMBB) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjKL4owp63E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Not-so-Daily MCO Drink: CINCAI MOJITO, made with 10 mint leaves lightly muddled together with half a lime in a glass,, stirred with 15ml agave syrup and 60ml Bacardi Reserva Ocho rum, topped with Perrier sparkling water with a clear ice stick from @isipadu_icecompany. Cincai mojito because it was too hot and Injust wanted a quick drink I could make with whatever I saw in front of me lol. And not-so-daily cos I stopped making them Daily MCO Drinks after #751 because it was becoming too much of a chore and I was running out of drinks to make. So yeah I’ll still be making drinks, but just won’t be a different one everyday anymore. Hey, all those spirits in my bar aren’t going to drink themselves LOl. #tipsyturvycocktails #mytipsyturvy #mojito #dailycocktails #bacardi #bacardiocho #rum #rumcocktails #perriermy https://www.instagram.com/p/CdX72zTJuvN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Monkey Shoulder really knows how to throw a party, and the recent #RewriteTheNight party at Factory19, PJ, was no exception. There was mini golf, giant jenga games, a dance floor, a record playing stall, a slushie machine, and Monkey Shoulder drinks. LOTS of Monkey Shoulder drinks. The boys from Jann @boonleongho and @dwin.ng were there to dish out cocktails. Regional Monkey Shoulder brand ambassador @bksaurus was also there to do a quick cocktail workshop. There was a coffee cocktail, a slushie cocktail, but I was content with Monkey Shoulder highballs. All night long lol. All in all, a fun event. Here’s to more Monkeying around in the future! #monkeyshoulder #whisky #scotch #blendedmalt #monkeyshouldersea #mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvywhisky https://www.instagram.com/p/CqdIoWJpYH4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Every once in a while you get to go to an event where the star isn’t just the product that is being launched, but the entire event is just as memorable as well. So it was with the recent Ki No Bi event I went for af Sushi Taka, St Regis Kl, where we got to try the Ki No Bi G Edition gin, and enjoyed a most delicious, sumptious, delectable omakase sushi meal paired with Ki No Bi gin cocktails. Ki No Bi’s @marcysakuma was there to talk us through the Ki No Bi gins - the highlight of which was the G Edition, which is aged in ex-Henry Giraud champagne casks. What a gin it is too. Fragrant, floral, fruity and bright, it has a nose you could sniff all night long. But at one point you need to taste the gin to and wow. On the palate, that effervescent bright floral note strikes you up front, with more balanced juniper, white wine, floral notes coming mid-palate, finishing with a lovely streak of bright fruit notes and lingering juniper. I live the fact that unlike many aged gins, the cask doesn’t completely overpower the base Ki No Bi notes, allowing for a more balanced spirit that you can just sip on its own all night long. Oh, and the dinner was fabulous as well. The uni sushi was perfect, the sweet shrimp was creamy and decadent, the Drunk Crab was so sweet and succulent, the Firefly Squid Smoke was superb… you get the point. The combo of great gin and great food really made this one of the more memorable events of 2033 so far. Whee! #gin #ginlovers #kinobi #kinobigin #mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvygin #sushi #sushitaka #stregiskl (at Taka by Saito Sushi, St Regis) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqaXoIEJ8P-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A new menu by one of Malaysia’s best bars is always worth trying, so I was quite psyched about Bar Trigona’s latest menu, called Foraged Malaysia. The drinks are based on flavours and ingredients from four different regions in Malaysia - Peninsula, Islands, Sabah, and Sarawak. So, what you’ll get are drinks that have some very familiar names and flavours, from laksa to bah kut teh, teh tarik to limau ais, pandan to coconut… you get the idea. Have yet to try them all (with a price range of RM60-RM70, it’s a little tough on my wallet), but did manage a taste of two drinks last week. Got to taste the Salt And Pepper from the Sarawak menu, which is meant to showcase the “evergreen combination of salt & pepper”. But at its core is a pretty tasty Gibson that has cucumber and oolong flavours alongside Sarawakian black pepper and homegrown caviar. Goes really well with its pickled garnish I have to say. The Teh Tarik from the Sabah menu was the one I ordered having heard good things about it. Made with Michter’s Rye Whiskey, local tea, sweetened with monkfruit, and with Chantilly Cream and Cassia dust, it’s an eclectic mix of ingredients that somehow comes together to make for a drink that tastes like, well, teh tarik with ice. While the drink itself is pretty good (using rye does add a bit more spiced whiskey notes to it), to be honest, if I wanted teh tarik with ice, I’d order an actual teh tarik with ice, not a RM60 cocktail that tastes exactly like a teh tarik with ice. (There’s also a RM50 zero proof version,BTW.) Am still pretty curious about the rest of the drinks though (there are 20 drinks in total, including zero proof versions of 4 cocktails). But at the rate I’m going, they’ll probably launch another new menu by the time I get to finishing this one LOL. #cocktails #klcocktailbar #bartrigona #cocktailmenu #tipsyturvycocktails #tipsyturvybars #mytipsyturvy (at Bar Trigona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqNXj5-pbn9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Last Wednesday was really a day of grain whiskies. Also got to try the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost And Rare Port Dundas blend at a special tasting at Bá by 61M. The Ghost And Rare series puts the focus on rare whiskies from closed distilleries, and this time around it’s Port Dundas, a grain distillery that closed in 2010 after being in operation for over a century. At one point it was even the largest grain distillery in Scotland. However, since it’s Blue Label after all, this expression is still a blended Scotch, so there’s some malt in there too. It’s just that unlike the other Ghost And Rares, the proportion of the grain whisky from Port Dundas is higher than the malts. There’s also whisky from fellow ghost grain distillery Cambus, as well as Brora and five other malts. Now, Blue Label has always been an excellent blend, and their Ghost & Rares are quite the treat. The Port Dundas is no exception. We tasted this side by side with two other Ghost & Rare malt-forward blends (Glenury Royal and Pittyvaich) and the contrast was quite distinct. The Port Dundas is not as rich in texture as the other two, but what it lacks in mouthfeel it makes up for with a sweeter, grassy nose and entry that has an undertone of that mustiness that some very old whiskies tend to have. There’s a creamy woody note amidst the vanilla and toffee notes on the palate, but there’s also some fruity spiced notes that end with a hint of old smoke, suppsoedly from the Brora that’s in it. As expected of a Blue Label, this is an excellent dram that has the distinction of being quite different from the other Ghost & Rares. Well worth a try. #whisky #scotch #blendedwhisky #johnniewalker #bluelabel #ghostandrare #portdundas #grainwhisky #mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvywhisky (at Kazu KL) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqLBjcmJjMt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Launched in 2012, Bruichladdich Distillery’s Black Art series has produced some of the most intriguing expressions from the distillery yet. The whole idea of the series is the complete opposite of what Bruichladdich is well-known for – its transparency. Unlike the other official bottling, where Bruichladdich tells you everything about what is in the bottle, from the barley they use to how peated it is, the Black Art series is completely shrouded in secrecy. In fact, supposedly only its Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, knows the recipe to Black Art 10 the latest in the series. We recently got to try the Black Art 10 at an event at Anjo (@anjo.kl), along with a pairing of some of Bruichladdich’s more unique whiskies along with Anjo’s bites. Now, the only things we know about the Black Art 10 is that it is unpeated, has an age statement of 29 years, and is made up of whiskies from 1993. It was created using casks that were produced by Bruichladdich before its so-called ‘renaissance’, in which it was rebuilt, refurbished, and reborn on 2001 after being closed for seven years. Since we don’t know anything else about the whisky, let’s move on to the tasting notes! On the nose, lots of bright fruity and sweet sherry notes, but not Oloroso or PX, more like… amontillado. Also hints of nuttiness and barley, and a little bubblegum On the palate, more of that lovely sweet sherry note, with a flash of honey, biscuity, with some vanilla and chocolates, ending with a medium length with musky sherry and a little metallic tinge of ginger. As far as Bruichladdich whiskies go, this is definitely one worth trying, with that extra secrecy adding some mystery and intrigue to the expression, making you want to rally analyse it more. #whisky #whiskey, #Mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvywhisky #bruichladdich #scotch #islaywhisky #singlemalt #bruichladdichblackart (at ANJO) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqC0VbUJ4rh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Last Wednesday saw the launch of the new Royal Salute 21 Year Old Blended Grain whisky at Grand Imperial Restaurant @ The Club. The whisky was paired with a quite splendid spread of food created through a collaboration between Grand Imperial and Eat & Cook (@eatandcook.asia). The lobster dishes were especially stunning, and I really liked the opening course of various small bites and also the asparagus as well. As for the whisky, this was quite an interesting one because you don’t really see a lot of blended grains around, let alone a 21YO. Royal Salute previously came out with the stunning Snow Polo blended grain limited edition, and it’s really nice to see an official core bottling this time around. The whisky itself is pretty good. On the nose you get a whiff of the typical light grassiness you usually get with aged grain whiskies, but then the oak comes though a bit more with toffee and caramel as well. On the palate, I got more of those toffee notes, but with a dash of honey and fruit, and finishing with a lovely bouquet of apricots, floral and honeyed notes. We got to try it side by side with the Royal Salute 21YO The Malts Blend Blended Malt and I have to say, the contrast between the more full bodied malts blend vs the lighter but fruity/grassy blended grain was quite interesting to note. The Blended Grain also goes really really well with the food that was served, more so than the other blends, I have to say. The whisky also comes in a transparent flagon, which is also unique within the Royal Salute range, which typically bottles in ceramic flagons. All in all, this is one of my favourite new releases from Royal Salute in recent years, right up there next to the Malts Blend. Let’s hope we see more grain whiskies in the market soon! #whisky #whiskey #scotch #grainwhisky #blendedgrain #royalsaluteblendedgrain #royalsalute #royalsalutemy #tipsyturvywhisky #mytipsyturvy (at Grand Imperial Group 喜粤飲食集團) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp6dPI5JEWG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Reka (@reka.bar) has just launch another new Spotlight Menu, called Unseen Beauty. Comprising 5 drinks and 3 dishes, the menu pays homage to “the beautiful cultures of our brothers and sisters from near and far who have come to make their home in Malaysia in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones”. In a nice meaningful touch, Reka will also be donating a portion of the proceeds from this menu towards supporting a local refugee non-profit. On to the drinks. Each drink highlights a particular food or ingredient from countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia and Cambodia. My personal favourite was the Bor-Honey (Ocho Blanco, Ginger-Honey, Mint Lassi, Black Salt, Calamansi), a perfeftly balanced drink of distinct parts that still serves to highlight the mint lassi that is a popular drink in Bangladesh, where former Reka bartender @bengali_tapster is from. The Mocha Java was an interesting Negroni twist with Appleton rum, Indonesian coffee and ginger (which I’m not really fond of tbh), and the Yangon Pale Ale (YPA) was a kombucha-esque tipple with a hoppy IPA-like finish. The last two drinks were the sweet, yam-my Halo-Hello (based on a Filipino deasert) and the nice warm Nomadic Breakfast, a hot buttered rum-like drink inspired by the hot beverages Nepalese sherpas drink in the mointains. There’re also three dishes paired with the menu, one a yummy snacky Pakora (Jackfruit Seed Pakora, Green Chili Pesto), the delicious Lahpet (barramundi fillet with Lahpet Thoke Salsa), and Cassava dessert (Cassava Cake, Burnt Miso Corn, Coconut Ice cream). All in all, a pretty unique new menu that has the added bonus of letting you drink for a good cause! #rekabar #mytipsyturvy #tipsyturvybars #tipsyturvycocktails #cocktails #cocktailbar (at Reka:Bar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpxK_2VpRSb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

It was International Women’s Day yesterday, and KL was busy with a number of events and guest shifts. Decided to go for not one, but two shifts featuring former Omakase + Apreciate bartenders - Janice at @jann.kl and Shirmy at @bar.terumi (also featuring Caden, Megan of @highbac.kl and Maria of @penrose.kl). It was nice to see Janice back behind a bar after stepping away from the industry for a few years. She hasn’t lost her touch either - the ingredients on the menu looked a bit strange at first (soy sauce?), but she got all the flavours to meld together just fine. Here’s hoping she’ll be bartending more often again! The shift at Bar Terumi was a different beast altogether - the place was hopping when I got there and the four girls were kept busy all night. Highlights for me were Caden’s honeydew-ish Aviva Fizz and Maria’s Little Black Dress, all made using Chivas Regal 12. All in all, it was a happy International Women’s Day of shifts indeed. #guestshift #cocktails #cocktailbar #tipsyturvycocktails #mytipsyturvy #chivasmy https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpj4IPzp9DF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

One of the ‘must visit’ bars on my list was Tippling Club (@tipplingclub). The bar placed 43 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list last year, and its restaurant also made it on the World’s Best 50 Restaurants list as well, so if you’re in the mood of good food AND cocktails, this self-styled ‘gastro-cocktail destination’ is the place to be. However, I was only there for drinks, so if you’re looking for a review of its food, you’ll have to look elsewhere. But drinks-wise, Tippling Club really tickled my fancy indeed. My favourite part of the bar was the way they displayed their back bar stock of bottles - instead standing on shelves, they’ve tied a wire around the bottles and hung them up above the bar, which not only give the bar a pretty unique look, but also making it easy for guests to see what they have in stock. Its current menu is called ‘A Guide to Modern Drinking’, and features drinks inspired by drinks and music from different decades in the past. Only got to try one drink off the menu this time round though, the Get Up Everybody Get Up (Get Up), named after a Salt-N-Pepa song, which was basically a Dirty Martini with kampot pepper, grey goose vodka, and capers brine. Not a big fan of capers though, so the drink didn’t really resonate with me. I did prefer the off menu drinks we had - one a Boulavadier twist with absinthe, the other a no frills Vesper, which was pretty decent. All in all, Tippling Club lives up to ita reputation, and is definitely one I’d visit again to try more of their drinks. #tipsyturvybars #mytipsyturvy #singaporebars #sgcocktailbars #cocktails #cocktailbar #cocktails #tipsyturvycocktails (at Tippling Club) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpcg8FBpv9X/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=