Are your favourites still in the running? By Holly Graham.
The Bar Awards has determined this year’s Top 4 finalists, ahead of the big industry bash at The Bindery (APW, Bangsar), next Sunday November 25. Before the ceremony, the city’s bars will host a week of pop-ups and parties, featuring all the Bar of the Year winners from The Bar Awards cities; Manhattan Bar (Singapore), Quinary (Hong Kong) and Rabbit Hole (Bangkok).
The Bar Awards recognises top bars and hospitality advocates in Kuala Lumpur and Penang and to get to this point, The Lead Panel of local industry experts decided on 12 categories for KL and two for Penang, covering drinking and dining experiences as well as the city’s best bartending talent.
These categories then went to public nominations, followed by the public nominees being passed to The Panel, a group of 49 industry members selected by The Lead Panel, to decide the Top 10s followed by these Top 4s, and finally the award winners on the big night.
Presented in alphabetical order, here are this year’s The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang Top 4s across the 14 categories:
The Bar Awards Luminaries, presented by the House of Angostura
This is the first year that The Bar Awards Luminaries, presented by the House of Angostura is being introduced to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The inductees to The Bar Awards Luminaries are those that have greatly contributed to the growth and development of the Malaysian bar community. This award may honour an individual, a number of individuals, a group and/or an initiative, and won’t be announced until the party on Sunday November 25.
The Rising Star, presented by Perrier
Caden Chua Hui Chan (Coley)
Calzeno Clitus (W Kuala Lumpur)
Jordan Lim Jen Xian (Pahit)
Sam Yap Chun Fai (Three x Co)
Best Restaurant Bar, presented by Tito’s Vodka
Birch
Fuego
Joloko
Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar
Best Beer Bar, presented by Peroni
Ales & Lager
Delirium Café
Paus
Taps Beer Bar
Best Wine Bar, presented by Mumm Champagne
Dewakan
Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar
Private Room
Vintry
Best Hotel Bar, presented by Pierre Ferrand Cognac
Astor Bar (St Regis Kuala Lumpur)
Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
Vertigo (Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur)
Best Specialist Concept, presented by Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia
61 Monarchy (Whisky)
JungleBird (Rum)
Pahit (Gin)
The Deceased (Themed)
Best Hospitality Ambassador, presented by Fever-Tree
Alvin Nirmal George “Loco” (Coley)
Andrew Tan (61 Monarchy, Hyde)
Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur)
Kho Chee Kheong (Coley, Pahit)
Best Hospitality Team, presented by Hendrick’s Gin
Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Coley Cocktail Bar
JungleBird
PS150
Most Creative Cocktail Program, presented by Cointreau
Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Coley Cocktail Bar
Kenshin
Omakase + Appreciate
Best New Bar, presented by Campari
Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Joloko
Pacific Standard Bar (Alila Bangsar)
Three x Co
Bartender of the Year – Penang, presented by Giffard
Adrian Haslem Singha (Noble Experiment)
Kenny Loo Chia Chuen (12 Senses)
Muhammad Rushdi bin Md. Shaari (Magazine 63 天下第一客棧)
Spencer Ezra (Mish Mash)
Bartender of the Year – Kuala Lumpur, presented by Monkey Shoulder
Alvin Nirmal George “Loco” (Coley)
Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur)
Kho Chee Kheong (Coley, Pahit)
Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)
Bar of the Year – Penang, presented by Havana Club
Golden Shower by Chin Chin
Manchu
Mish Mash
Out of Nowhere
Bar of the Year – Kuala Lumpur, presented by Mekhong, the Spirit of Thailand
61 Monarchy
Bar Trigona (Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur)
Coley Cocktail Bar
PS150
To learn more about The Bar Awards, see our hub page here, or their Facebook page here.
DRiNK Magazine is the official publication partner for The Bar Awards 2018.
