19 G&Ts to try during East Imperial Gin Jubilee 2019

By Shawn Lim, Atlas

It's no secret that Atlas takes it gins very seriously, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Shawn’s cocktail is one of the most creative of the bunch. Instead of crafting a classic G&T, he reduces East Imperial Burma Tonic with Royal Botanic Tonic to intensify their flavours before mixing the reduction with thyme-infused ambrato vermouth, The Botanist Gin and a dash of orange bitters to create a crisp and elegant martini-inspired drink.

By Celia Schoonraad, Barbary Coast

Make a trip down to Singapore’s newest cocktail bar located within a two-storey shophouse along North Canal Road. The downstairs space serves cheap and cheerful pours but you can head upstairs to the Victorian-style parlour for craft cocktails like its Gin Jubilee creation – Agent Carter, a deceptively simple G&T made from a distillate of three different limes, Hendrick’s Gin and Burma Tonic.

By Mark Graham Thomas, Miss Fitz

This isn't Mark Graham Thomas' first rodeo. He won the title of East Imperial Gin Jubilee’s best G&T in 2013 and plans on reclaiming the crown once more at the new Miss Fitz. He keeps things simple – yet exceptionally tasty – with a homemade pineapple and tarragon jam, Bulldog Gin and Yuzu Tonic.

By Johnny Rose, Oriental Elixir

Here’s one of the adventurous. Johnny combines kangaroo jerky-infused Tanglin Orchin Gin with Song Fa bak kut teh cordial, laksa leaves and Burma Tonic. Strange as the combination might seem, the result is a layered drink with initial notes of floral sweetness, peppery spice and a subtle savouriness that makes this one of the most complex G&Ts of the bunch.

By Kelvin Chow, Burnt Ends

Think of Spanish cuisine and the popular tapas of melon wrapped in ham often springs to mind. Kelvin takes this idea and runs with it, infusing Monkey 47 Gin with melon and jamon. He tops this novel creation off with East Imperial Old World Tonic and a fresh sprig of dill – the perfect accompaniment to Burnt End's smoky flamed-kissed dishes.

By Alfred Dionisio, MO Bar

Digging deep into his Filipino roots, Alfred's inspiration stems from his hometown’s drinking culture where gin is purchased from a convenience store and mixed with pomelo soda mixer. Tagay – the Tagalog equivalent of “cheers” – deconstructs this experience with a housemade pomelo cordial, soda water, Hendrick’s Gin and salt. He also plans on including a small barbecue station where you can feast on sticks of chicken intestines and hearts – just like they do by the roadside in the Philippines.

By Michael Mendoza, 1864 The Bar at Sofitel Singapore City Centre

What do you get when you cross a Bloody Mary with a G&T? The answer is 1864’s Fizzy Mary, a rejuvenating concoction of The Botanist Gin and Burma Tonic balanced with a savoury tomato syrup and a stick of celery in a highball glass.

By Chen Gang, 51 Soho

Here’s one for those of you who love knocking back Korean soju shots. The Botanist’s Dream is a delightfully fruity mix of watermelon syrup, cranberry juice and grape soju with The Botanist Gin and East Imperial Burma tonic.

By Richard Li, BeGin

A tincture of pandan and Hendrick’s Gin infused with watermelon alongside its signature cucumber and rose infusions highlight different notes in the gin to create a herbaceous cocktail with a touch of sweetness. The addition of East Imperial Burma Tonic ups its fresh factor and makes it dangerously easy to sip.

By Linda Rejfkova, Catchfly

Climb down the stairs by Coriander Leaf and be transported to Catchfly – a sexy New York-style bar with Art Deco-style gold trimmings and plush velvet settees to boot. There, Linda crafts an Asian-inspired G&T with Tanglin Mandarin Chilli Gin – its spice and citrus notes further emphasised with a coriander and seaweed syrup, fresh lime juice, chilli drops and Old World Tonic.

By Michelle Ang, Employees Only

Michelle mixes a cocktail that’s as red as her hair and as welcoming as her personality. She imbues The Botanist Gin with hibiscus and tops it up with Burma Tonic, grapefruit peel and fresh thyme, which makes for a bright and floral G&T that keeps things easy breezy.

By Danny Dave, Idlewild

While we can’t say for certain what the wise men (and women) of yore used to drink – we’d imagine that their cocktails looked a little like Danny’s creation. The Noble Sage is fashioned from a kumquat and honey marmalade blended with sage and saffron before it’s combined with Monkey 47 Gin and Burma Tonic. 

By Ashley Hollins, Neon Pigeon

Revered in most Eastern cultures, the dragon is a symbol of power, wisdom and strength. Ashley aims to capture its spirit in a cocktail, using spiked sake bitters, Yuzu Tonic and Bulldog Gin, which is distilled with Asian botanicals like liquorice, lotus leaves and longan – which also translates to “dragon eye” in Chinese.

By Chew Qing Ting, Origin Bar

Tracing G&T’s origin as an elixir for malaria in India, Qing Ting turns her eye towards Kashmir and the Himalayas. Looking at ingredients that grow in the area, she incorporates peaches and saffron with Riesling, which adds body to the otherwise buoyant combination of Old World Tonic and Monkey 47 Gin.

By Devantiran Ganeson, Oxwell & Co.

Rock legends Billy Corgan, D'arcy Wretzky, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin would totally give this G&T their stamp of approval. The tall drink gets its bright hue from a spiced pumpkin and orange syrup, which is combined with Hendrick’s Gin, lemon juice and Burma Tonic. It’s spicy and autumnal yet thirst-quenching and revitalising – everything you could possibly want in a G&T.

By Abhishek Cherian George, Spiffy Dapper

If theatrics, liquid nitrogen and unusual cocktail combinations are your thing, then head down to Spiffy Dapper for George’s Nitro Chilli Gin & Tonic. The ice-cold beverage is as experimental as something out of a science lab, with kaffir lime cordial, fresh mint and nitro-cooled bird’s eye chillies to amp up the kick of the Tanglin Mandarin Chilli Gin.

By Isz Valentino, The Dragon Chamber

Need a pick me up in the heart of the CBD? The Dragon Chamber is open from 10am on weekdays and is serving up straightforward G&Ts made from Bulldog Gin, Yuzu Tonic, ginger water and fresh redcurrants in a copa de balon glass.

By May Anne Espino, Tippling Club

If an Aperol Spritz is your aperitif of choice then you might want to shake things up and try May’s G&T-style spritz instead. She mixes grapefruit cordial, Aperol, Monkey 47 Gin and Royal Botanic Tonic to strike a fine balance between the drink’s citrus top notes and bitter undertones. The result is a cocktail you can drink at any time of day.

By Rohit Suvarna, Woobar

Not only is the orchid Singapore’s national flower, but it is also purported to have health benefits in Chinese medicine and is the star botanical in Tanglin Gin. Woobar pays homage to the fragrant bloom in its drink, Locale. Stirred with dry vermouth, orchid and triple sec infusion, and orange bitters, the sweet G&T packs a punch with its robust finish.