This May, Singapore is set to get a little boozier with the return of the Singapore Cocktail Festival (SGCF) with the theme of "Shaking Up New Possibilities". The three-week event is all about celebrating Asia's best cocktails and this year, there will be an impressive total of 45 participating bars in the line-up, each presenting its own vision of what it thinks represents the future of cocktails. The ninth edition has two main events to look out for: The SGCF festival village and the SGCF city takeover. Here's what to expect.
SCGF Festival Village
From May 5 to 7, SGCF will officially kickstart the festival with a party that sprawls across the iconic Bayfront event space. Expect a line-up of highly-sought after bartenders, popular local bars, spirit brand pop-ups, and artisanal spirit-tasting booths, all in one place. The best part? You get to sip on over 100 cocktails, all priced at $15 nett only. The festival will also feature a street food spread to line your tummies along with live music and entertainment to pair.
And to pique your interest further, these headliner bars are set to make their presence felt in the city with their delicious drinks: think Indulge Experimental Bistro from Taipei (#6 at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022), Sidecar from New Dehli (#14 at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022), Penicillin from Hong Kong (#22 at Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022), and even Maybe Sammy from Sydney (#29 at The World's 50 Best Bars 2022).
Tickets start from a day pass ($45) to the full-on three-day pass ($75), and both come with a complimentary welcome drink. For serious spirit enthusiasts, consider adding on your entry pass with an artisanal tasting card ($15) to sample four shots of artisanal spirits in the Artisanal Tasting Room.
SGCF City Takeover
Can't make it to the festival? Fret not. The city takeover will span three weeks till May 21, allowing imbibers enough time to craft their very own cocktail experience. 47 local cocktail bars will come up with a signature SGCF cocktail(s) that will be priced at $18. All you have to do is get your hands on the SGCF wristbands ($10) to enjoy these privileges.
Our sneak preview brought us along a few bars for a taste of what's to come. At Analogue, there is a tongue-tingling Penicillin Fizz created with Naked Malt Whiskey, Empirical Ayuuk made from Pasilla smoke-dried peppers, a vegan honey-ginger reduction and soda. It drinks wonderfully balanced with a tinge of oak and honey sweetness, making it the perfect start to your crawl.
Next, lounge about in the slick jazzy tunes at the recently reopened Cool Cats within the NCO Club where the B Symphony awaits. It is a riff on the classic Americano using banana-infused Woodford Reserve bourbon mixed with fino sherry, agave nectar and tonic. The aromatic tipple drinks toothsome, perfect for those who enjoy a tall glass of liquid dessert.
Republic in The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, as usual, takes you to the 60s with Back To The Roots. A nostalgic homage to the thriving local hawker scene of the 60s using familiar profiles of soya milk, kopi and gula mekala. These flavours are cleverly paired with the smooth Monkey Shoulder Smoky Monkey to result in a punchy tipple and garnished with a nutty housemade sesame tuile.
To supplement your teetotaling experience, the high-octane city takeover will be packed with bar hopping tours, headlining guest bartender shifts, boozy weekend brunches, supper clubs and exclusive experiences thrown into the mix – you'll hardly find time to do anything else. For all the latest updates, keep an eye out on the SGCF socials.
Sounds like your cup of g&t? Get one-for-one tickets to SGCF with the promo code SGCFTIMEOUT141 at checkout. The code is valid from April 4 to May 4 and is limited to 50 redemptions. The following terms and conditions apply:
- Passes are non-refundable or exchangeable for cash.
- Redemptions can be made for any 1-day Festival Village Entry Pass at singaporecocktailfestival.com.
- Participants must be above 18 years old to consume alcohol at all SGCF Events.
