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ATLAS Bar: Singapore's Art Deco Jewel in the World's Top 50

Designed in the spirit of Jazz Age elegance, ATLAS Bar, located in the heart of Singapore, and ranked 48th in the 2023 World's 50 Best Bars list, instantly transports guests to a world of splendor and grandness (Forbes). As ATLAS Bar’s official website states: “ATLAS is a celebration of the 1920's rich culinary and beverage traditions” inspired by “the glamourous Art Deco skyscrapers of Europe and New York” (Atlas Bar). 


Indeed, ATLAS makes an impression from first sight. Majestic columns, elegantly dressed waiters and bartenders, delightful entourage, everything about this place reminds you of the Golden Age of Jazz inspired by “The Great Gatsby”. You can have a fine dining and celebrate special occasions or simply relax enjoying one of the best gins and spirits from around the globe. ATLAS possesses more than 1,300 gins in its unique and diverse collection, which takes your attention once you enter the main hall. Some bottles dating back to 1910s, gins in this bar are not only having history but an extraordinary taste and amazing serving way.  However, ATLAS Bar is not only famous for its finest gin collections. Upon the personal recommendation to the T&C Team by the manager of the bar, we have tried iconic ATLAS Espresso Martini and Chatter Club among others.


As coffee and tea aficionados, we highly appreciated the boldness and creaminess of the espresso based cocktail. Sweet taste of coffee liqueur and cream with the first sip and brave notes of vodka in the after taste, makes the drink highly sophisticated and admirable. As we were told, Espresso used for this special drink is brewed from the coffee beans carefully selected and roasted locally in Singapore to deliver an unforgettable taste to the appreciative guests. Espresso Martini’s base spirit is vodka, but it's the kick of freshly brewed espresso that truly elevates this iconic cocktail, creating a vibrant and delicious long after taste. Espresso Martini is not the common variation of Martini and does not include gin or vermouth, which is common in Martini cocktails. Interestingly, it is believed to receive its name due to the fact that it is served in a Martini glass. The origin of the drink is no less surprising than its name, however. According to the popular story of this drink’s origin, in the 1980s a young woman (allegedly Kate Moss) asked the British barman Dick Bradsell a drink that would "wake her up and f*** her up" (The Guardian). Bradsell created what would be the best combination in the drink that has both caffeine and vodka, which was the predominant choice of alcohol at the time in London.


Espresso Martini & Chatter Club
T&C Media, Espresso Martini & Chatter Club

Chatter Club is ATLAS special punch variation of the classic Old fashion made with clarified milk. As you can see on the right side of the photograph, it is served with a large ice cube and a piece of dried apricot to savour the taste of this delicious drink. The cocktail includes french cognac, various liquors and syrups with apricot, cherry, almond and vanilla notes. However, what makes the drink truly special is the effort and time taken for the preparation of one of the main ingredients, - the clarified milk. As the bar’s Head Bartender Yana Keller stated in one of her interviews, making clarified milk is “a lengthy process because the clarification takes about 24 hours, while the straining takes another whole day” (88 Bamboo). 



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