Currently one of the hippest hotel cocktail bars in the CBD, this gorgeous city bar is your new go-to for gin
We can’t tell you where to find a time machine that’ll shuttle you back to the glitzy ’20s when bespoke cocktails were all the rage, but we might’ve just found the next best thing. Located on the ground floor of Oasia Hotel Downtown, Singapore, is this bar hideout that’ll toss you in a time warp that Dr. Emmett Brown would approve. And its primary bevvie of choice? Good ol’ gin.
Introducing Cin Cin, a new Tanjong Pagar den that reflects the refined glamour of bars in the 1920s Prohibition Era. Here, sage green walls mirror the emerald, padded stools and sofas, while bronze ceiling fans rotate hypnotically beneath a sloped, cobalt roof. A sleek logo of a fox holding a key in its mouth gazes across the long bar counter, which displays an imposing wall of gins (over 40 types are available here) and liqueurs that Cin Cin doesn’t attempt to play down. But despite the Gatsby-esque panache that Cin Cin exudes effortlessly, we promise you won’t feel the slightest hint of pompousness – and especially if you’re a gin guzzler, this will feel like home.
Gin is the no-brainer bevvie here; that’s as obvious as asking Agent 007 what his poison is. The eponymous Cin Cin cocktail ($20) – mixed using Bulldog Gin, togarashi-infused Lillet Blanc, Bittermens hopped grapefruit bitters and grapefruit peel – is a dry, potent concoction that does away with sweet or floral flavours; gin purists should probably go for this one. But on the flipside, for those prefer latching onto citrusy tastes, the Operation Siam ($20) is another Bulldog-built mixture that offers a light, spritzing alternative with fresh lime juice, fizzy Thai ginger ale, and the fragrance of rosemary.
Another go-to for gin lovers is Cin Cin’s take on the Negroni – the Earlgroni ($18) is a strong, spicy tipple that doesn’t skim on the bitterness of the Bulldog-infused Earl Grey. And for something decadent, the Bronze Venus ($26) heightens the gin experience with a Valrhona Eclat dark chocolate stick to complement this cocktail’s sugary sweetness with a bitter aftertaste. Aside from Bulldog Gin, you’ll find specialty cocktails using other renowned gin components such as No. 3 London Dry (1985, $26), Monkey 47 (Bloody Monkey, $22), and Bankes London Dry (Code Red, $20) – so you definitely won’t run short of options if gin’s your game.
And naturally, if you wanna be a boss like Bond and order your Martini, they’ve got it here too. Cin Cin will make you feel luxe without the tux, and it’s easily an after-work joint you’d wanna bring your pals and fellow gin enthusiasts. This new dig isn’t shying away from being on the forefront of Singapore’s best gin bars, and that’s something we’ll confidently toast with a “cin cin”.
Cin Cin, Lvl 1 Oasia Hotel Downtown Singapore, 100 Peck Seah Street, Singapore 079333, p. 6385 2604. Open 5pm-12am.
