For the past eight years, you could not spin out a list of cocktail bars in KL without mentioning Coley, a landmark in the Bangsar area and one of the first few to enter Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Loyal patrons will recognise their iconic Gin & Coconut drink, which is quite literally the perfect drink to start your night of imbibition. With the debut of their latest menu, however, Coley wants you to turn your gaze towards sherry-based aperitivos under the Vivo Aperitivo section.
Ask any Italian about aperitivo hour and they will likely speak passionately about it till dinnertime (and maybe even beyond). The concept of having a drink to whet the palate before dinner was so deeply imbued in them that it became part of their culture—something Coley’s founder CK Kho hopes to get going in this part of the world. Aperitif drinks are traditionally carbonated, low-ABV, and contain bitters—which have herbs that whet the appetite. Think along the lines of an Aperol Spritz, the aperitif of champions.
Of course, it isn’t a hard and fast rule; any drink can be an aperitivo as long as it is not too heavy on the palate and tastes reasonably refreshing, sometimes fizzy. With the Vivo Aperitivo menu, there is a focus on sherry-based aperitivo cocktails. Within that section of the menu, you can pick between four drinks and a Gonzalez Byass Sherry Flight, which gives you a better knowledge of the sherries in your drinks.
Enter the Vivo Aperitivo-verse
Sober
Get this if you favour richer flavour profiles instead of lighter ones, even if it’s for an aperitivo. Sober uses a base of Gonzalez Byass Palo Cortado Burnt Butter Sherry, layered with marmalade, lemon, and earl grey. Upon first sip, what comes to mind is a burnt butter and marmalade jam sandwich, which transitions to a sour, slightly vinegary sensation; an all-enveloping sourness that opens up the palate.
Dry Run
This one’s for the people who like their cocktails sweet. The Dry Run has a base of Gonzalez Byass Cream Sherry stirred with grapefruit, a sage tonic reduction, honeydew, and sweetened with a simple syrup. It’s not overly saccharine, but the notes of honeydew are immediately present, followed by a sourish-bitter aftertaste of grapefruit.
Shero
This cocktail embodies the classics of how an aperitivo should taste like: light and herbaceous. Yet, it doesn’t taste like an Aperol Spritz. With a base of Gonzalez Byass Cristina Medium Sherry alongside oolong cold brew and kumquat osmanthus cordial, the flavours in this is ultimately geared towards an Asian palate. It has a slightly plummy taste similar to umeshu, likely thanks to the kumquat cordial.
Rebujito
We tend to associate aperitif cocktails with a tall, high-ball style drink that tastes light. The Rebujito defies those connotations. It has a stronger flavour than the others with a thicker mouthfeel, but it’s not heavy at all. Rather, the drink is quite sparkly with a nice minty aftertaste thanks to the mint and lemon cordial topped with soda water.
Honour Roll Sips
Flipping through Coley KL’s newspaper menu, you’ll see that the list of drinks has increased exponentially. If you’re finding it difficult to settle on a drink, here are our recommendations:
Miloni
Legend has it that several years ago, Coley bartending legend Loco created a Milo-Negroni hybrid for Negroni Week. Unfortunately, after the week ended, the cocktail disappeared into obscurity—never to be seen again. The drinkers of yore would often wax lyrical about this elusive Miloni cocktail, and we never knew if it would return to the present realm…until now.
So, yes, the Miloni is officially part of Coley’s menu; a drink that will make you think you had one too many, thanks to the asymmetrical glassware and the diagonal Milo jelly, topped with Negroni. It’s a fun drink combining the joys of child- and adulthood, proving that the two can coexist.
Ginger Snap
On a cold, rainy day, it’s always nice to have something warm to soothe the soul. Instead of soup, why not a warm cocktail? The Ginger Snap is like a comforting hot ginger tea—except it’s fortified with Suntory Kakubin and Creme de Cassis.
Moscow Surgery
This time around, Coley pays tribute to their namesake’s Hanky Panky cocktail by offering three iterations of the classic: the original, the Hanky Spanky, and this one, the Moscow Surgery. We liken it to a sweetened version of the original, plus some modifications: it comes with a rice cracker garnish and shaved gula melaka topping, fortified with rum.
Address: 6-G, Jalan Abdullah, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
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