Boey from Round in Penang takes on one of the most famous cocktails in the world: the Vesper. Made famous by James Bond, this boozy Martini variation swaps dry vermouth for Lillet Blanc and adds vodka alongside gin for extra punch. While Bond famously ordered his shaken, Boey prefers to stir his Vesper instead, giving him greater control over dilution and letting the spirit-forward character shine through. Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Vodka 10ml Lillet Blanc Lemon peels Meth

Shawn Chong of Bar Mizukami in KL demonstrates the art of the Japanese-style Dry Martini - a drink that takes minimalism to the extreme. With a striking 12–15:1 ratio of gin to vermouth (it's usually 6:1), the secret isn’t a fancy ingredient or hidden technique, but a long, deliberate stir that refines the cocktail to perfection. Call it technique, call it craftsmanship, or call it zen - the result is a Martini that’s crisp, elegant, and unmistakably Japanese (and very dry).

Jason Wong of Remedy Cocktail Bar in the KL neighborhood of Taman Paramount takes on the Vieux Carré – a classic built for slow sipping. With its 7-ingredient structure, it’s a drink that invites tweaking, and Jason leans into that flexibility with a less sweet rendition that lets the spirit and spice shine through. Ingredients: 20ml Rye whiskey 20ml Cognac 15ml Sweet vermouth 2 barspoons Benedictine D.O.M. 12 dashes Peychaud's Bitters 6 dashes Angostura Bitters Method: Put a

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

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

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

Tamaryn Cooper of Dry Wave Cocktail Studio in Bangkok recreates the iconic drink Hanky Panky. It's a classic cocktail created by none other than Ada Coleman – the first female head bartender at the American Bar in The Savoy in London. Coley is thought to have created her now famous cocktail in 1921, which appears in Harry Craddock's The Savoy Cocktail Book . Ingredients: 45ml gin 45ml sweet vermouth 5ml Fernet-Branca Garnish with orange twist Method: Add all the wet ingredien

For decades, the global cocktail canon has been framed around sweetness: sugar syrups, fruit juices, dessert-like pleasures dressed up with citrus and foam. Yet across Asia, the drinks that quietly make the most sense are not sweet at all. They are salty, briny, spiced, fermented, sometimes even broth-like. From pickles and preserved vegetables to soups, sauces, and seasoned beers, the palate logic is already there. These drinks don’t ask the drinker to “learn” alcohol throug

Masaki of The Bar Vagabond in Bangkok brings a worldly twist to a timeless classic. Though he hails from Japan, his Old Fashioned is inspired by his years in the United States – a place that shaped his approach to the craft of a great drink. While the classic/original Old Fashioned recipe only calls for bourbon , sugar, and bitters, Masaki's version is a take on the Prohibition-era style which includes a slice of orange and one cherry (the bright red version, not the fancy on

Jason Julian of Soma Cocktail Bar shows us that the classic Negroni is a simple, full-bodied serve that remains a favourite among bartenders and barflies alike. It uses just three ingredients that can be swapped or adjusted, yet still delivers a spirit-forward profile with rich, bittersweet notes. This is a straightforward recipe that shows how balance and boldness can come from the most minimal of builds. Ingredients: Gin - 30ml Campari - 30ml Sweet (red) vermouth - 30ml Met

Maria Escobia of Penrose picks the 20th Century as one of her go-to cocktails because of its beautiful balance of flavours, the floral notes from the gin, the bright citrus from the lemon juice, and the rich depth of cacao. " I personally like to substitute the Lillet blanc with bianco vermouth for a slightly different twist ," she says. Ingredients: Gin - 20ml Lemon juice - 15ml Bianco Vermouth - 10ml Cacao Liqueur - 25ml Method: Add the ingredients into a shaker with ice an