Skai Bar is the new sky high bar with cocktails made of ingredients like seaweed, shiitake, and prickly pear

Nori cocktail. Photo: Skai Bar
Nori cocktail. Photo: Skai Bar

All the other rooftop bars offering sights of the CBD had better watch out, because there’s a newcomer to the scene, with cocktails that take you on a trek through Mother Nature’s finest and most glorious. Perched on the 70th level of Swissôtel The Stamford, steps away from its sister restaurant, Skai Bar is a cozy escape from the crowds below, for after-work drinkers to clink glasses.

The decor isn’t much to shout about — it’s essentially what you’d expect a standard, sophisticated hotel bar to look like — but what we love are the floor-to-ceiling windows that highlight the reddish-orange hues of each day’s sunset. So head over before it gets dark, because the changing view from day to night is worth nabbing the bar’s best seats.

Photo: Skai Bar
Photo: Skai Bar

Taking inspiration from the earth’s varying elevation levels, the menu guides you through sea level and tropical rainforest to high desert and alpine, with unconventional concoctions that strive to use ingredients you’d typically find at each altitude.

Start your journey by the sea, which beckons seafood lovers with drinks that surface memories of breezy beaches and vacations by the coast. The Nori Highball, served in an unassuming glass, offers unexpectedly savory sips of umami and fruity notes, blending the smokiness of Laphroaig 10-year-old whisky with Manzanilla sherry that’s been infused with nori and dried apple cider.

For a martini with a surprise, the Samphire Cocktail is made of gin, Noilly Prat vermouth, and samphire. And it comes with an oyster leaf, which tastes just like the mollusk it’s named after, giving a different dimension to the drink that’s reminiscent of the ocean.

'Sea' cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar
“Sea” cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar

Next up, an exploration of the rainforest and its lush foliage. The Shaman is an earthy mix of dark rum, house-made shiitake syrup, chuchuhuasi bitters, lime and grapefruit, while Camu Camu is an easy-to-please option that any lover of sweet and fruity drinks will enjoy. A twist on the classic pisco sour, the lovely-looking cocktail takes you to the tropics with its combination of camu camu cordial, hibiscus, and soursop purée, topped with a sugary camu camu and hibiscus tulle for you to nibble on.

'Rainforest' cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar
“Rainforest” cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar

If you’re in the mood for a thirst-quencher, the Oasis is a haven away from Singapore’s sunny rays the desert heat, shaking up cognac, summer pear juice, and cocklebur syrup with lemon, sage, and lavender for a fruit and herbal finish. Otherwise, Desert Rose serves up a mix of mezcal, liquorice syrup, and dry prickly pear cordial that looks pretty in pink.

'High desert' cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar
“High desert” cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar

Finish off in the mountainous regions at the alpine section of the menu, where you’ll trek to The Summit on mouthfuls of rye whisky, amaro sous vide with wild thyme, and a frothy topping of wild carrot air to mimic the drink’s namesake. For a more potent tipple, get a glass of Rolling Stone, which is made of vodka infused with fresh and dehydrated strawberries, absinthe, shrub, and sweet vermouth, then smoked with evergreen oak leaves.

Although ending on such a high could mean your fall back to ground level may not be as cushy as you’d like, but hey, there’s always next weekend.

'Alpine' cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar
“Alpine” cocktails. Photo: Skai Bar

 

FIND IT:
Skai Bar is at L70, Swissôtel The Stamford.
6837-3322. Sun-Thurs 3pm-1am, Fri-Sat 3pm-2am.

MRT: City Hall



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