Handcrafted drinks and KL skyline views

Mixologists preparing drinks at Trigona Bar.

Enjoying handcrafted cocktails while taking in the view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline is an experience not to be missed.

This week, StarMetro explores a few hotel bars that not only serve up uniquely crafted cocktails but also a gorgeous view to appreciate with that drink in hand.

Blue

This bar offers one of the most dazzling panoramic views of the city skyline.

Visitors can watch the sun set as well as admire the beauty of buildings such as the KL Tower as well as the twin towers all lit up at night.

Blue offers majestic views of the city skyline. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star

Blue has a cosy interior to chill out in and an outdoor seating area to enjoy the cool night air.

Selected bands perform indoors on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays but VIP members can party in private on the upper deck.

An all-time favourite cocktail here is Smoked Negroni, consisting of Tanqueray Gin, Campari, Cinzano 1757 Rosso Vermouth, local spices and hickory wood smoke.

Other signature cocktails include Little Piece of Heaven, made of light rum, melon liqueur, lime, rosemary, kiwi and aquafaba, as well as The Borneo Head-Hunter – a concoction of tequila, Strega, lime, kaffir lime, aquafaba and Sabah chilli tincture.

Little Piece of Heaven has light rum, melon liqueur, lime, rosemary, kiwi and aquafaba.

Visitors can also expect a specially curated snacks menu that pairs well with the handcrafted cocktails.

Among them are Foie Gras Pate that comes with raspberry jam and sourdough toast, Spanish Cecina – air-dried beef served with cantaloupe melon, rucola and Parmigiano-Reggiano, as well as Tuna Tataki – seared yellowfin tuna with ponzu and wasabi aioli.

Located at Sky51, level 51, EQ, Equatorial Plaza, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, Blue opens from 5pm to 1am daily.

A fee of RM50+ applies every Friday, Saturday and eve of public holiday from 9pm onwards (drink excluded).

Dress code applies.

For reservations, call 03-2789 7777.

Bar Trigona

Positioning itself as a sustainable bar, Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur makes the best possible use of each ingredient.

From creating home-made coconut wine to oolong wine, the team here takes great pride in embracing creativity when it comes to home-made rum, wine, tequila and juices.

The Red Bird with butter fat-washed dark rum, overproof rum, pineapple and kedondong rum, home-made oolong wine and trigona honey.

Its name is inspired by the stingless trigona bee and the bees’ honey is used in a majority of signature cocktails such as Oolong Fizz and Honey Cocktail Flights.

The interior features a bar with light bouncing off the ceiling’s reflective surface, distracting some from the amazing cityscape just outside.

For the fourth year in a row, Bar Trigona has been awarded a coveted spot among Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

Its newly launched menu features signatures such as Red Bird – butter fat-washed dark rum, overproof rum, pineapple and kedondong rum, home-made oolong wine and trigona honey, while Terroir brings a concoction of assam boi-infused tequila, mezcal, Cointreau, Tio Pepe, kedondong juice, cacao honey and lime juice.

Other cocktails include Rum Ki Tiki, a mix of aged rum, whisky, lime, trigona honey and milk as well as its all-time classic Trigona Old Fashioned, which contains rye whisky, cynar, trigona honey and cedarwood bitters.

Today, Gagan Gurung from Hong Kong’s Tell Camellia will be taking over Bar Trigona to serve specially curated cocktails such as Oolong Old Fashioned, Teas Knees, Smokey Boulevardier and Teapresso Martini from 7pm onwards.

Apart from local cocktails, the bar has local bites with an innovative touch such as Malaysian Deluxe Caviar, Native Prawn Umami and Canele Apam Balik.

Located at Level 6B, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Bar Trigona opens from 5pm to midnight daily except Monday.

Slippers, sports attire and singlets are not allowed.

For reservations, call 03-2382 8888.

Vertigo

One of the highest rooftop bars with a 180° view of the city, Vertigo has the PETRONAS Twin Towers, KL Tower, Tun Razak Exchange and Merdeka PNB 118 in its line of sight.

A modern and stylish bar, visitors are treated to a range of international and signature cocktails by its mixologists.

Mount Genting – gin, dry vermouth, lime juice, lychee and raspberry syrup and egg white.

Savour South-East Asian-inspired bar snacks as you listen to beats from the DJ’s turntable.

Signature cocktails include Fruity, a mix of vodka, grenadine syrup, orange-flavoured liqueur, lime juice, egg white and mixed berry syrup, as well as Mount Genting, a blend of gin, dry vermouth, lime juice, lychee and raspberry syrup and egg white.

Vertigo also offers a selection of bottle packages for liquor and wines.

Fruity has vodka, grenadine syrup, orange-flavoured liqueur, lime juice, egg white and mixed berry syrup.

Its Ladies Night promotion every Thursday from 6pm to 10.30pm features a complimentary first cocktail of the day while subsequent cocktails are at 25% discount.

Located at Level 59, Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Conlay, Kuala Lumpur, the bar opens from 6pm to midnight daily.

Dress code is smart casual.

For reservations, call 03-2113 1888.

The Cove

High above the city streets, The Cove offers guests the perfect place to unwind in a bustling cosmopolitan setting.

It is the only venue on that floor so it is a private evening hideout.

Gimlet has gin, fresh lime juice and syrup.

Designed with three large private rooms that seat up to 10 people, the bar gives guests a sense of privacy while enjoying a night out.

Guests can immerse themselves in its classic rustic decor and indulge in a selection of international cocktails, beer packages and delectable bar snacks after a long day.

Its signature cocktails include White Russian, a mix of coffee liqueur, vodka and fresh milk, as well as Gimlet, which has gin, fresh lime juice and syrup.

The bar also offers a selection of bottle packages for liquor and wine as well as beer bottle packages daily.

Located at Level 7M, Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur Managed by Banyan Tree, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, The Cove opens from 6pm to midnight daily.

Dress code is smart casual.

For reservations, call 03-2117 2888.

Jann

Drawing inspiration from historical figures, traditional trades, local culture and legends that make Chinatown a heritage destination, Jann cocktail bar is no stranger to the hotel bar scene.

Come Sept 9, there will be a Jann Mid-Autumn Party in conjunction with the festival and DJ Joey Parisz is set to provide the jams from 8pm to midnight.

Jann x Chivas Extra 13 Mooncake Collection is available for a limited time.

Entrance fee is RM68+, inclusive of one complimentary drink.

Limited-edition Jann x Chivas Extra 13 Mooncake Collection is available at RM60+ per mooncake and RM108+ per box of two mooncakes for this period.

Visitors can also look forward to a bar takeover by mixologists Pankaj and Akshit from Bar Tesouro in Goa, India, on Sept 18 from 7pm to 11pm.

Bar Tesouro is ranked fourth on the list of 50 Best Bars in Asia.

On regular days, guests can try Jann’s creative cocktails such as Tau Foo Fah and Bak Kwa, which are reminiscent of popular Chinese delicacies found in Chinatown.

The Bak Kwa flavour is a combination of Montelobos mezcal, dry curacao, pandan and lime, topped with a piece of dried meat, while signature cocktail Dear Jann is made with Jann’s secret gin, apricot, elderflower, white wine and lemon.

Located in Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown, the bar on the seventh floor opens from 4pm to midnight.

For reservations, call 012-507 3327.