This December, transport your taste buds to Peru, along with its warm Amazonian rainforests and ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu. PROMPERÚ, the export and tourism agency for Peru, has teamed up with Singapore Cocktail Festival to launch Pisco Nights—a month long celebration of the amber-coloured brandy at top bars in the Lion City.
Participating bar Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall, now at its new Haji Lane home, is serving Full of Gold—a cocktail inspired by the Japanese who flocked to Peru at the end of the 19th century to seek financial success. Crafted with Quebranta Pisco and sake, along with a dash of fragrant sesame oil, the cocktail offers refreshing and clean-tasting flavours with a slight hint of savouriness to it. Presented with a little cube of black sesame “tofu” to add some sweetness back to the palate, the drink left quite the impression on us. Guests feeling peckish ought to order the har cheong kai (prawn paste chicken), which was crispy on the outside and juicy inside.
For the uninitiated, Peruvian Pisco is made exclusively in Peru and is closely tied to the country’s culinary identity. Not only is its production protected by traditional methods, it must also be made in one of the five coastal valley regions of Peru. Aside from Ah Sam, other bars serving Pisco cocktails include Manhattan, Bar Stories, and Nutmeg & Clove.
Manhattan, which is currently number 14 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 list, will serve G.O.A.T., (short for Greatest of All Time), a New York twist on a classic whiskey sour that’s made with Moscatel Pisco. At Nutmeg & Clove, Pisco takes on a Singaporean spin with Coffee, Tea or Butter, which is inspired by the kopitiam (local coffee shop) culture. Expect a balanced blend of kopi gu you (coffee with butter) and yuan yang (milk coffee and tea), with Quebrenta Pisco.
Those who prefer getting hands-on can join the virtual masterclass hosted by Indulge Experimental Bistro, the Best Bar in Taiwan 2020 and No. 43 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 list, where they can learn to make the Pisco-inspired cocktail Kué Tsí led by head bartender Grace Tsai. Priced at $128, the masterclass includes all the ingredients and tools needed for the cocktail, which will be delivered to one’s doorstep before the session.
More information about the participating bars here.
BLACK FLY BIRD 