Inspired by 10 cities along the popular Transatlantic Route – Dublin, Rome, Lima, Lisbon, New York, Casablanca, London, Paris, Mexico City and Havana. Their 20 signature cocktails are artfully created using innovative and modern techniques and include a variety of artisanal spirits often sourced from small batch distilleries in each location, and rare vintages. Large format sharing cocktails are also available.

There has been a rise in popularity in cocktail bars particularly in the last 2 years or which saw some exciting new names coming along, bringing with them many classical cocktail recipes. Many of these bars drew their influence from the Prohibition Era times and it is in providing the guests with these rendezvous that contributed much to their popularity.

Fresh Wine Ideas

Located at Intercontinental Singapore, Idlewild joins the many cocktail bars to have sprung up in Singapore. To say the least, there has been a constant need for something different and with new ideas and Idlewild just fits like a glove. Cocktail bars tend to come with a specific theme and Idlewild certainly did so with character.

Set against the time when air travel was only for the rich and famous (budget airline was totally unheard of), this is what you feel when you are in Idlewild. It takes out back around the 40s to the 60s, when it was glamorous and luxurious just being able to set foot into a plane.

Once you are in Idlewild, your mind will start to wander. Here, you are greeted by the cool, yellow lights and the entire fluffy surroundings. It is after all, the 50s here. You are ‘leaving on a jet plane’ soon, or flying one and this is your stopover before you go. The luxe-retro interiors is set to epitomize that. Take on the bar or take your cubicle of leather-wrapped boxes for a more private session. Check out the bottles and you will notice that they are vintage and rare items, collected from all around the world.

Andy Griffiths is the veteran behind the bar. Check out the cocktail menu here and you will be transported onto a journey across cities around the world, most of which are known for their cocktails and drinks. London, Paris, Dublin are just a few of them and you also get through some exotic places like Lisbon, Havana and Lima too. You get a taste of each location here because Griffiths has designed 2 cocktails for every cit.

The French Cook.

The cocktails here are not merely about the drink itself but more so the technique of how it gets done and how it affects the guest. Culinary skills make a lot of difference here because this is not just a mix-and-match process. The Sugarloaf is one inspired from Mexico. Know for its pineapples there, the name comes from the sweetest type of this fruit and that is what you will stand to get. Pineapple skins and offcuts are used to make a spiced tepache, which is a type of Mexican pineapple beer before adding in some gula melaka and tamarind and some cognac. If you are one for a fruity cocktail, then the Sugarloaf is your drink here.

The Berbere Smash.

The Berber Smash, inspired from the city of Morocco is where you get to the balanced mixture of mint and spices. The French Cook could be more about the herbs but this is the one that comes with a whole minty experience. The Rebel Yell rye mixed with crushed mint leaves and cardamom pods with preserved lemon syrup is what gets you the citrusy experience. With the sour plum and calamansi juice, you want to take it slow and take in every sip.

And then there is The French Cook is (obviously Paris) which could possibly the signature here as it shows off what Griffiths can do, have done and will do. Created with Citadelle gin with Grenoble and chartreuse génépi. Topped off with absinthe, the mixture is perfect and balanced with citrus and Chardonnay.

Bon Voyage, anyone?

There are 20 cocktails here to try and it does not make sense to try them all out in one sitting. This is one place that you must return. Whether you are catching your next flight, waiting for another one or just came back from one, you don’t seem to want to leave. They have 2 large-format drinks which are made for sharing and many more, all of which are sourced from around the world. Take your time here, that’s what it is all about, idle-wild.