Cover Penang Cocktail Week may leave you filled with cocktails, but it also will certainly leave you fulfilled through community
Penang Cocktail Week may leave you filled with cocktails, but it also will certainly leave you fulfilled through community
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The drinks at Penang Cocktail Week are just one aspect of why it’s so loved, and the answer lies within the community
In the middle of September 2026, Penang Cocktail Week returned to the island for its fourth edition, and as usual, it brought more than just world-class mixology into George Town. This year felt more special than ever, especially considering the fact that it almost didn’t happen.
Founder Koh Yung Shen admits that he struggled finding something fresh to bring to the table this year, alongside the new responsibilities of being a father, it was an uphill climb to pull it all together, but we’re glad he did.
The theme this year was ‘Welcome Home’, an homage to Malaysia Day, of which cocktail week overlaps with. With this theme, Penang’s hospitality is upheld through its five pillars—kaki lang, makan angin, jiak, kongsi, and lau juak. And what five pillars they are to be celebrated.
In case you missed it: Restaurant au Jardin’s Kim Hock Su on place, identity and why Penang was the answer
The opening party, held at Lucky Hole
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Kaki lang, meaning ‘our own people’ in Hokkien, was seen through the taking in of international bartenders, along with welcoming home local ones. This was already seen on day one at the opening party in Lucky Hole, where Penang-born bartender Andrew Yap and Rishi Randhawa from Origin Bar made a homecoming, and got to work by making everyone immediately feel at home, whether you were born in Penang or not.
Guests line up for brunch at the Toddy plantation
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Makan angin, which refers to the taking in of sights in Malay, was seen through the carefully planned out excursions and experiences from the PCW team. One of the Bartender’s Brunches this year saw a trip out into the mainland to a Toddy plantation, where guests and bartenders ate monitor lizard, wild boar, chicken, and more amongst the coconut trees, and Thanesh Joel from Backdoor Bodega, alongside Connor’s Stout, gave bartenders the authentic experience of a Toddy mixed with stout as a delicious drink to pair with their meal.
There is no Penang without 'jiak'
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It’s not a trip to Penang without ‘jiak’, which means eat, in Hokkien. Food is the beating heart of Penang, where embracing its food is functionally a love letter from the island itself to you. While our week was adorned with an incredible line up of pairing dinners, takeovers, and supper clubs, the true moments of community, we found, were the pockets in between spent exploring all the gems Penang has to offer, with every Penangite happily and willingly sharing their favourite spots, keen for people to try what makes Penang undoubtedly one of the most prominent food capitals of Malaysia. Guests around the world would share their food experiences throughout the day with strangers at a bar, exchanging notes on what to order and where to go, and locals looked on, all beaming with pride.
Find out more: A Food Lover’s Guide to George Town, Penang
Sharing is caring as Shen, founder of Penang Cocktail Week, hosts an amazing panel line up
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The incredible talent brought in by the team at PCW is never wasted, and that’s where kongsi comes in. Across the week, knowledge found no barriers in masterclasses and talks, all with one mission: uplifting the community.
Explore more: Backdoor Bodega’s Koh Yung Shen is raising the bar for Penang’s drinks scene with Penang Cocktail Week
Lau juak!
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Lastly, but certainly not least, lau juak, a Hokkien word to describe the lively atmosphere of an event, and one that never fails to encapsulate the vibe of every single activation across the week. Whether it might be a fun fitness session in the morning in Pickle By The Sea, a Drink Sum Party, the cocktail festival, or all of the collaborative takeovers from global cocktail capitals, including Montreal, Shanghai, and Taiwan, every event had the atmosphere of support and the spirit of collaboration. The constant ‘whoops’ from random guests, the cheer for every shake, the claps for the guest bartenders; it truly is difficult to find another instance where one could get so emotional over the outpouring of love for people who love what you love.
Morning workout
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Penang Cocktail Week is the embodiment of a people-first approach, whether it be in food, drinks, experiences, and everything in between. Penang shows that it’s not just about exceptional drinks (and food), but also the people who built it and participate in it, and its truly contagious spirit. Leave Penang filled with cocktails, and fulfilled through community.
Keandra's expertise lies within writing deep dives into the culture and anthropology of food, sometimes with a philosophical twist. With a background in London's F&B consultancy scene, she's excited to be back in Kuala Lumpur to champion the local dining scene.
Reach her at keandra.hing@tatlerasia.com, @keandruh
