The Japanese luxury spirits giant is partnering with these top bars to deliver innovative martinis made with Roku Gin and Haku Vodka this June
It’s the golden age of Hollywood. Sean Connery as James Bond wakes up on his nemesis Goldfinger’s plush private jet, dashingly handsome. He intones to the flight attendant in a deep baritone, “A martini, shaken, not stirred.”
Thus immortalises the martini, one of the world’s most famous cocktails. At its essence, it’s a simple concoction of a white spirit (typically gin) and an aromatised wine (usually dry vermouth), but a mixture of vodka, sherry, or tequila will do the trick. The origin of the cocktail is shrouded in myth, though a popular claim points to a bartender in Martinez, California who combined sweetened gin and vermouth for the first time. Originally christened a “Martinez” in the late 19th century, the drink evolved over time to become the bracing, dry, ice-cold tipple it is today.
There are only two basic elements to a martini, so the quality of your spirits must be excellent. With Suntory, you won’t have to worry about a disappointing pour. Take its Roku Gin, which is beautifully floral and complex with the combination of Japanese botanicals like sakura flower, yuzu peel, and Sanshō pepper. Or look at its Haku Vodka instead, made completely with pure Hakumai Japanese rice and filtered through bamboo charcoal for a fabulously clean taste and a subtle sweetness. Both make exceedingly crisp martinis, the perfect base for bartenders to add their own spins to the classic cocktail. And with World Martini Day falling on June 17 this year, Singapore’s top bartenders have done precisely that.
This June, some of Singapore’s most luminous bars will be raising a glass to one of the world’s most famous cocktails with exclusive tipples made with Roku Gin and Haku Vodka. Sip on martinis with elegant twists and join the leagues of 007, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, and Humphrey Bogart. Shaken or stirred? That is simply up to you.
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1. Gingerlily
At Gingerlily’s refined interiors at the Hilton Singapore Orchard, head bartender Michael Mendoza’s playful martinis may seem out of place. But don’t be fooled—though his ingredients are unexpected, they always have an eye on elegance and balance. Take the eclectic “Hi! Hello?!”, a conversation starter with Roku Gin, yuzu beer reduction, and topped with a sweet cicely garnish, which makes a simple and bright cocktail. Elsewhere, the Lady in Blue blends Haku Vodka, lychee and peach juice, Litchi Blue liqueur, Firewater Tincture bitter, and chrysanthemum flower for an electric blue martini with a powerful bite. For a cocktail with a kick, go for Mendoza’s version of an espresso martini, the “Maybe?”, which sees Roku Gin mixed with Bailey’s, espresso, strawberry oat, and rose buds for a subtle floral infusion.
Gingerlily, 333 Orchard Road, 5/F, S(238867), +65 6831 6273
