An intoxicatingly inventive new cocktail bar off Old Klang Road, SunSan Reserve rises when the sun sets on SunSan Bake, stirring up a storm of spirits on the first floor of this bungalow bakery-cafe.
Bartenders Ken and Melvin pour plenty of thought into each concoction - conceptually, their cocktails are ‘tanned,’ sunbathed in aromatic wood, with liquors sous-vide infused at 55 degrees Celsius for two hours in torched sandalwood, sappanwood or agarwood, evoking the essence of barrel-aging in capturing smoky, spicy, floral and earthy notes with smooth clarity.
Each cocktail conveys a unique character - the Long Island Agar Tree is rooted in rum ‘aged’ in agarwood, with a leafy canopy of baby bok choy foam, while Sandalbourg 1996 (a nod to Ken’s birth year) is reminiscent of a golden pale lager, a heady brew of sandalwood gin with mango tea, citra hops and SunSan’s own-fermented toddy, served with Burmese-inspired salted coconut and green tea layered jelly.
SunSan Reserve might be ready to serve regularly starting 19 December. For the festive season, fire up a Christmas campfire cocktail, a mixology-meets-mamak tarik of Milo, Horlicks and vodka, with a marshmallow roasted on the counter on a whisky flambé.
SunSan Reserve is a relaxingly intimate experience; reservations are strongly recommended, with only 15 seats. More sundowner surprises might include sparkling toddy welcome drinks, a sappanwood tequila twist on the Negroni sbagliato, and alcoholic puddings.
