Singapore happens to be one of the busiest transit hubs where air travel is concerned, but the problem for many transit passengers is that despite sometimes having quite a bit of free time they can’t actually leave the airport to experience what the country has to offer, such as our wonderful food culture or the burgeoning cocktail bar scene. For the latter, though, things are about to change as luxury travel retailer DFS will be bringing the bar experience to them, at least for a while – from Friday 20 May to Thursday 30 June, DFS will be hosting the DFS Cocktail Festival at the DFS Wines and Spirits Duplex at Terminal 3, Changi Airport in celebration of the store’s first anniversary.

Home to over 440 alcohol brands scattered over 11,000 square foot space across two floors, the DFS Wines and Spirits Duplex – the first two-storey outlet of its kind in any airport – will play host to an entire bevy of guest mixologists and bartenders from highly-rated bars across the island over six weeks at the duplex’s bar on the second floor. The cocktail festival will showcase various signature cocktails specially designed to reflect iconic Singapore eats such as chicken rice, chng tng and kaya toast. Even better? The cocktails are free of charge for any traveller (of legal age, of course).

Conceptualised by the folks over at spirits distributor Proof & Company, the three signature cocktails are:

DFS Cocktail Festival Signature Cocktails

Chop Chop Lah

A refreshing drink inspired by chicken rice made with Absolut Vodka, ginger syrup, lemon juice, East Imperial soda, fresh cucumber and parsley.

Shiok Date

Zesty and vibrant, this features Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, lemon juice, date syrup, Luxardo Maraschino, egg white, goji berries and takes its cue from cheng tng, a traditional herbal soup dessert.

Kiasu Kaya

The quintessential tropical holiday drink using the beloved Singaporean flavours of coconut and pandan of the local breakfast favourite, made with Ron Zacapa rum, Benedictine D.O.M., fresh pineapple juice, fresh orange juice and coconut pandan syrup.

Bar appearances and other events

Some of the country’s best bartenders will be taking up guest shifts at the duplex’s bar on the weekends from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

Adam Bursik, The Library

May 20 – 21: 28 Hong Kong Street featuring Brendon Khoo (“Young Bartender of the Year” at the recent The Bar Awards 2016)
May 27 – 28: Jigger & Pony featuring Christyne Lee
June 10 – 11: Manhattan featuring Philip Bischoff
June 17 – 18: The Library featuring Adam Eddy Bursik (pictured above)
June 24 – 25: Smoke & Mirrors featuring Byron Tan

Each bar will present their interpretation of a Singapore-inspired cocktail exclusively designed for the festival, to be revealed and made available only that weekend. 

The space also will play host to various mini masterclasses during the week, as well as a champagne cocktail party hosted by Veuve Clicquot to launch their new product Veuve Clicquot Rich on 3 and 4 June, 2016.

“The cocktail festival is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best of our local talent and pay homage to Singapore’s unique culture. Travelers will be taken on a tantalizing journey through the diverse and rich flavors of Singapore,” said Wilcy Wong, DFS Group’s Managing Director, Singapore and Indonesia. “We are honoured to be working with some of Asia’s top bars and together with Changi Airport Group, we look forward to welcoming travelers to enjoy the festival at our DFS Wines and Spirits Duplex at Terminal 3.”

“The DFS Cocktail Festival is an innovative and fun way to celebrate the duplex’s anniversary,” says Teo Chew Hoon, Changi Airport Group’s Senior Vice President for Airside Concessions. “Furthermore, this festival will give travelers the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s top bartenders at Changi,” she adds.

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