PUBLISHED July 28th, 2015 06:34 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:29 pm
I have a deep love for G & Ts; not only are they perfect for Singapore’s sweltering heat, it was my first ‘grown up’ drink – not vodka (or tequila); but gin. And not soda (or cranberry juice), but tonic.
This underrated (in Singapore, at least) spirit and cocktail has been going through somewhat of a renaissance in recent years, especially in the form of intricate Spanish-style gin and tonics, where it’s served in Burgundy glasses with ice and a variety of fruit and herbal trappings to complement the gin.
And that, my friends, is what you get with The Rabbit Hole’s spanking new gin programme.
The Rabbit Hole
With a carefully curated list of 15 gins categorized into 5 different flavour profiles served with housemade tonic (East Imperial is available at an additional $2), it’s clear that the folks at The White Rabbit taking this very seriously. Other important things to note: the standard pour here is 40ml and the garnishes for each G & T is specific to the type of gin used.
First up, I was impressed by the No. 3 ($18). A Traditional London Dry gin, No. 3 is made by London’s oldest wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd. The garnish, fresh strawberry slices and lemon zest, and the housemade tonic water (the recipe is top secret but we definitely detected oranges in it) really brought out the citrus and juniper notes. By the middle of the drink, there was a slight sweetness rather uncharacteristic of London Dry gins, which goes to show the importance of the accouterments of a G & T and the type of tonic water used. Definitely an enlightening drink, this one.
No. 3 and G’Vine Floraison
Having got off a strong start, the G’Vine Floraison ($16, one of The New Classics) was slightly disappointing as a G&T. Made in the Cognac region, this grape spirit is infused with fresh grape vine flowers is served with a dehydrated orange basket filled with chamomile flowers. Whilst the garnish was, again, spot on in elevating the floral nature of the gin, I preferred drinking this gin neat.
Infused with 47 Bavarian botanicals from the Black Forest in Germany, Monkey 47 ($22), unsurprisingly, belongs to the Complex & Unexpected category. Accompanied by a lemongrass stalk and a lime wheel to lighten up the intensity, this G&T is a solid contender if you’re on a one-drink-only night out with its complex, yet refreshing taste profile.
Hendrick’s
Other gins on the menu include the increasing popular Hendrick’s ($16), which is quite visually stunning with garnishes of cucumber ribbon and rose petals, The Botanist ($22) from Scotland’s isle of Islay, and the straightforward Plymouth ($16). A selection of classic gin cocktails is also available at $18.
Overall, while I loved the experience, I’m not sure if I’d head down to The Rabbit Hole with the sole purpose of getting my hands on their G&Ts – but it’s definitely worthwhile to drop by for a drink if I were in the Orchard and Dempsey neighbourhood!
The Rabbit Hole is open Tuesday to Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday & Sunday 6pm-12midnight.