Located on the first floor of the new RP Entertainment Centre at The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Nant Whisky Bar (the first outside Australia) is one of the more handsome bars we’ve seen. Warm orange lights bring your attention to the bottles on the shelves; chic furniture and wood accents are dotted throughout the space. Separated into various areas where customers can enjoy their whisky, there is the cigar lounge, an entertainment room that’s equipped with a pool table, a tasting room and a common area with sofas and tables.
Hailing from Tasmania, Australia, Nant is an award-winning label of highland single malts. In KL, you can find four of Nant’s single malt whiskies – Nant Sherry Wood, American Oak Bourbon Wood, French Oak Port Wood and American Oak Sherry Wood Cask Strength. For beginners, they recommend sitting through a tasting flight to get to know the flavours and characteristics of each whisky. Fun fact: If you order your whisky on the rocks, they’ll serve it with actual granite rocks that have been frozen. We think it’s an ingenious way of keeping the whisky chilled without it being slowly diluted over time.
If you’re a fan of cocktails, the bar here throws together some mean whisky cocktails, including classics like Old Fashioned and Whisky Sour as well as some contemporary signatures. Coffee fans will love The Black Ray Espresso Martini. The whisky is infused with coffee, making it their version of an espresso shot. There are also other drinks on the menu like beers, cider, wine, and other whiskies from around the world.
Try the barbecue beef ribs with whisky chilli sauce. The slowbraised beef ribs are tender, and marinated with Nant barbecue sauce. Another must-try is the Nant Braised Lamb empanadas, where the lamb is flavoured with Nant American Sherry Wood whisky before being baked in a puff pastry. Enthusiasts will be glad to know that Nant Whisky Bar will host private tastings and pairings in the future.