One last round at Last Stop

[SINGAPORE] There’s always room for one more drink. And at new bar-within-a-bar Last Stop, that room comes in the form of a dimly lit, 12-seater cocoon designed for winding down.

On the second floor of a Purvis Street shophouse is minimalist Japanese cocktail bar Last Word; inside it, behind a curtain, is Last Stop.

Entering this space feels like stepping into a private living room after the party has mellowed out. Warm ambient lighting envelops the area, adding to the cosy feel of its cushy leather seats and honey-toned wood. Tunes from a vinyl player don’t command attention, but fill the background.

Colin Chia, chief executive of Nutmeg Collective – whose concepts include Last Stop, Last Word and bar-scene stalwart Nutmeg & Clove – said the interior is designed to capture the feeling of a good place for a nightcap.

“People often end up going to a friend’s home for simple drinks, such as a bottle of wine or highballs, and easy conversation,” he said. “Inspired by that sense of comfort, the space features a warm, home-like atmosphere with a kitchen counter-style bar that brings people together.”

The open bartop, with just five seats, feels more like a corner of a Tokyo apartment than a commercial nightspot.

Launched at the end of September, Last Stop is not quite an extension of the classic-cocktail-focused Last Word. While Last Word is known for its minimalist precision and mood-driven classics, Last Stop offers tea-laced cocktails, allowing guests to linger longer and sip lighter.

Closing cocktails

The menu – served only to Last Stop guests, not those in Last Word – is a lean line-up of six cocktails, each designed to refresh the palate, not overwhelm it.

Tea features prominently, adding a floral, mellow note to familiar forms.

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While the cocktails all happen to be non-shaken, Chia said the focus is on achieving the desired, aromatic flavours rather than on specific techniques, “providing a clean palate to end the night”.

The Chamomile Highball, for example, has a vodka base infused with chamomile tea. Mixed with the house bubble cordial – made from flat champagne from Last Word – and topped with soda, the tipple presents a cocktail version of a deep release after a long day.

Meanwhile, the Genmai-tini is a martini reimagined with gin, sake, dry vermouth and nutty genmaicha, served with a house-made ball of sake jelly.

The Peach & Earl Grey steeps bergamot in rum and then folds in notes of peach and pineapple, evoking lazy Sunday afternoons with a sweet note.

Spice lovers might gravitate towards the Spicy Margarita, made with mezcal and ginger flower, spiked with togarashi heat and a citrus twang.

For those who prefer a bold and brooding drink, there is the Sazerac, a potent blend of cognac and rye, warmed with Guinness stout, osmanthus and absinthe.

The last drink on the menu is the Chocolate Martini; this combines whisky with oolong tea, chocolate and hazelnut into a rich, liquid dessert.

Designed for the slow fade

As its name suggests, Last Stop is meant to be a final destination for bar hoppers wrapping up the night.

Chia said that before this section of Last Word became a drinking den, it served as the team’s research and development lab. While that experimentation has given way to a new drinking experience, the space continues to serve as a testing ground.

The six-drink menu is short but not static; Chia said the team aims to switch out a cocktail or two every couple of months. “This gives returning guests something new to discover while keeping the experience lively and seasonally inspired.”

Sazerac

• Wild Turkey Rye 20 g
• Hennessy VSOP 20 g
• Peychaud’s 0.2 g
• Hendrick’s Absinthe 0.1 g
• Guinness Muscovado syrup 7 g
• Osmanthus tincture 1 g
• Water 5 g