To CELEBRATE its 10th anniversary, Astor Bar at The St Regis Kuala Lumpur is inviting guests on a spirited journey through 10 distinct global expressions of the Bloody Mary.
The iconic cocktail, traditionally a savoury blend of tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce and a sharp dash of Tabasco, has long served as the quintessential emblem of the St Regis brand identity.
The legacy began in 1934, when the barman Fernand Petiot perfected the vodka- and-tomato juice recipe at The St Regis New York’s King Cole Bar.
Originally named “Bloody Mary” before being rebranded as the “Red Snapper,” Petiot’s balanced mix of spirits, lemon and spice has remained the brand’s signature for eight decades.
Today, that heritage continues as every St Regis property worldwide crafts its own localised reinterpretation of the classic.
The 10 variants showcased at Astor Bar this month offer a taste of regional flavours.
The Bali Mary, for instance, introduces the crispness of jicama and celery salt against pepper-infused vodka.
The Siam Mary from The St Regis Bangkok replaces Tabasco with lemon-Thai chilli, mixed with wasabi, coriander, lemongrass and cherry tomato.
A standout among the international offerings is the Great Wall Mary from The St Regis Beijing, which incorporates Tsingtao beer to provide a refreshing lift to the palate.
Served alongside an oyster shooter, the cocktail’s savoury depths are heightened by the briny, metallic notes of the sea.
For those seeking something more grounded, the Shogun Mary from The St Regis Osaka offers earthy complexity, featuring a wasabi-powdered rim that complements the potent duo of vodka and gin.
The addition of soy sauce lends a deep umami profile, beautifully cut by the sharp acidity of lime juice.
Conversely, Bloody Brunello from The St Regis Florence leans into Mediterranean sweetness, utilising Grappa di Brunello di Montalcino and acacia honey to create a lush, Tuscan-inspired experience rounded out by fresh rosemary.
This spirited odyssey also features intriguing concoctions from The St Regis Singapore, Langkawi, Cairo, Maldives and Bora Bora.
Closer to home, Astor Bar also presents the “A Decade Distilled” me
Each drink has been reimagined to reflect a specific era in the bar’s evolution.
While the menu honours the original Red Snapper, it also pays homage to local roots with the Asam Boi Mary.
This St Regis Kuala Lumpur interpretation infuses vodka with the nostalgic, sweet-salty tang of asam boi, layered with calamansi, Sarawak black pepper, paprika, cili padi and Tabasco that lingers pleasantly on the tongue.
The menu continues to impress with more recent hits like the Jade Dragon, a luxurious 2024 Chinese New Year creation that blends the richness of Macallan 12-year-old Double Cask with the brightness of pineapple and cucumber.
It is served with a side of caviar and crème fraîche.
For fans of the classics, the Whiskey Sour Remastered uses oleo saccharum to deepen its citrus and sugary notes.
Beyond the grand concepts, the menu also finds its heart in the loyalty of the bar’s most frequent patrons.
The last item in the menu is Professor’s G&T, a bespoke creation originated in 2015 as a personalised order from a regular guest.
According to the bar’s mixologist, it is a secret blend of gin mixed with tonic, garnished with dehydrated orange and lemon as well as kaffir lime leaf.
Alongside other favourites like The Violet Hour Martini, are Negroni Remastered, Margarita Remastered, The Astrid and The Michelle.
Cocktails from “A Decade Distilled” and the “Ten Expressions of the Bloody Mary” are available until Oct 31, priced at RM50 per cocktail.
ASTOR BAR,
Level 2, St Regis Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, KL. (Tel: 03-2727 6696)
Business hours: 5pm to midnight.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
