In celebration of Chivas Masters Week, Time Out Singapore is organising an exclusive bar hop for you to be the first to try cocktails by six of the finalists. The Chivas Masters is a global cocktail competition showcasing the best of the industry from around the world. This year, the competition is open to Singapore’s top bartending talent for the first time. During Chivas Masters Week (June 3 to 9), you can try the creations of the six finalists at their respective bars.
On June 4, join the hunt for the Singapore champion as we visit some of the city's top bars to try creative Chivas concoctions by the finalists. The final leg of the competition will follow the key theme, Success is a Blend.
Don't miss out – book your ticket ($90 per person) for a night of whisky, cocktails, food and fun. Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect.
From 7pm to 11pm, we're ferrying you to bars like the award-winning Manhattan, Madame Fan Bar, Anti:dote, Long Bar, Chihuly Lounge and Copper Bar in a mini bus. On board, make new friends, learn more about the history of whisky from an expert Chivas ambassador and quiz the Time Out team on our favourite watering holes.
It's the night before a public holiday so you don't have to worry about waking up early the next morning – especially since you're enjoying six cocktails over the course of the night. Spend time with each Chivas Masters finalist, hear their stories and taste their tipples while having your fill of the bar's signature snacks along the way. Each bar offers something different so look forward to a night of adventure.
Get on this exclusive experience and book your tickets here.
Your Bar Hop pass also grants you access to the VIP Grand Final party on June 10 at Cool Cats. Enjoy food, drinks and performances all night long – while watching the crowning of the finalist that goes on to represent Singapore at the Chivas Masters Global Final in the UK.
The fun doesn’t stop there. You're also given the opportunity to cast votes and crown the ‘Time Out Readers Choice’ during your bar hop. How will your tastebuds compare to the expert judges? There's only one way to find out. Tickets are limited so get yours here today.
By Mark Graham Thomas
While you can savour a single malt neat at the bar, cocktails are at the heart of what Copper does. For Chivas Masters Week, Mark takes things a step further with the Travelling Chocolate Hues, a rich, nutty and smooth creation inspired by his favourite song (Travelling Riverside Blues) by the legendary Led Zeppelin. The rock mavericks are known for their unconventional style – like when guitarist Jimmy Page used a violin bow to play the guitar – and similarly, Mark's drink is as free-spirited as they come.
By Demitria Dana Paramita
Bartender Demitria Dana Paramita has created a cocktail inspired by the journey of James and John Chivas, who left a remote Scottish farm for life in the big city of Aberdeen – just as how she left her home in Indonesia to work in Malaysia and now, Singapore. Her competition cocktail, Boedaya (Budaya in Malay) means culture, and she uses ingredients that cross boundaries and come together in one cohesive drink. Chivas Regal 12 is mixed with red beans, a common Chinese and Indonesian ingredient, to bring out the whisky's vanilla notes. It's brightened with star fruit juice for a refreshing burst of acidity that complements the whisky's green apple undertones and caramelised palm sugar is added at the end for a touch of sweetness.
By Tim Rosete
Settle into one of Manhattan's plush velvet sofas or rock up to the elevated bar where you'll find bartender Tim Rosete and his competition cocktail The Wingman. Staying true to the bar's name, Tim puts his twist on a classic Manhattan. Instead of the usual rye whiskey this tipple calls for, Tim's version highlights Chivas at its core and builds the other elements fo the drink around it. His inspiration? A regular customer that has now become a good friend – a symbol of what Chivas stands for, hospitality and brotherhood.
By Logaraj IM
As iconic as the hotel it’s located in, Long Bar is the birthplace of our national cocktail, the Singapore Sling. A 180-degree shift from the Singapore Sling's golden image is Loga's rock-and-roll creation, Friends and Four Sticks. He's always been a fan of the genre but no other band holds a candle to Led Zeppelin. The cocktail is named after two songs the band performed at Slip Disc in Bombay after Jimmy Paige and Robert Plant were denied entry to Singapore in the early 70s because of their long hair and beards. This blend is Loga's tribute to everyone who's ever felt like they don't belong but managed to find a home in music.
By June Baek
Drinks at Madame Fan Bar follow the theme of modernity meets tradition – instead of a clash, you find harmony. June applies this same principle to her competition cocktail. The concoction heroes Chivas 12 at its heart, highlighting it with caramalised ginger, fat-washed Calvados and mead to bring out the whisky's complex aromas. But the kicker is the addition of a homemade rice and pandan syrup. Not only does it represent June's Asian heritage and approach to hospitality, it balances out the rest of the flavours with a sweet roundedness and achieves perfect equilibrium.
By David Kim
Coffee and cocktails come together at Chihuly Lounge no matter if you're visiting at night or in the day. Senior bartender David blends his knowledge of both to create Café Aberdeen. Inspired by James and John Chivas arriving in Aberdeen, he relates their story to his own journey to Singapore three years ago. Till today, he's fascinated by the array of ingredients the "crossroads of Asia" has to offer, especially coffee. His drink showcases this by making the dark and complex Chivas 18 its primary component. Cold brew tonic made with Ethiopian beans is then added and mixed with apricot brandy, orgeat, lime juice and chocolate bitters to bring out all the other nuances of this stunning whisky.
