Drinking is more than just about entertainment, it also generates a hidden, aesthetic vibe of charismatic stories, creative inventions, and meticulous processes.
In this vein, PHRAYA was pleased to present ‘Meet the Craft, Episode 1: Battle of the Four Elements by Native x Vesper’ featuring two leading mixologists from Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019. Leon Tan, Head Bartender at Native, the celebrated cocktail bar in Singapore which recently reached fourth place in the rankings, and Palm-Supawit Muttarattana, Group Bar Manager at Vesper, the hugely popular Thai cocktail bar, ranked 26th, participated in the exclusive “Guest Shift” event, a cool mixology exchange conveying unique trends in the respective drinking cultures of Thailand and Singapore. This was followed by the “Bar Swap” which brought Leon Tan to Bangkok to show-off his skills and flair in creating an exclusive cocktail menu inspired by PHRAYA’s four elements – Earth, Water, Fire and Air.
In this vein, PHRAYA was pleased to present ‘Meet the Craft, Episode 1: Battle of the Four Elements by Native x Vesper’ featuring two leading mixologists from Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019. Leon Tan, Head Bartender at Native, the celebrated cocktail bar in Singapore which recently reached fourth place in the rankings, and Palm-Supawit Muttarattana, Group Bar Manager at Vesper, the hugely popular Thai cocktail bar, ranked 26th, participated in the exclusive “Guest Shift” event, a cool mixology exchange conveying unique trends in the respective drinking cultures of Thailand and Singapore. This was followed by the “Bar Swap” which brought Leon Tan to Bangkok to show-off his skills and flair in creating an exclusive cocktail menu inspired by PHRAYA’s four elements – Earth, Water, Fire and Air.
In this first episode, Vesper hosted Singapore’s Native Bar in Bangkok. The sessions included an insightful “Rum Talk” on the topic of “What’s trending right now?” which covered the latest rum trends, the special drinking styles in Singapore and Thailand, and the lifestyles of a new generation of drinkers who are open to original and creative cocktail ideas. An informative talk was given by Phraya’s Brand Ambassador, Paul Warathep Chandeeraj, who discussed the brand’s rich heritage, inspiration, and the production methods that go into producing this excellent rum. PHRAYA Gold Rum, with its rich amber color and known as the “Craft of Refinement,” provides an enticing and exotic taste that has become adored by drinkers and bars around the world. This distinctive rum draws its inspiration from the four elements – Earth: The sugarcane used to make PHRAYA is grown in the fertile Nakhon Pathom province; Water: PHRAYA is distilled using purified soft natural water from the Ta Chin river; Fire: PHRAYA is aged in charred oak barrels which provide a distinctive aroma and flavor; Air: The selected PHRAYA oak barrels spend 7-12 years maturing slowly over cool lagoons to produce one of Asia’s finest rums.
A challenge to the rum’s maturation process in Thailand is the country’s tropical climate, which causes the rum to partly evaporate. However, the positive outcomes are an intense rich complex character, giving the key aromas of vanilla, caramel and an intense honey sweetness that is complemented by gentle aromatic spices. PHRAYA’s successful integration of these elements has resulted in a leading, world-class premium aged rum, recognized through numerous international awards, including the silver medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2018, and achieving the Category Winner at the World Rum Awards 2017, which brought tremendous pride to the Thai people.
Next, “Palm-Supawit Muttarattana,” an international champion mixologist and Group Bar Manager at Vesper, with its signature cocktail menu based on the exotic inspirations of Modern Art pieces, provided his thoughts on the current drinking trends in Thailand. He noted that cocktails have gained widespread recognition, while around 10 years ago, they were largely served in hotel bars. Nowadays, cocktails can be found at restaurants or bars in general, and also at many stand-alone formats. This year, a total of seven bars in Bangkok are ranked in Asia’s 50 Best Bars. In addition, the young generation have easy access to information online, so they know more about the better places to eat and drink, which has contributed to increased popularity in cocktail bars this year, with even greater interest expected next year. Another key element to pay attention to is the way modern consumers are now looking for a premium and authentic experience from drinking. PHRAYA is therefore the finest rum that perfectly meets this demand as intricately flavored cocktails require a superb quality spirit. Creating a cocktail menu requires just the right balance between the ingredients used and how they best support and complement one another. The Meet the Craft activity therefore served as a hugely versatile exchange in both culture and mixology science. What’s important to note is that both mixologists and drinkers keep an open mind when exchanging ideas as mixology science is an intrinsically artistic field. Palm-Supawit also introduced a cocktail crafted with PHRAYA, together with a water element called APO, representing a refreshing vibe with pineapple juice, which was served as a welcome drink for all of the guests in attendance. It’s also one of the cocktail creations he will craft in Singapore in mid-June.
Next, “Palm-Supawit Muttarattana,” an international champion mixologist and Group Bar Manager at Vesper, with its signature cocktail menu based on the exotic inspirations of Modern Art pieces, provided his thoughts on the current drinking trends in Thailand. He noted that cocktails have gained widespread recognition, while around 10 years ago, they were largely served in hotel bars. Nowadays, cocktails can be found at restaurants or bars in general, and also at many stand-alone formats. This year, a total of seven bars in Bangkok are ranked in Asia’s 50 Best Bars. In addition, the young generation have easy access to information online, so they know more about the better places to eat and drink, which has contributed to increased popularity in cocktail bars this year, with even greater interest expected next year. Another key element to pay attention to is the way modern consumers are now looking for a premium and authentic experience from drinking. PHRAYA is therefore the finest rum that perfectly meets this demand as intricately flavored cocktails require a superb quality spirit. Creating a cocktail menu requires just the right balance between the ingredients used and how they best support and complement one another. The Meet the Craft activity therefore served as a hugely versatile exchange in both culture and mixology science. What’s important to note is that both mixologists and drinkers keep an open mind when exchanging ideas as mixology science is an intrinsically artistic field. Palm-Supawit also introduced a cocktail crafted with PHRAYA, together with a water element called APO, representing a refreshing vibe with pineapple juice, which was served as a welcome drink for all of the guests in attendance. It’s also one of the cocktail creations he will craft in Singapore in mid-June.
Last but not least was “Leon Tan,” Head Bartender at Native Bar in Singapore, with its signature presentation of Asian culture, and known for using a variety of ingredients from across the region, and only Asian spirits in its cocktails. Handmade aprons are crafted from local natural materials, contributing to Native’s uniqueness. While the bar’s playlist consists of Asian artists. Native is committed to sustainable and eco-friendly practices in using resources according to the Sustainable Bartending concept. Examples include creating a food preservation process to extend the shelf life of ingredients and using eco-friendly materials (zero use of plastic straws and use of recycled coasters made from baked lotus leaves). Native is also well-known for its successful approach to zero-waste management reducing maximum waste to only 50 grams monthly. Leon described the drinking trends in Singapore as being diverse, vibrant, and growing significantly as there are many cocktail bars in different styles that have opened to address the lifestyle trends of consumers looking for new ideas in their drinks. He then led the highlight of the activity with the “Swap Bar” session creating four new cocktails using PHRAYA as the base, providing an opportunity to truly savor the Craft of Refinement. The creations, inspired by his understanding of Thainess, were presented through four cocktails: EARTH, WATER, FIRE, and AIR.
Enjoy the four cocktail menu creations crafted with the inspiration of PHRAYA GOLD RUM at Vesper, on Convent Road from today onwards. And stay up-to-date with our stories and interesting activities at: https://www.facebook.com/phrayaagedrum/
#MeetTheCraft #PHRAYARUM #GoldRum #AgedRum
- EARTH presents the inspiration of land which brings fertility to plants incorporating blue peas, sugarcane vinegar, jackfruit, and Calamansi tonic.
- WATER is inspired by Thai rice in ice water (Kao Chae) refreshed by a jasmine aroma from the Jasmine flower Koji, pineapple juice, and pandan aroma from pandan water kafir, garnished with crispy-fried rice on top.
- FIRE is represented through spiciness and aroma, from the ingredients of Native’s signature distillery technique called Green Curry Distillate, together with chilli padi, coconut water, and smoked coconut husk.
- AIR is inspired by the cool breeze using pomelo juice mixed with Triona Mead and Ginger Kombucha with its light ginger flavor.
Enjoy the four cocktail menu creations crafted with the inspiration of PHRAYA GOLD RUM at Vesper, on Convent Road from today onwards. And stay up-to-date with our stories and interesting activities at: https://www.facebook.com/phrayaagedrum/
#MeetTheCraft #PHRAYARUM #GoldRum #AgedRum
