11 September 2013
Omakase + Appreciate
- A gathering of good bartenders and cocktails
In collaboration with Diageo, two bartenders from Singapore and Taiwan visited the speakeasy bar as guests to make cocktails using spirits from the Diageo brand.
Discerning drinkers were invited for a night of good cocktails, an event sponsored by Diageo Malaysia. We have not seen so many bartenders per square metres working together at the same time. The original trio from Omakase + Appreciate plus two guest bartenders, Colin Chia from Singapore and Angus Zou from Taiwan, served orders the whole night without pause.
Colin Chia
Colin is the Regional Manager for Diageo Reserve World Class Asia Pacific. He conducted a whisky tasting at The Mutiara Palace Restaurant, introducing whiskies from different region of Scotland. These whiskies are exclusive to Diageo and have limited stocks in Malaysia. You can read the tasting that evening here.
Colin’s Cocktails:
Omakase's Lady
Omakase’s Lady – A herby concoction and we’ll say it was as experimental as any other cocktails in Omakase + Appreciate.
Ingredients: Tanqueray 10, lemon, Solerno from Sicily, Tiffin (We didn’t see any cake in the drink, it was maybe referring to a little bites of Indian food), coriander
Guatamalan Teh Halia
Guatemalan Teh Halia - This is one nose unblocker, can almost treat cold with the gingery in the tea. Colin even pulled it to make it frothy, slightly.
Ingredients: Ron Zacapa 23, ginger liqueur, milk tea.
Colin puling Guatamalan Teh Halia
Islay or Kentucky – A trivia? Not really, it’s a choice of strong peatiness or light smokiness. Get a strong peaty taste from the Lagavulin or light sweet smokey taste from Bulleit. Either way, it’s the long lasting macho feel you get from this drink.
Ingredients: Bulleit, Lagavulin 16 years, Punt E Mes (an Italian vermouth), orange bitters.
Pick Me Up, Please
Pick Me Up, Please – Sounds like a flirtatious drink but this cocktail is quite unique in its acidic scent. Something for everyone, a guarantee pick up for either its colour or scent.
Ingredients: Ketel One (a Dutch vodka), Parfait Amour (purple colour liqueur used primarily for its colour), Grapefruit, lemon.
Angus is a World Class bartender1 and owner of Bar Alchemy in Taipei, Taiwan. He was invited to The Olive Lounge at Genting Grand Hotel for a mixology master class where he introduced Modern Classic cocktails from the Prohibition Era to the guests. At Omakase + Appreciate, Angus brought to the guests his own creations.
Angus Zou
Angus' Cocktails
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder – Named after the famous American pop musician, singer and songwriter
Ingredients: Ron Zacapa 23 from Guatemala (Guatemala is not only famous for their coffee beans, this rum is one of their very fine productions), Cherry Heering (a posh liqueur), Campari and orange bitters
Chic Lady
Chic Lady – As its name, this cocktail is fragrant like the gin and elderflower used in the recipe. Tangy on the tongue with a smooth and fruity after taste - our favourite that evening.
Ingredients: Tanqueray 10, Cinzano Bianco (Italian brand of vermouth, owned by Gruppo Campari), elderflower, lemon and pineapple.
Golden Smell
Golden smell – This is one complex cocktail with toffee and honey taste but smokey smell. Is that the smell of gold? Or is it the symbol of wealth?
Ingredients: JW Gold Label, Talisker, Carpano, cacao, Angostura bitters
Tanqueray No. 5 + Classic – A drink obviously made for the ladies. No. 5 famously refers to the first perfume launched by Paris fashion designer - Coco Chanel. The drink doesn’t taste like the perfume of course, but the classiness of concoction. The cocktail tastes fruity with citrusy scent, just like something a modern flappers in the 1920s would imbibe to show their good taste.
Ingredients: Tanqueray 10 (which refers to batch No .10), Malibu, peach, lemon, apple, sugar.
1. Diageo World Class Competition is an annual cocktail competition organised by Diageo. Countries with Diageo representative hold a World Class competition in order to find the best bartender in the country to compete in the international competition, where bartender of the year is chosen.