Cocktail Festival 2023: Savour these bespoke drinks crafted exclusively for the event

Smoky pineapple tepache (fermented beverage made from pineapple peel and rind) is at the heart of Hi-Piña, created by Affie Adut for Tatler Dining’s Cocktail Festival. “It is a highball-style Piña Colada, an experimental take on the classic cocktail,” Affie enthuses. 

The cocktail begins with homemade citrus, made by blending citric acid with lemon peel. “The tepache is made from charcoal-grilled pineapple skin, sugar, and spices, which are fermented for at least three days,” Affie continues. Finally, the tepache and homemade citrus are charged with a carbon dioxide bottle before being served with ice.

Mr Wong’s Last Call is the cocktail that Angel Ng Ji will present at the Cocktail Festival, made with cold brew ginger oolong tea and Chivas 12 before it is finished with a sweetened tea dusting. The drink brings with it a hint of sweetness and a light dryness with a tiny kick of spice. “It’s refreshing, and perfect for a hot summer day or an evening pre-dinner aperitif,” Ng smiles. 

To make the powdered rim of the cocktail, steeped tea leaves are mixed with sweetened ginger pulp before being dehydrated and ground. “We want to educate the public about what is really important when it comes to mixing a drink—as long as it tastes great, there is no need for 10 minutes of fireworks,” she says.

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Jon Lee’s cocktail, Poire Belle, or Beautiful Pear, celebrates the marriage of flavours between pears and cognac. Lee drew inspiration from the classic French cocktail Fine a L’eau, made from cognac, verjus, and syrup. 

“We crafted a caramelised pear syrup infused with bergamot,” enthuses Lee. “Adding a touch of tartaric acid, sourced from grapes, brings a gentle acidity that mirrors the sensation of biting into a ripe pear.” To further enhance the Martell Noblige-based drink’s texture, it is crowned with a splash of sparkling wine.

Bright, refreshing, fruity, and fizzy, Emerald Fizz is crafted from Hennessy VSOP, Muscat grapes, calamansi cordial, pandan, and soda. 

“It is a captivating beverage infused with local flair, in line with the Neon Nights Nostalgia theme,” says He Xin excitedly. “The drink is shaken with edible glitter and topped up with soda water.”

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Isz Valentino has crafted a drinkable version of the classic dessert, the banana split, for the Cocktail Festival. “The Banana Royale has a ripe sweetness from banana, nutty roasted notes from Loacker wafers, and a touch of savoury saline,” explains Valentino. 

To make the cocktail, gin, aperitif wine, banana, and milk are firstly all combined before being topped up with blitzed Loacker Napolitaner wafers. “Citrus is added, and once it curdles, the mixture is strained using a coffee filter to clarify the ingredients, and the cocktail is ready to be served!”

Bak Kwa Manhattan is Desiree Jane’s creation for the Cocktail Festival. Savoury and meaty, the cocktail is infused with bak kwa and has a base of whisky, a favourite of Jane's. 

"We are located in Chinatown and surrounded by amazing bak kwa shops, so we figured it would be apt," she says. "Plus, who doesn’t love bacon and whisky?" 

The event will be held at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s open-air courtyard, which will be transformed for the evening to fit our exciting theme—Neon Nights Nostalgia. Our favourite local DJs will also be playing throwbacks from the 80s and 90s throughout the evenings. 

Other than the six signature cocktails, a myriad of drinks will also be available for purchase courtesy of our partners at Bombay Sapphire, Chivas Regal, Dewar’s, Hennessy, Johnnie Walker, Martell, Monkey 47, Roku Gin, Suntory Whisky, and Tanqueray. Each partner will be working with 12 of their ambassadors or selected bars, such as Rimbar KL, Frank’s Bar, Remedy Cocktail Bar, Vertigo, and The Cove, to serve up to three bespoke cocktails. Don’t miss these tipples, which start at RM25. 

Secure your entry with advance ticket purchase and be part of a gathering that will redefine your appreciation for cocktails. Get your tickets to Tatler Dining’s Cocktail Festival here.

• Date: October 13-14
• Venue: The Courtyard, 8th floor, Pavilion Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
• Time: 5pm-10pm
• Theme: Neon Nights Nostalgia
• Price: RM200 (inclusive of 4 signature cocktails and food), RM300 (inclusive of 6 signature cocktails and food)

This event is held in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, our venue partner. Our beverage partners are Bombay Sapphire, Chivas Regal, Dewar’s, Hennessy, Johnnie Walker, Martell, Monkey 47, Roku Gin, Suntory Whisky, and Tanqueray.

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