Travel across the ocean and through the history of Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and more with 16 unique cocktails.
Housed in The Capitol Kempinski Hotel, The Bar at 15 Stamford unveils a new bar menu that will take guests on a transoceanic journey across the Austronesian Islands. Developed by Bar Manager Edriane Lim and The Bar at 15 Stamford team, the expertly crafted cocktails explore tales of way-faring and trade that defined the Austronesian region.
“We are proud to present a menu that features collective creativity and story-telling from The Bar at 15 Stamford team. The new menu voyages through the pathways of Austronesian migration by way of spirits, spices and garnishes that immerse guests in an origin story that isn’t often referenced in history,” says Edriane Lim, Bar Manager of The Bar at 15 Stamford.
The menu lists 16 cocktails divided into two sections: Signature Cocktails and Austronesian Islands, and features vintage Bacardi advertisements alongside a history of the Austronesian Islands, with crisp images of each cocktail to enable you to visualise each drink.
Begin your voyage to the Austronesian Islands with the Ilha Formosa 1542 ($25). Meaning ‘beautiful island,’ Ilha Formosa was the name Portuguese sailors gave Taiwan in 1542. The tipple is inspired by the first Austronesians and their main export: tea. It uses Tie Guan Yin, a deep and floral kind of oolong complemented by jasmine tea, offering a well-balanced base. The tea blend is then shaken with cognac, gin and dry vermouth and served in a tumbler glass to encourage the citrus aromatics to waft through.
Continue your journey to New Zealand with the Endeavor 1769 ($25), a gin and mezcal cocktail named after the ship James Cook sailed when he landed on Aotearoa, better known as New Zealand. The celestial-looking drink is inspired by voyages and how seafarers used the stars to navigate. Served in a tall glass, infusing citrus, passionfruit and kiwi notes and topped with edible glitter, Endeavour 1769 is gorgeous and refreshing.
The Lakatoi 1885 ($25) brings parched travellers to Papua New Guinea, taking inspiration from the double-hulled canoes used for the Hiri trade voyages. The toothsome cocktail pays homage to when bananas were the main export for the Motu people of the island, combining rum, banana liqueur, Aperol citrus and orange bitters.
Four Signature Cocktails invite guests to immerse themselves in the history of Joseph Balestier, the first appointed US consul to Singapore who lived on the very site where The Capitol Kempinski Hotel stands today. This menu section pays tribute to Balestier’s foray into rum production in Singapore in the 1830s, with each concoction representing a nugget of history.
Try the Plantation 1840 ($24), a strong yet refreshingly long drink composed of Black Tears Rum, sweet vermouth, pineapple juice, sugarcane juice syrup, lemon juice and fresh mint, and served in a copper mug. Each ingredient recognises Balestier, who planted pineapple and sugarcane during his time on the island whilst setting up copper stills to distill rum from sugar syrup.
If you are looking for something short, intense, full-bodied, but surprisingly smooth, the Peranakan Old Fashioned ($24) may be for you. Drawing inspiration from Nonya ingredients and elements, this cocktail uses house-made falernum to enhance the complexities of pandan and gula-melaka notes, and is served with a torched cinnamon stick to bring out the aromatics. Remember the Balestiers ($24) is a twist on the rye-based cocktail Remember the Maine, replacing whisky with rum and mixed with sweet vermouth, cherry brandy, cherry liqueur and absinthe. The drinking menu also features one of Singapore’s most extensive rum selections, with over 200 rums to explore. Guests can request a range of cocktail classics and bespoke creations that will seduce the most sophisticated connoisseurs. Rum enthusiasts can enjoy a range of rum flights, such as Don Facundo’s Legacy ($40), which features the story of Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, who founded the first BACARDÍ rum distillery in Santiago de Cuba.
Discover the wonders of Austronesia and rum with The Bar at 15 Stamford. For booking enquiries, please contact +65 6715 6800 or email reservations.singapore@kempinski.com. For more information, visit www.kempinski.com/singapore or follow them on Instagram for updates on events and guest shifts.
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