SyZyGy is a cosy yet sophisticated bar along Beach Road that lines up the best in the great French brandy making tradition.
I wouldn’t have known what syzygy is if not for the recent Netflix cult hit 3 Body Problem. That science fiction drama series featured a plot around syzygy, an astronomical conjunction when the sun, moon and earth line up in a row.
But there’s also SyZyGy the bar. Recently opened along the part of Beach Road intersecting bustling Haji Lane, this second-floor watering hole is, if you allow me the expression, built of a different spirit. It won’t be evident when you first step into its cosy, elegant confines, but it’ll strike you once you look closely enough.
It’s a temple dedicated to French brandy. Particularly Armagnac. Indeed SyzyGy may be Singapore’s first-ever bar focused on artisanal Armagnacs, premium Cognacs, and even Calvados.
Now for those who aren’t too familiar with Armagnac, this is a brandy that hails from the Gascony region of southern France, just south of the famous winemaking region of Bordeaux. While it is often compared to Cognac, Armagnacs are made quite differently from Cognac even if both are distilled from grapes. For one, Armagnac can be distilled from up to ten different grape varietals – but mostly from four, specifically Folle Blanche, Colombard, Ugni Blanc and Baco – while Cognac is made almost exclusively from Ugni Blanc.
And unlike Cognac which is distilled using a traditional Charentais pot still, Armagnac is instead made using a continuous column still. Armagnac also predates Cognac as the oldest French brandy. Historical texts from the 1400s actually mention Armagnac.
But however they are made, Cognac and Armagnac both belong to a proud French tradition.
And that’s something SyZyGy aims to remind us. Right now the bar is home to some 10 excellent marques of Armagnac, two for Cognac, and two for Calvados, specially brought in by owner Selin Tanetvitayavet, who distributes them under Exquisite Elixir in Thailand (the range is also available here from its Singapore partner One Minor Group through its B2C platform One Cellar).
Armagnacs include those from Chateau de Lacquy and Dartigalongue, both of which have been producing vintages for more than 200 years, as well as highly sought-after Laberdolive and Domaine Boingneres, widely considered as the “King and Queen of Armagnac”.
And for keen Armagnac fans, take note. Here’s one place you can find several examples of Blanche Armagnac, or white Armagnac.
“SyZyGy is a bridge between great spirits and discerning consumers. Our aim is to make Armagnac more accessible to die-hard enthusiasts and more approachable for newcomers who embrace a quest for excellence,” shares Selin Tanetvitayavet.
Right now the range at SyZyGy is exclusively from Exquisite Elixir, but Tanetvitayavet tells me she’s definitely looking to expand the selection to include those from other importers including those from the big Cognac houses. It would be an educational exercise to compare her Armagnacs alongside a Hennessy or Martell, for sure.
For now, a fun thing to do is to spot and purchase a taste of Armagnac from your vintage year, something you can do with Armagnac but very rarely a Cognac. As long as you’re not older than older than 102; the Laberdolive 1923, which is bottled in 2021, is the oldest Armagnac currently available at SyZyGy.
For those who are not into drinking spirits neat, there is an interesting selection of brandy-forward cocktails at SyZyGy.
SyZyGy the brandy bar is so named because, like how it’s inspired by the celestial alignment, its owners believe in the importance of the harmony of taste, aroma and intensity embodied in its brandy and cocktail offerings. I did get into 3 Body Problem, and I certainly can get behind this brandy revolution.
No problem at all.
SyZyGy
Address 247 Beach Rd, Level 2, Singapore 189756 (Google Maps link)
Opening Hours 5pm to 11.30pm Mondays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays
Tel (65) 8363 4280
Web linktr.ee/syzygy_sg
Instagram @syzygy_sg
Facebook syzygybarsg
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