Toast the season with these festive libations from some of Singapore’s most beloved bars inspired by the very Filipino flavours of ube in Part II of our festive guide this year.
It’s not just you – the air is definitely filling with the scent of nostalgia, indulgence, and celebration as the holidays fast approach. If you’re looking for different ways to celebrate this year, why not raise a glass to the season with something truly unique, such as festive cocktails with a taste of the Philippines?
Destileria Barako, a trailblazer in the Philippine spirits scene, has partnered a slew of bars in Singapore to create whimsical yet thought-provoking cocktails using its innovative Ube Cream Liqueur and a lineup of other inventive creations inspired by the vibrant flavours of the archipelago.
Destileria Barako’s flagship Ube Cream Liqueur puts ube – the beloved purple yam that’s a staple in Filipino desserts – centre stage in this lineup of inspired libations that blend tradition with a playful sense of modernity. From the creamy allure of Ube Cream Liqueur to the indulgent caramel notes of Kanto Salted Caramel Vodka, many of these holiday cocktails are more than just drinks — they are flavour journeys that showcase the essence of Filipino culture.
Whether you’re craving something sweet, bold, or nostalgic, these festive drinks promise to make your year-end celebrations unforgettable.
*This article is brought to you in collaboration with JD SIP, the exclusive Singapore importer for Distileria Barako.
Jungle Ballroom
If home is where the heart is, the Ube at Jungle Ballroom by Bar Manager Adrian Besa is his heartfelt cocktail tribute to his roots. Named after his hometown of Pampanga in Central Luzon, this silky concoction of Ube Cream Liqueur, Polish rye vodka, jackfruit syrup and coconut cream is a cocktail reimagination of the Filipino ube-based desserts – think buns stuffed with ube halaya often eaten during Noche Buena, or ube leche flan cake – from his youth. Sweet, rich and delectably indulgent, this is a taste of Christmas in the tropics with just a little punch from the liqueur and vodka.
Alternatively, there’s Kanto, a Rum Old Fashioned also inspired by yet another one of Besa’s favourite childhood treats. Concocted with banana-infused rum, Kanto Salted Caramel Vodka, and Kanto Perya Popcorn Vodka, this spirit-forward tipple bursts with notes of caramel, banana and salted popcorn, which sounds exactly like the kind of cocktail we’d take time to savour.
The good news? Both Pampanga and Kanto are on Jungle Ballroom’s current Jungle Journeys cocktail menu and will be available for the foreseeable future.
Jungle Ballroom | 16A Duxton Hill, #03-03 Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Singapore 089970 (Google Maps link) | 7pm to 2am Tuesdays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays and Mondays | mondrianhotels.com/singapore-duxton/dining/jungle-ballroom | 6019 6005 | book here
Republic Bar
How do you take eggnog – that nostalgic holiday classic traditionally associated with Christmas and New Year made from a mixture of milk, cream, sugar, egg, and spices, and often laced with alcohol – and make it better?
Well, the folks at Republic Bar added the flavour of ube. And made it better they did.
Their version, Yam Eggnog, combines the usual eggnog ingredients but amps it up with hefty lashes of Ube Cream Liqueur and dark rum for an inventive twist to the festive drink, along with a dusting of cinnamon and some desiccated coconut for added flavour complexity and a tropical touch.
While this seasonal cocktail is only going to be available till 5 January 2025, remember to also check out Republic Bar’s ongoing Volume Three menu.
Republic Bar | 7 Raffles Avenue, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Singapore 039799 (Google Maps link) | 5pm to 12am daily | republicbar.com.sg | 6434 5289 | book here
MOGA
Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
MOGA.
MOGA who?
It’s Japanese-inspired izakaya bar MOGA from Pullman Singapore Hill Street with Nog Nog Who’s There, another ube twist on the traditional eggnog that draws flirty cues from Japanese kakigori shaved ice, crafted lovingly using Ube Cream Liqueur, whiskey, Azuki red beans, egg yolk, cream and milk. Perfect for those with a sweet tooth, this festive dessert cocktail is available for the whole of December.
MOGA | 1 Hill St, Pullman Singapore Hill Street, Singapore 179949 (Google Maps link) | 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 12am Mondays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays | www.pullmansingaporehillstreet.com/restaurants-bars/moga | 6019 7888 | book here
Night Hawk
Sinewy Refreshment may sound more Halloween than Christmas, but this inventive cocktail from Night Hawk’s current Transferable Memories menu actually draws inspiration from traditional street desserts containing some kind of local fruit and house-made syrup that can be found all over the world.
Nostalgia much? This take on the Milk Punch by the Edward Hopper-themed cocktail bar uses Ube Cream Liqueur, V.S.O.P. Cognac, banana rum, passionfruit, coconut matcha tea and milk to create a silkily smooth sip that will have you craving for the desserts from your childhood.
Available till September 2025.
Night Hawk | 43 Tanjong Pagar Rd, #01-02, Singapore 088464 (Google Maps link) | 5.30pm to 12am Tuesdays to Saturdays; closed on Sundays and Mondays | www.nighthawk.sg | 9666 0928
Employees Only Singapore
Here’s a Leap of Faith that doesn’t take much convincing. This seasonal cocktail at Employees Only Singapore is an absolute festive treat, one that reimagines the Mai Tai into something uniquely Asian and even more tropical than the classic.
You’ll absolutely want to jump at this concoction of Ube Cream Liqueur, blend of light and dark rums, falernum, lime, coconut cream, and pineapple juice, because it’s rich, punchy, and yet altogether refreshing at the same time. To think this festive creation came out of an internal team competition! A winner in our books.
Available the entire month of December 2024.
Employee’s Only Singapore | 112 Amoy St, Singapore 069932 (Google Maps link) | 5pm to 1am Sundays to Fridays; 5pm to 2am on Saturdays | employeesonlysg.com | 6221 7357
The Lobby Lounge, InterContinental Singapore
Most of us would be tempted to dismiss The Lobby Lounge at InterContinental Singapore as yet another atrium lounge more adept at slinging out pots of tea than imaginative cocktails. But most of us would be wrong. Each of the cocktails from The Lobby Lounge’s current menu tell the story of a particular landmark in the hotel’s surrounding environs such as nearby Kampong Glam or the National Library building just across.
Gothic Arch similarly drips with Singapore culture and history. Comprising Ube Cream Liqueur, spiced rum, banana liqueur, and Amaretto, this creamy digestif -garnished with ginkgo nut and coconut flakes – is a cocktail tribute to the historic CHIJMES complex down the road boasting familiar, rather festive flavours that will remind you of traditional yam based desserts with a splash of lime juice for balance and freshness.
Available until next menu change.
The Lobby Lounge | InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966 (Google Maps link) | 9am to 11.30pm Sundays to Thursdays; 9am to 12am Fridays and Saturdays | singapore.intercontinental.com/dine/lobby-lounge | 6825 1046 | book here
Chandu
You may be hard pressed to find the entrance to Chandu, but you’ll be glad when you do. This well-hidden, intimate speakeasy at The Robertson House by The Crest Collection is decked out like an illicit den from Singapore’s more unsavoury past, although the only naughty things here are its delicious cocktails.
Like Prescription. The drink harkens back to the time when opium was limited to medicinal use, and here the tea-like concoction – ‘brewed’ using Ube Cream Liqueur, vodka, The Robertson House’s house tea blend, vanilla, and spiced orange – offers up soul-healing properties and will remind you of heartwarming times of tea and Christmas cookies at the family table. Just the kind of medicine we love.
Available from December.
Chandu | 1 Unity St, The Robertson House by The Crest Collection, Singapore 237983 (Google Maps link) | 5pm to 12am Sundays to Wednesdays; 5pm to 1am Thursdays to Saturdays | www.discoverasr.com/en/the-crest-collection/singapore/the-robertson-house-by-the-crest-collection/dining | 8380 1694 | book here
Hopscotch
Skip, don’t run when you hear the ice cream man. Inspired by the mobile carts and the friendly uncles who sold ice cream from them that were once so prevalent in Singapore neighbourhoods, Ice on Wheels at Hopscotch take you back to those nostalgic times of dropping everything and rushing down to the ice cream man when you hear the familiar toot of his horn.
Made with Ube Cream Liqueur, dark rum, Horlicks, yam ice cream, chocolate liqueur, milk and vanilla syrup, this dessert cocktail certainly harkens to those childhood days. After all, we’re sure many of us opted for a mix of flavours – including yam – and have them melt and come together into a delicious mess. And that’s what this cocktail tastes like.
Available at all Hopscotch outlets now through 2025.
Hopscotch | multiple outlets: Capitol Arcade, Gardens By The Bay, and Gillman Barracks | opening times differ from location to location | www.hopscotch.sg | Capitol Arcade – 6513 0035, Gardens By The Bay – 6539 9653, and Gillman Barracks – 6339 0633 | book here
Brass Lion Distillery
Tucked within arguably Singapore’s first craft gin distillery, Brass Lion Distillery, is a tasting room that brings all those Singapore-inspired gins to life by turning them into delicious cocktails. And what better way to celebrate this festive season than using fabulous locally-made, artisanal gin to make eggnog?
And that’s what you get to try, among many other fun conconctions, at the Brass Lion tasting room. The Ube Eggnog builds upon the classic eggnog using the Brass Lion Singapore Dry Gin, then layering it with Ube Cream Liqueur, egg liqueur, milk, cream and vanilla syrup for a most luscious, velvety grog. You’ll definitely want to have more than one.
Available now till end December.
Brass Lion Distillery | 40 Alexandra Terrace, Singapore 119933 (Google Maps link) | 5pm to 11.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays; 1pm to 7pm on Sundays; closed on Mondays | brassliondistillery.com | 6954 0602 | book here
NOVA
One of the more stunning open rooftop party venues to recently open in Singapore is NOVA. Perched atop nightlife destination HighHouse in One Raffles Place, NOVA offers immersive, panoramic views of the Singapore evening skyline to take in while you slowly sip on champagne…
Or sling back shots like there’s no tomorrow. Such as with the likes of the NOVA-WA-STAR, which are essentially amped up shots comprising Ube Cream Liqueur, house-infused pineapple rum, and sweet and sour. Strong, sweet and rich, it’s intense in every sense of the word and perfect for smashing down while jiving to the throbbing beats driven by the rooftop bar’s cutting-edge DJs.
Available now.
NOVA | 1 Raffles Pl, Level 63, One Raffles Place, Singapore 048616 (Google Maps link) | 6pm to 1am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; 6pm to 3am Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; closed on Sundays | novabar.sg | 9677 5639 | book here
Hathaway
Sequestered within the vibrant Dempsey F&B and nightlife cluster is Hathaway, a contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant that celebrates the flavours that make up our archipelago, drawing from the many cuisines and bountiful regional largesse for dishes that surprise and delight in equal measure.
Much like one of its new cocktails, the Pink Starfruit. The starfruit is a uniquely Southeast Asian fruit that is much beloved across the region, and here the notes of lychee and lemongrass in Destileria Barako’s Gayuma Liqueur combines beautifully with herbaceous tequila, starfruit and lime for a refreshing tequila sour that’s sure to please most palates or pair with Hathaway’s progressive cuisine.
Available now.
Hathaway | Block 13 Dempsey Rd, #01-07, Singapore 249674 (Google Maps link) | 11.30am to 10pm Mondays to Fridays; 11am to 10pm Saturdays and Sundays | www.hathaway.com.sg | 9665 0681 | book here
Cook & Brew
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Have your wish granted at Cook & Brew, The Westin Singapore’s signature gastropub. Their festive cocktail, White Christmas, is a tasty reminder that you can have a taste of the festive season without travelling somewhere with snow.
Made with Destileria Barako’s Kanto Salted Caramel Vodka – a sugar cane-based spirit bursting with sweet caramel notes from muscovado sugar and lashed with sea salt – along with more vodka, white cacao, fresh milk, some chocolate bitters, and rosemary and pomegrenate for added complexity, this cocktail is definitely a taste of the holidays.
Available till end December.
Cook & Brew | 12 Marina View Asia Square Tower 2, Level 33 The Westin Singapore, 018961 (Google Maps link) | 11.30am to 11pm Mondays to Thursdays; 11.30am to 12am on Fridays; 3pm to 11pm on Saturdays; closed on Sundays | www.cookandbrewsingapore.com | 6922 6948 | book here
Anti:dote
In line with the festive theme, Anti:dote in Fairmont Singapore has introduced Misa de Gallo, named after the tradition in the Philippines of early morning mass nine days before Christmas.
Inspired by the beloved Filipino delicacy of puto bumbong, a beloved Filipino delicacy of butter-slathered rice cakes that’s topped with sugar and grated fresh coconut often eaten during Misa de Gallo, this sweet and creamy milkshake-like cocktail is made with Ube Cream Liqueur, coconut-washed and spiced rums, pandan-infused milk, and just a touch of parmesan for a savoury hit. It’s Filipino Christmas in a glass, this is.
Available from 9 December till end of year.
Anti:dote | 80 Bras Basah Rd, Level 1 Fairmont, Singapore 189560 (Google Maps link) | 12pm to 12am daily | www.antidotebar.sg | 6431 6156 | book here
Rabbit’s Hole
One of Singapore’s most elusive party spots, Rabbit’s Hole, only comes alive late evening on weekends. That’s when the vibrant queer haven draws a totally different set from to the normally staid, strait-laced Central Business District crowd that throng Robinson Road during office hours for parties of epic, liberal proportions.
Since Rabbit’s Hole is all about celebrating self expression and discovery, why not discover Ube Cream Liqueur in all its natural glory? Besides how much more glamorous can one get than with sweet, creamy royally purple shots of Ube Cream Liqueur, like the queens you are?
Rabbit’s Hole | 138 Robinson Rd, #04-02 Oxley Tower, Singapore 068906 (Google Maps link) | 9pm to 3am on Friday; 10pm to 3am on Saturdays; closed Sundays to Thursdays | rabbitsholesg.com
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