Compendium Straits Vodka
Paying tribute to Singapore’s Straits Settlement heritage is this one-of-a-kind vodka by local distillery Compendium. Its founder and head distiller Simon Zhao was inspired by the abundance of spices found in the region, and wondered why they were never put to good use by alcohol producers here.
Thus Southeast Asian spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon feature prominently in his Straits Vodka, turning the often neutral tasting spirit into an aromatic distillate best enjoyed neat over ice, or in a spirit-forward cocktail like a Martini.
Compendium Sprits
Or go the other direction and make a White Russian instead. The spices work just as well alongside the heavy cream and coffee flavours.
The uniqueness of this vodka isn’t just in the spices used. Unlike most vodkas that use grains or potato as a base starch to ferment and then distill, Compendium uses wildflower honey instead, giving it a smoother, rounder mouthfeel. This also allows the spice aromatics to surface better while reducing the harshness present in most other grain-based vodkas.
GudSht Red Sangrila Utama
A name that harks back to the founding father of Singapore and a red wine concoction doesn’t really add up conceptually, until you realise that there is also a white wine version of this cheekily-named bottled cocktail.
So wave Singapore’s red and white flag high as you sip on this spiced up drink that’s based on a classic red sangria, but given a big oomph of flavour thanks to use of spirits and syrup alongside the wine. Leave it to the crazy folks at GudSht–a collab bar and bottled cocktail retailer formed by creative mavericks GoodStuph and alcohol events people Elite Bar Solutions–to dream up such a recipe.
This story is from the April - June 2021 edition of WINE&DINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April - June 2021 edition of WINE&DINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New Blood
The next-generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
Sharing Is Caring
Compared to its flagship at Serene Centre, Fat Belly Social at Boon Tat Street is a classier and bolder affair, in more than one sense.
Nutmeg's Role In Singapore's History
From tales of it being used to ward off the plague in mid-1300s Europe to one of the ingredients in dessert, we have all known, tasted, or at least heard of nutmeg. But not many know of the spice’s role in Singapore’s history.
New And Improved
The ever-profound chef-owner Kenjiro ‘Hatch’ Hashida finds more room, three to be exact, to express a Ha Ri philosophy at Hashida Singapore’s new location at Amoy Street.
Pairing Spice-Driven Cuisines With Wine
Pairing spice-driven cuisines with wine has long been a challenge but with a little imagination, it doesn’t have to be.
Let Land Grow Wild
Niew Tai-Ran has worn many hats: aeronautical engineering major, investment banker, avid surfer, and, for the last 14 years, winemaker. Discover how this Malaysia-born, Singapore-native is championing the “do-nothing farming” philosophy at his vineyard in Oregon.
The South Asian Misnomer
Incredibly diverse and varied than most know, Indian food is far more intriguing than butter chicken or thosai. Here is a crash course on the extensive cuisine from region to region, recognisable for the seemingly infinite ways of using spices.
Keepers Of The Spice Trade
From its glory days along trade routes to pantry staples all over the world, spices have become so commonplace that we’ve taken them for granted. For these three trailblazers, however, spice is their livelihood and motivation: Langit Collective working with indigenous rural farming communities in Malaysia; IDH’s Sustainable Spice Initiative; and chef Nak’s one-woman mission to share forgotten Khmer cuisine.
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
Like food, spices bring vibrancy and variety to alcoholic beverages. Surfacing in unexpected ways on the palate, find everything from cumin to tamarind, cloves to cardamom enriching these drinks.
Building Blocks From The Archipelago
For the smorgasbord of dishes found in Indonesian cuisine, it is a little known secret that the modest bumbu, in all its variants, is the bedrock of such flavourful fare.
