SINGAPORE GIN

Rojak Gin and Chendol Gin are produced by local distillery Compendium with Rachelle the Rabbit Meadery founder Simon Zhao and brand ambassador Vic Ram teaming up together. It took them about 9 months to come up with the desired results. 

Rojak Gin has elements of torch ginger, juniper and lemon peel. And instead of using a neutral grain spirit as its base distillate it uses homemade mead (spirit made with fermented honey).

Chendol Gin calls upon the coconutty sweet iced dessert it is named after. More mellow with a creamier feel on the tongue than Rojak Gin, the main ingredients in Chendol Gin are pandan leaves, coconut and juniper. Here honey is swapped for gula melaka in its base distillate.

What cocktails work well with these gins and what would you garnish them with?

Rojak Gin: Negroni – Rojak Gin, Campari, Rosso Vermouth (classic); garnish with slice of orange
Memory Lane – Rojak Gin, Ice cream soda, peycaud bitters; garnish with grass jelly 

Chendol Gin: Great Jack – Chendol Gin, Jackfruit & ginger soda, garnish with freeze dried jackfruit and mint leaves  
Mango Curry – Chendol Gin, Campari, lemon Juice, mango & curry leaves syrup, ginger beer; garnish with curry leaves

IN THE BRASS LION DISTILLERY at Alexandra Terrace huge custom-made copper stills from Germany are at work. There is an R&D lab, and a back garden, which grows many of the 22 botanicals that create an inspired Singapore character to the Brass Lion Singapore Dry Gin – galangal, pomelo peel, torch ginger flower, lemongrass, chrysanthemum flora and angelica.

Managing director Jamie Koh first had the idea of creating a Singapore gin back in 2012, when she was founder of The Chupitos Bar and The Beast Southern Kitchen&Bourbon Bar. Alcohol was in her blood, and she new the local bar scene, and was convinced a made-in-Singapore gin would work.

The young Singaporean travelled to the US and then to Germany to attend distilling courses, and knocked on doors in search of apprenticeships at distilling companies. 

A master distiller in Germany worked with her to create Brass Lion Singapore Dry Gin. The goal was a Singapore gin for Singapore’s tropical climate, made with Singapore spices and herbs with accent notes on citrus and juniper.
Today her fruits of labour are paying off, as her gin label is seen at many bars across town at a time when gin is a rapidly expanding force in the global drinks scene.

What common flavour profile gives each a unique Singapore character?

The Singapore Dry Gin – Crafted with herbs and spices that were carefully selected to represent the cultural melting pot that is Singapore. Staying true to the traditional method of pot still distillation, we combine classic gin botanicals with Asian flavours such as the aromatic torch ginger flower and citrusy lemongrass to produce a smooth, vibrant spirit that is the quintessential expression of The Singapore Dry Gin.

Butterfly Pea Gin – A harmonious blend of classic gin botanicals and aromatic Asian flavours. Lavender, known for its calming properties, adds a floral top note to the gin. The gin’s deep, rich blue hue is derived from an infusion of the Butterfly Pea flower, a staple in local Peranakan cuisine. 

The Pahit Pink Gin – Known in the Malay Archipelago as Gin Pahit (or “Bitter Gin” in Malay), this classic recipe has been updated and brought into the modern ages. Using The Singapore Dry Gin as its base, our version is enhanced with the addition of our very own house bitters made with 12 botanicals. Best enjoyed old school: on the rocks with an orange twist, or simply with your favourite tonic.

NESTLING IN THE LEAFY SUBURBS of Mandai you may catch the intriguing scent of juniper and orchid wafting in the air. Those are the botanical scents that come from the distillery of 100% Made in Singapore Tanglin Gin. Tanglin Orchid Gin was awarded Silver Medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), where more than 3000 spirits were judged. The Gin also picked up the Silver Medal at the 2018 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition.

First batch Tanglin Orchid Gin is a wonderfully complex, yet balanced and harmonious distillation that includes juniper, unripe mango, two forms of orchid – Dendrobium Nobile Lindl and vanilla bean, the fruit of the orchid vanilla planifolia – and organic oranges. 

“We wanted to feature botanicals that were a mix of Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and Indian, with the obvious European Juniper. We initially shortlisted about 20 botanicals, narrowed it down to 15, swapped a few in and out and finally settled on 11. This took about 18 months, and at last count about 90 or so tests to get the right balance. The next flavour profiles are coming together a bit quicker, now that we’ve established our general flavour and distilling guidelines.”

GUNPOWDER GIN

By The Orientalist Spirits

Founder Michel Lu and team have come up with an award-winning gin with a good balance of Gunpowder tea, Kampot peppercorn, Siberian ginseng, Korean Omija berries, dried tangerine peel, Osmanthus flower, angelica, coriander, orris root and Macedonian juniper berries. Won the USA SIP Gold Award in 2020.

COCONUT PANDAN GIN

By Singapore Distillery

Blending, experimenting and distilling from a small space in Ang Mo Kio, Ashwin Sekaran and his team create refreshing gins that not only taste exceptional but also look good. Other gins in the collection include Singa (London Dry style) , Kyuri (Japanese cucumbers and flowers), Stolen Roses (bandung in a different light), Lime Garden (calamansi and kaffir), Singapore Sling Gin (famous local cocktail elements).

SOUL SISTER SPIRITS GIN – SINGAPORE EDITION

By Gain Brands International

Simon Zhao of Compendium together with Gain Brands International CEO Singaporean Marianna Fossick and Australian co-founder Michelle Fisher, have come up with a Singapore Gin in a crisp elegant style with hints of lemongrass, kaffir lime and tamarind.