The newest hotel bar on the block is Four Siblings Bar & Lounge, named after the empat rempah, or four spices – star anise, clove, cinnamon and cardamom – that are the backbone of Malaysian cooking, and are essential ingredients in kitchens across the country.
Located on Level 26 of Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur at TRX, the bar not only boasts a gorgeous view of downtown KL, but also a menu of drinks that play with flavours, textures, and push the envelope in terms of what those four spices can do.
Created by head bartender Danny Choo (formerly of Three X Co), each of the eight signature cocktails at Four Siblings highlights one of the spices, adding a sense of familiarity and nostalgia to the drinks.
First up, cardamom really shines in the drinks here, especially the Bees Sneeze.
Contrary to what you might assume, this is not a twist of the Bee’s Knees, but in fact, a spiced, toasty coconut take on the Malaysian classic Jungle Bird. Served with a visually pleasing flavour bubble on top, this is easily my favourite drink on this menu.
Next, Rosca mixes vodka and tuak with guava shrub and cardamom and serves it in a rock glass with ice for an unorthodox take on a dirty martini.
For something light and cinammon-y, try the Flor Do Mar, which comes with a delicious salted coconut foam.
The spice also gets a warm welcome in Roots & Rhythm, a beetroot-centric White Lady-like tipple.
Star anise can be quite overpowering in a drink if used improperly, but fortunately, was not the case with Nutty Lime, which balances the anise with ameretto, throwing in some pandan for a lovely, silky local twist on the Pisco Sour.
Star anise also, er, stars in Sip Happens, adding a zing of spice to the malty, kopitiam “Neslo”-inspired take on the espresso martini.
Clove gets some love through the Clove & Vine, a refreshing highball-style drink with pisco, green apple, and verjus with the clove adding gentle spice notes to the fruity fizz.
Last but not least is the oddly named Warning: Cigarette Is Addictive, a rich, smoky, spice rum Old Fashioned inspired by (but not containing) clove-scented kretek cigarettes, which comes with a piece of dark chocolate that enhances the spiced notes even further. A great drink to end the night with.
What I really liked about this menu is that every drink brings out the flavours and uniqueness of each spice in a way that does not overpower the other ingredients. A pretty solid debut for Four Siblings, I must say.
