YO, HO, HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM

Tropic City, No.92 of the World’s 100 Best Bars list and No.31 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, has launched its Volume 3 cocktail menu, a menu that has been six months in the making.

Though five or six all-time favourites, like the Tropicopop and Chronic Iced Tea, are still on the menu, 12 new cocktails have been added, all named by co-owner Sebastian De La Cruz. The current menu has been created by head bartender Arron Grendon and focuses more on the tropical fruits of the region than technique.

Keeping with the tropical vibes and tiki-inspired cocktails, Grendon says the new menu “goes back to basics. All these crazy techniques aside, we are keeping it simple. Using different flavours and fresh ingredients. We are using a lot of different fruits, spices and herbs. One of my favourites on the new menu is The Sweetest Taboo [B350], which is one of the two low ABV [low alcohol by volume] cocktails, mainly because I like sherry. I’ve used a medium sherry and coconut whey. It’s a bit of a twist on the Adonis, in a way, but making it more tropical by adding the coconut, which gives it a nice flavour. It’s very easy to drink.”

The hardest cocktail to perfect was the

Champagne Superlover (B380) because it is a creamy drink, though no coconut milk or cream has been used. It doesn’t have the fattiness like a Piña colada. What it does have is yoghurt, making it hard for Grendon to get the acidic balance right. Though yoghurt has acidity, he also used lemon to get the right texture without making it too watery. In the end what you get is a drink inspired by the açaí bowl and definitely a tiki vibe. Plus points if you get the Swedish jokes in the cocktail names!

Though a cocktail menu isn’t the only new thing at Tropic City. Co-owner Philip Stefanescu has introduced rum tastings, which will be held each month. “We love rums and this is our way of getting people more interested in it,” says Stefanescu, who will also hold rum masterclasses (B2,000 for five rums). A flight of three single plantation rums is also on the menu and are priced from B850-B1,400. Though you may have to wait until January to quench your rum thirst.