Is Singapore The Next Big Cocktail Market?

Is Singapore the next big cocktail market? If trends continue the way they have the past five years, it’s possible it already is. Singapore has seen a boom in craft cocktails and high-end bars and lounges. Similar to the USA, Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures such as Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western cultures. These different cultures and backgrounds have definitely shown in the craftsmanship of the drinks.

“Diverse talent coupled with a Singaporean penchant for mastering whatever they put their passion into has led to local bartenders quickly embracing a cross section of skills that took decades of travel and dozens of bars for many of us Western bartenders to master,”
says Michael Callahan, who assisted in launching the now iconic Long Bar in Singapore. The Long Bar is home to Singapore’s contribution to the cocktail world, The Gin Sling.

One of the pioneers of this Singaporean movement has been the Marina Bay Sands, and internationally renowned hotel and casino. The resort has attracted several top chefs such as Gordan Ramsey and Wolfgang Puck. It was inevitable that some of the best cocktail creators and innovators would not be far behind. One of them being Gibran Baydoun, who left his leading role with the Momofuku Group, to lead endeavors at Adrift, just off the hotel’s main lobby.

With this rise in signature cocktails and talented bartenders following celebrity chefs to Singapore, it’s not unreasonable to think this could be the hot new destination spot for cocktail enthusiasts.  As Singapore becomes a hotter cocktail destination, we are sure to see an uprising in the use of current barware trends already in full swing throughout the United States, such as the cut glass rocks glass and coupe glass used at Adrift. All eyes in the cocktail industry should stay on Singapore, as innovative barware and cocktail trends are sure to be birthed and established from this diverse and growing city.

Check out the rest of the article at http://www.liquor.com/articles/singapore-cocktails/#gs.Df87VPA

-S. Jones
PHOTOS: Liquor.com, Marinabaysands.com