While the structure of the drink is inspired by Tommy's Margarita, the flavor direction comes from Chester Smith's background growing up in Myanmar. In Burmese cuisine, balance is essential. Many traditional dishes combine sour, salty, and spicy flavors, creating vibrant and layered tastes. Ingredients such as lime, chili, and aromatic herbs are deeply rooted in everyday Burmese cooking. By infusing Mezcal with kaffir lime leaves and using chili-infused agave, this drink refl

When we talk about Myanmar's alcoholic drinks, beer and rum always take the spotlight, as they were introduced to the country by the British in the 19th century. However, hidden in mountains and valleys beyond the cities, you’ll find traditional spirits whose origins have long faded from record. Rarely commercialized, they persist in small isolated pockets where one must travel off the beaten path for a chance to have a tipple of it. Palm Drinks: Htan Yay and Htan A Yet Nestl

This signature cocktail from Hnin Pwint Aye of Bangkok's Rangoon Tea House introduces the unique depth of Burmese Lephet (fermented tea leaves) with the smoky soul of Mexican agave. The tropical acidity of homemade pineapple shrub meets the savory "umami" of Burmese green tea, finished with an elegant topping of Cabernet Sauvignon reduction. Laphet has a very long history in Myanmar; in ancient times, they were used as a peace offering between warring kingdoms. Nowadays, the

Justin Yow of Good Friends Club in Penang created The Screwpine with sustainability in mind, utilizing twice-extracted pandan to create the homemade liqueur. This modern classic cocktail is clean, refreshingly bright and citrusy, with gentle but long floral and herbaceous notes from pandan. Ingredients: 45ml Gin 25ml ⁠Homemade Pandan liqueur 15ml ⁠Riesling (moderately dry) 10ml ⁠Lime *Make the Pandan liqueur: 100g Pandan 200g Neutral grain spirit Sugar (20% of total weight of

Created by Giovanni Magliaro of Neo Bar in KL, the Filthy Gajus is a twist of the Gimlet, but using local flavors and recycled ingredients from their menu, turning what could have been discarded into something unexpected, playful, and full of flavor. Ingredients: 30ml Tuaq 30ml Cashew distillate 10ml Kantan cordial 5ml Lacto-fermented Tomato Tomato salt rim (garnish) *Make the Cashew distillate: Add toasted cashews (20% ratio) into vodka, blend, and then strain (or use roto

You wouldn’t immediately connect one of the earliest ingredients in cocktails to a photo-sharing app that now serves as the primary language of cocktail bars worldwide. But without bourbon, there might not have been Instagram – or at least, not the Instagram we know today. The Bourbon Drinker and the Bad Idea Long before filters and flat lays, Kevin Systrom was known among friends for two things: tinkering with side projects, and a genuine fondness for bourbon. Not in a conno

Espresso Martinis are making a strong comeback to the bar scene, but you've probably never tried one made by Rohan of Bar Trigona in Kuala Lumpur. In addition to swapping vodka for rye, another thing that makes Rohan's version stand out is how he makes his espresso: he brews it fresh with stout instead of water! Ingredients: 50ml Rye whiskey 10ml Coffee liqueur 60ml Espresso (freshly brewed with stout beer instead of water) 5ml Simple syrup Coffee bean (for garnish) Method: P

Created by Kate Osmillo from Raion (Manila), the Christmas Blush is c ool and refreshing at first sip, finished with a soft berry creaminess and a gentle festive spice. Ingredients: 30 ml London Dry Gin 10 ml Bianco Vermouth 30 ml Melon–Cucumber Juice (half and half) 7.5 ml Fresh Lemon Juice Pink Peppercorn (garnish) Make the Raspberry Cream (1 serving): 60 g Whipping Cream 10 g Raspberry Syrup (equal parts raspberry juice & white sugar) or Raspberry Jam In a chilled bowl, co

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state , comprising over 17,000 different islands. As a region, it has a rich history of foreign influences, both as a colonized region and a trading hub. Combined with the rich tapestry of the different tribes, ethnicities, and religious beliefs throughout its many islands, Indonesia probably produces one of the most diverse varieties of spirits in Southeast Asia. While most of the drinks are palm and rice spirits typical of the

Philip Stefanescu of Tropic City (Bangkok) wanted to spread the love for tropical drinks in any format, so Rock Around the Clock is a delicious non-alcoholic jungle juice with fresh juice and something from the spice shelf – a winning combo. Ingredients: 20ml Cinnamon Syrup* (see instructions below) 30ml Coco Lopez or similar coconut cream (if you make your own, add condensed milk) 25ml Fresh Lemon Juice 30ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice 30ml Fresh Orange Juice *Make the Cinnamon s

Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold is one of those books that I was told was a must-read for bartenders, and I had only read it when I was 2 years into the industry. I regretted not reading it earlier. The technical knowledge covered in the book was not the main highlight for me personally; it was more the change of perspective in terms of consistency and dilution. Back when I was still a junior bartender, I always knew that ice was important for temperature and dilution, but

A Thai twist on the classic Bee's Knees, Chanel Adams of Bamboo Bar in Bangkok brings acidity, sweetness, spice, and a sense of adventure to this drink. Ingredients: 45ml Tanqueray 10 Gin 30ml Green Mango Shrub* 15ml Honey Syrup* 5ml Lime Juice 3 dashes Thai Chili Tincture* *Make the Honey Syrup: 500ml honey 500ml water Whisk the honey in water until completely homogeneous. Refrigerated shelf life: 1-3 weeks. *Make the Thai Chili Tincture: 15pcs Thai (bird’s eye) chili 1

Maria from Penrose in Kuala Lumpur makes the classic Corpse Reviver No. 1 – while not as popular as its cousin the No. 2, this cognac version is a more sophisticated cocktail with a rich finish. The original recipe calls for calvados or apple brandy, but Maria swaps it with Creme de Mure instead for a fruitier flavor. She also adds orange bitters and saline to the final version. Ingredients: 40ml Cognac 20ml Crème de mûre 25ml Sweet vermouth 5ml PX (Pedro Ximenez) sweet sherr

Created by Nicole Slater of Hong Kong's legendary dive bar, Pontiac, her cocktail creation is infused with nostalgia, tea, and her unique third culture experience. Ingredients: 23ml Light Rum 23ml Gin 23ml Strawberry Oolong Tea Cordial* 23ml Fresh lemon juice 2 drops Vegan foamer Strawberry powder* (topping) *Make the Strawberry Oolong Tea Cordial: 340g strawberry tops (with leaves) 4 teabags of Oolong tea 50g of lemon peels 400g white sugar Place strawberry tops, teabags, l

When we think of iconic alcoholic beverages from Thailand, beer is always at the forefront. However, in terms of spirit consumption, the majority of the market gravitates towards foreign liquors such as Scotch and brandy. Although there has been an emergence of native-born spirit brands in recent years, they tend to adopt the format of Western spirits, such as gin and rum. However, there is a small handful of spirits that are distinctively Thai, with roots deeply intertwined

Raz Ng, co-founder of Bar None in Kuala Lumpur, puts her stamp on a Malaysian icon: the Junglebird. Her twist? A thoughtful rum blend that adds depth and structure, paired with caramelized pineapple for a richer, more layered sweetness. Familiar, but dialed up – just the way a classic should be. Ingredients: 30ml Dark rum 15ml White rum 15ml Campari 15ml Lime juice 3 Half wheel slices of pineapple Method: Start by putting 2 slices of pineapple into the cocktail shaker tin. Ad

Kuala Lumpur’s drinks scene is evolving rapidly, and few embody that shift quite like Tracia Chan: an entrepreneur, barista, and bartender who has spent over a decade straddling coffee, culinary, and cocktail cultures. “I cannot take caffeine… and I can’t drink alcohol even though I make drinks,” she says wryly. It’s a contradiction that underscores her approach: one rooted less in consumption and more in craft. Since entering the industry at 18, Tracia has built a portfolio

Sameera Anand of tara in Jakarta created the Irish Chai by tapping into nostalgia, based on her family’s own chai recipe, with an added Irish twist. tara was built on Asian cultures and flavors, and Indian chai was a huge inspiration for this drink on their signature menu. Irish Chai is a twist on an Irish Coffee that brings the comfort of a homemade cup of tea into an equally comforting warm cocktail that is nostalgic and yet novel. The chai mix in this drink is actually mad

Zee of Jakarta's The Golden Tooth creates this twist on the classic 20th Century, featuring rum and fermented cacao nib infusions. Ingredients: 20ml Cacao-infused Spiced Rum* 20ml Cacao-infused Cocchi Americano Bianco* 20ml Crème de Cacao White 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice Absinthe mist *Make the Spiced Rum infusion: 500ml spiced rum 100g fermented cacao nibs Sous vide the spiced rum with fermented cacao nibs at 55°C for 2 hours and fine strain with cheese cloth. *Make the Cocch

Low-ABV (6% ABV) and easygoing, "Yes, Dear", created by Alex Javier of OTO (Manila), is a drink for the husbands and boyfriends who take five minutes to get ready, then spend the next thirty waiting. The drink is designed to stretch the wait without stealing the night. Light and refreshing, with a gentle coffee-rum lift from Mancino Kopi Vermouth and Blanco Rum — just enough kick to pass the time, not dinner. Recipe: 15ml Luisita Blanco Rum 30ml Mancino Kopi Vermouth 7.5ml Fr