The Last Word on classic cocktails

JUST above the lively Nutmeg & Clove bar on Purvis Street is a quieter hideaway by the same team, lying behind a Japanese curtain bearing its name – Last Word – and up a flight of stairs.

A sleek bartop spans most of the second-floor shophouse unit, with some tables closer to the window. Behind the bar, there are no bottles in sight, just elegant glassware. White walls, soft lighting, and pale wood complete the minimalist look.

Though quieter than the flagship bar below, the vibe is relaxed rather than austere. Says Nutmeg & Clove group general manager Shelley Tai: “We want it to be more like a fun place, not too formal.”

Lo-fi beats are on the playlist, a piano is tucked away in a corner, and the bar recently experimented with its first live music jazz night.

“We started from the name first,” says Tai, explaining how she and founder Colin Chia conceptualised the bar. The Last Word is their favourite cocktail – and, in fact, brought her into the craft cocktail scene.

Previously a bartender in nightclubs, Tai tried the Last Word at a Japanese-style bar in Hong Kong and was won over: “That’s why I wanted to change and work in a cocktail bar.”

A forgotten classic from the Prohibition era, the Last Word combines gin and chartreuse with maraschino liqueur and lime, topped with a brandied cherry.

Last Word’s take on its eponymous cocktail features the classic ingredients, but with a tweaked ratio. “The old recipe might not fit the modern palate,” says Tai, noting that the traditional version is more syrupy.

Beyond this signature drink, other classics fill the menu, with the “bartender’s choice” selection including familiar names such as the Bloody Mary and Mai Tai.

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The former is particularly popular, says Tai. Their version uses celery-infused vodka with a blend of local tomatoes – “too green” on their own – and sweet cherry tomatoes.

Other classics are grouped by flavour profile. The “bubbly and refreshing” list includes the Paloma and John Collins; under “fresh and bright” fall the Whisky Sour and Penicillin.

The classic Martini is on the “stylish and sophisticated” list. For something “boozy and rich”, try a Martinez or Sazerac; round off the night with a “sweet and delightful” Grasshopper or Brandy Alexander.

Since opening in January 2022, the bar’s cocktail list has expanded: “That’s our direction. We want to grow so you can explore more and more classic cocktails.”

“We also want to bring in some forgotten cocktails,” she says, dubbing this “education” for both guests and the bartenders themselves. The team came across the Chrysanthemum, for instance, in a New York bar: a pre-Prohibition tipple that mixes absinthe, vermouth and Benedictine liqueur.

Another discovery was the No 8, with its combination of tequila, sherry, Drambuie and orange bitters. Its inclusion on the menu is also a nod to the bar’s address at 8 Purvis Street.

For a more compact selection, there is the pared-down happy hour quartet: Boulevardier, Gimlet, Jasmine Highball, and the crowd favourite, Sake Sakura Martini.

The bar also has a page-long Japanese food menu, including croquettes, chicken karaage and grilled wagyu steak. On Sundays, you can also get a warm bowl of oden, that quintessential broth-based comfort food.

Sake Sakura Martini 15ml vodka 45ml junmai ginjo sake 10ml Hayashi Tsuru Sakura liqueur Garnished with sakura blossom