We are so glad to see the molecular madness that’s consumed Bangkok’s cocktail scene for the past 2-3 years give way to more bars putting top ingredients before fancy techniques. Right now is all about “spirit-forward” cocktails, a category that refers to drinks mixed with spirits, liqueurs, bitters, vermouth and port wine—think Old-Fashioned and Negroni rather than mojito and mai tai.

 

“Many Thai people love drinking whiskey but not in cocktails, preferring to mix it with soda or water. However, spirit-forward classic cocktails are starting to appeal to whiskey lovers who are learning that cocktails are not all about adding juice.” —Suwincha “Chacha” Singsuwan, Rabbit Hole

 

 

For every Martini and Margarita, there’s a Sidecar and Sazerac—vintage cocktails unfairly consigned to the scrapheap. Whereas the likes of Bricks & Bones and Rabbit Hole are focusing more on sprucing up tried-and-trusted cocktails, Il Fumo and Track 17 are making it their duty to shine a light on drinks that haven’t taken off on our shores yet.

 

 

It’s true that we’re probably a year behind many of the global trends. But what’s trending internationally right now are low-alcohol cocktails which tend to use liqueurs like Campari and vermouth as the base spirit. Locally, Il Fumo has introduced a signature low ABV (alcohol by volume) list featuring the likes of Fancy Vermouth Cocktail (Mancino Bianco vermouth, Bols cacao white, Ilegal mezcal joven and cardamom bitters, B390). At Negroni Bar in Peppina (The Commons), you can find Negroni derivatives as well as Americano, a low-alcohol choice said to be the forefather of Negroni as it mixes Campari with sweet vermouth and soda—replace the soda with gin youget Negroni. The best thing about this trend? You won’t have any trouble trying two or three in one sitting.

 

 

Last year was a big year for gin in Bangkok. Going beyond Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s, bars have welcomed new bottles from the likes of Hanami, Fords, Monkey 47 and G’Vine, while Ashley Sutton’s locally distilled Iron Balls is also worth getting excited about. Importers are always bringing in more labels, and we’re expecting Teens of Thailand to have more company in terms of gin-specialist bars.

A good gin deserves a good tonic. Thankfully, we’re no longer restricted to just Schweppes. Last year saw Smiling Mad Dog importers bring in East Imperial tonic water in two flavors, and next up they’ll bring in Fever Tree and another brand yet to be confirmed. With specific pairings, the classic gin and tonic can only get tastier.

 

When it comes to brown spirits, 2016 belongs to bourbon and rye whiskeys. The newly opened Bricks & Bone claims to be Bangok’s first bourbon bar, with its bartenders hand-carrying some pretty esoteric bottles into town. Owing to the resurgence of forgotten classic cocktails (see #2), the likes of Il Fumo and Vesper will also put a heavy focus on these spirits.

 

 

Referred to alternately as “tequila’s poor cousin” or “tequila on steroids,” mezcal hasn’t quite taken off here in Bangkok as it has globally. In fact, we’d just be satisfied with more bars taking tequila seriously. And it seems we’re starting to get that wish, in the form of new restaurants The Mexican, which also calls itself a tequila bar, and Barrio Bonito, which does some wonderfully spicy (and affordable) tequila-based cocktails. It looks like the best is yet to come, too, with the imminent arrival in Thonglor of Touche Hombre, a Melbourne-born brand known as much for its Mexican street eats as its expansive tequila selection

We’ve just welcomed Teens of Thailand (gin) and Bricks & Bone (bourbon), now we can’t wait to see more single-minded bars spring up in unlikely spots, whether the poison is rum, tequila or Absinthe.

 

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