Singapore bars find growing niche in artisanal booze

LOOKING for something beyond wine, whisky or even sake bars during a night out with friends? How about a flight tasting of craft makgeolli at the Odem bar, which specialises in rare versions of the Korean rice wine? Or artisanal umeshu at the speakeasy Ume Maru? Or armagnac, a rare brandy at SyZyGy?

The three are just some of the players in a growing scene of niche bars that add a new level of exclusivity and uniqueness to the local drinking scene. Their owners are passionate about personally seeking out products rarely seen in the local market, and they’re finding an eager audience among both connoisseurs and novice drinkers.

New niche

SyZyGy is the first bar concept in Singapore dedicated to armagnac, a type of small-batch brandy from the Gascony region of south-west France. Rare blends and naturally aged vintages of armagnac as well as unique, rare vintages of cognac and calvados are offered – some served by the glass or used in cocktails.