Party Animal

CK One Shock’s spice and tobacco musk is great for indie hotties with an attitude. B2,650.

Football Captain

Davidoff Champion Energy, an unstoppable tangy, grapefruity scent to go with his buffness. B2,800.

Cool Exec

If he likes to stand out from the crowd, then get him Hugo Boss Just Different, an icy cool mint fragrance. B2,700.

Goody Two-shoes

Give your pretty boy the sensation of freedom and simplicity with the warm oceanic scents from Giorgio Armani’s Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme. B3,200.

Sex Magnet

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme Intense is bound to get him sexed up with its notes of lemon, coriander and lavender. B3,150.

Essentials

Casio. 3/F, Central Chidlom, 02-793-7777
Ben Sherman. 2/F, Siam Paragon, 02-690-1000
Topshop. 1/F, CentralWorld, 02-640-7000
Dorothy Perkins. 3/F, CentralWorld, 02-613-1769
Project 1.1. 3/F, Emporium, 02-269-1000
Brooks Brothers. Selective Shop.1/F, Emporium, 02-269-1000
Shake Appeal. 2/F, Siam Paragon, 02-690-1000
Sretsis. 2/F, Gaysorn, 02-656-1125
DKNY Jeans. 2/F, Siam Discovery, 02-658-0219

Just like Scotch and Irish whiskeys, bourbon must comply with a number of rules to be legally considered a bourbon:
• It must be made in the USA, though almost all famous distillers are in the state of Kentucky. In fact, the name comes from Bourbon County, Kentucky.
• It must be made largely with Indian corn. Some small percentage of barley, wheat or rye is permissible.
• The alcohol must be aged in new oak barrels that have been charred on the inside. For a bourbon to be considered straight, no colorings or flavors should have been added, and it must have been aged for at least two years.
• Bourbons labeled blended have added colorings and flavors.

Here are some bottles readily available in Bangkok.

Maker’s Mark
B1,299 at Tops

Pretty standard at bars in Bangkok, Marker’s Mark is a relatively cheap go-to option. It’s double-distilled in copper pots and, instead of rye, uses red winter wheat in the grain mix, making it less harsh and spicy. Instead it’s got a lot of fruit going on, along with ginger and oak.

Jim Beam Black
B999 at Tops
Aged a whopping eight years, this whiskey has got a lot of body and big caramel, vanilla and oak flavors. Decent for sipping, though you might want to dilute it with a splash of water or a large ice cube.

Heaven Hill
B565 at Emporium Wine Cellar
Cheap and still reasonably smooth, Heaven Hill has a decent amount of rye in the blend and a sweet, caramel finish.

Woodford Reserve
B2,100 at Emporium Wine Cellar
The official whisky of the famous Kentucky Derby, Woodford Reserve touts itself as craft bourbon. They use limestone water, a very high percentage of rye in their grain mix (18%) and copper pots imported from Scotland for their distillation process. The end result is smooth and spicy whiskey with notes of chocolate.

CLASSICS

Manhattan

Get it at: The Living Room (Sheraton Grande, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8353) for B330
Ingredients: Bourbon, vermouth, bitters
The traditional choice for a Manhattan is rye whiskey, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a legally imported bottle of that in Thailand. (Sadly, lots of good booze is unavailable due to import restrictions, and that goes for top shelf bourbon, too). But with the live jazz, the Manhattan at Living Room does just fine.

Mint Julep

Get it at: Hyde & Seek (Athenee Residence, Soi Ruam Rudi, 02-168-5152) for B345
Ingredients: Bourbon, mint, sugar

The official drink of the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep puts you in the mood for parasols, high society and horseraces. It’s also pretty easy to make at home. Different places make it with various types of whiskeys, but we like the bourbon-based version at this go-to cocktail spot.

Whisky Sour

Get it at: Hyde & Seek for B295
Ingredients: Bourbon, lemon juice, sugar, egg white, angostura bitters

A whiskey sour can come with your choice of whiskey, but we like the smoothness of a good bourbon (and sometimes the harshness of a bad one, to be honest). It might sound like a cake recipe, with all the sugar and egg white, but it’s a great balance of warmth, sweetness, sourness and even a touch of creaminess.

SIGNATURES

Sinfra

Get it at: Fat Gut’z Saloon (1/F, Grass Thonglor, 264 Thong Lor Soi 12, 02-714-9832) for B280
Ingredients: Southern Comfort, fresh pineapple and apple

OK, so Southern Comfort is not a straight bourbon, as it’s enhanced with lots of flavorings and spirits. But it has a lot of American South appeal, as does the saloon that serves it. Knock back a couple of these listening to their live blues band.

Bangkok Bastard

Get it at: Soul Food Mahanakorn (56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55, 02-714-7708) for B200
Ingredients: Bourbon, gin, lime, kaffir lime leaves, bitters, ginger ale

A Thai-fied version of what could have been an Old Fashioned, except there’s a delightful added kick from the gin, and we like the balance that comes to this pretty heavy cocktail with the fizzy ginger ale.

methy4bia

Get it at: Meeting Room Asian Gastro (2/F, J-Di, Thong Lor Soi 18, 02-713-8553) for B200
Ingredients: Maker’s Mark, Cointreau, lemon juice, angostura bitters, maraschino cherries

We like the juxtaposition of girly cherries (which get super boozy with the bourbon) with manly whiskey. Plus Meeting Room is a super chill, cozy place to grab affordable drinks with friends.

Jamie Oliver Electronic Wet ‘n’ Dry Kitchen Scale

$77.40 from ToTT
For those of you who’ve yet to make the shift from mechanical to digital, now’s the time. Not only does this nifty gadget allow you to measure both liquids and solids (with metric and imperial measurements), it even has a stainless steel bowl with an easy pour lip that’s dishwasher safe.

Zevro Perfetto Pasta Cooker

$22.90 from ToTT
This is a fantastic option if you’re cooking for one or two, and don’t want to babysit your noodles. Simply pour in piping hot water and drain (there’s a strainer built into the lid) when the pasta’s done. It’s portable and also doubles as a storage container.

WMF Mini 18 Pasta Pot

$69 from Tangs
WMF’s done it again. In their signature stainless steel style comes this three-piece pot with colander that fits snugly inside, so you can just lift it out and drain your linguini when it’s perfectly al dente. Bellisima!

Kitchen Craft Silicone Pasta Server

$23.90 from Tangs
These gorgeous, non-slip creations won’t mince up your ravioli like metal pasta servers can.

Marcato Atlas 150 Wellness Pasta Maker

$159 from Tangs
Sure, you could go the old school route and roll out your pasta dough with a rolling pin, but why make things harder for yourself? A hand-cranked machine is so much easier on your muscles, plus it saves time.

I-S Xperiences: Pasta Making Workshop

Come join us to learn the tricks of the trade from specialist Vivian Pei at ToTT on Thursday, December 15, from 7-9pm. Read up on some of her foolproof tips and her favorite pasta renditions about town.

Slots are limited. Email [email protected] and (1) tell us why you think you should go, and include (2) your name, (3) age, (4) occcupation and (5) mobile number.

About I-S Xperiences
I-S X are intimate, experiential events that range from cocktail mixing and art walks to fun coffee tasting sessions. The best bit: they’re free! Hang out with us as we taste, learn, travel and party our way through the year. Check out our Facebook page for more upcoming events: on.fb.me/tBgcSi

The 11th edition of the world famous outdoor beach party, ZoukOut 2011 promises an onslaught of top-notch acts including Gui Boratto (tech-house), Ladytron (electro-pop), Armin Van Buuren (trance), Scratch Perverts (hip hop) and Bob Sinclair (sexy French house)—a perfect close to an already mega year in dance music. You know the drill: Lots of sweaty, half-naked boys and girls moving from sundown to sunrise at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach. Apart from fabulous music, there will also be the R.FM cinema screening, part of the Singapore Design Festival 2011 which will provide perfect visual fodder for the dance acts, and lots of crazy fireworks.

Survival Tips

Zouk’s marketing manager Sofie Chandra clues us in.

1. He who fails to plan will miss Armin Van Buuren's set. The program map is key.
2. Minimal is the way to go when it comes to dressing. Less is more.
3. Wear heels and you will be condemned. It is not a fashion show, so leave the Chanels and Balenciagas at home.
4. Bring a friend who drives and doesn't drink.
5. Drink sparingly, toilet queues are long.
6. Eat then drink, then you can drink more.
7. Sunrise cometh, sunglasses bringeth for the morning set.

ZoukOut 2011 takes place December 10 at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.

Just perfect for the weather these days, the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is waterproof! Featuring Sony’s signature 3” Bravia Engine touchscreen, it promises stunning colors, the latest Android 2.3 operating system, 5MP camera with autofocus, FM radio and 3G compatibility. That makes it a great fit for active types who can still use the phone when you’re out running in the rain. Or lazy folk who like to talk in the shower.

$498 from Sony Ericsson Concept Store, www.sonyericsson.com.

Orgasm Inc • (USA) What starts out as a humorous look at a pharmaceutical company’s attempts to create a “Viagra for women” to cure Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) turns into a more serious exposé of how women are being exploited by medical firms. Dec 10, 5:30pm.

Sex Volunteer • (South Korea) A priest, a female student and a disabled man are arrested on suspicion of being involved in prostitution, and a taboo practice surfaces. The disabled man simply wanted to experience sex before he died, the student wanted to make a film about sex volunteers, and the priest brought the two together. Dec 10, 9:30pm and Dec 11, 3:30pm.

Breath • (South Korea) When a housewife learns of her husband’s affair, she visits a prison where she meets a suicidal convict awaiting execution. She’s unsure why, but she’s drawn to him, and they begin to fall in love as his time of reckoning draws near. Dec 11, 7pm and Dec 17, 8pm.

Red Light Revolution • (China) The opening film of the 24th Singapore International Film Festival gets an encore. When a Beijing cabby loses his job, his house and his wife, he returns to his family home. Willing to take any job, he becomes the proprietor of an adult shop that spurs on a sexual revolution in the old-fashioned neighborhood. Dec 17, 5:30pm.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring • (South Korea) Follow the journey of one Buddhist monk across the seasons of life—from his innocent youth, to his troubled adulthood and his atonement in old age—set against the backdrop of a floating monastery. Dec 17, 10pm.

All screenings at Sinema Old School, Old School. Get your tickets for $9 from the website.

Café Del Mar

This franchise of Ibiza’s most iconic bar is the quintessential destination to watch a sunset, especially if you’re with a date. Zone out on their rustic daybeds while listening to the ambient sets CDM is famous for. Sex up your evening with their deliciously potent Lost Bikini cocktail.

Tanjong Beach Club

Slink over to this stylish 50s-themed beach resort decked out with two chic bars, restaurant and sprawling chill-out space. Grab a daybed by the pool and one of their signature Tanjong Martinis. Local DJs Has, Hook and KFC spin some of the best disco and house remixes around.

Wave House Sentosa

Singapore itself has no natural waves for surfing, so this venue provides what nature deprives. Wave House Sentosa is the fourth and latest opening in a franchise that includes South Africa, California and Chile. Battle the waves then take a breather at their bistro with cocktail in hand.