If you have looked at a cocktail menu and not known where to start, that is the norm not the exception. Most cocktail menus are written for people who already know what they like. Here is the short list of drinks we would recommend for someone trying cocktails properly for the first time, organised by what kind of palate you are starting from.
If you usually drink wine
Negroni Sbagliato. Campari, sweet vermouth, prosecco. The closest cocktail to a glass of dry sparkling wine. Slightly bitter, low alcohol, refreshing. A great gateway from the wine world.
Bee's Knees. Gin, lemon, honey. Soft, slightly floral, easy. The honey reads like a riesling's residual sweetness.
Vermouth on the rocks. Yes, it is a drink. Carpano Antica or Cocchi di Torino on a large ice cube with an orange peel. Effectively a fortified wine, served like a cocktail. Lower in alcohol than most cocktails and very food-friendly.
If you usually drink beer
Paloma. Tequila, grapefruit, lime, salt, soda. Tall, cold, refreshing, sessionable. The most beer-adjacent classic cocktail.
Tom Collins. Gin, lemon, sugar, soda. Long, easy, low intensity. A good warm-afternoon drink.
Moscow Mule. Vodka, lime, ginger beer. Almost a hybrid between a cocktail and a soft drink. Comfort for beer drinkers.
If you usually drink whisky neat
Old Fashioned. Whisky, sugar, bitters. The classic structured drink for spirit drinkers. Tastes like good whisky with rounded edges and an aromatic finish.
Manhattan. Rye, sweet vermouth, bitters. Slightly more complex than an Old Fashioned. Stirred, cold, up.
If you usually drink something sweet
French 75. Gin, lemon, sugar, top with champagne. Crisp, bubbly, slightly sweet, very celebratory.
Bramble. Gin, lemon, sugar, blackberry liqueur drizzled on top. Looks like a postcard, tastes like summer.
Pina Colada. Yes, really. A properly-made Pina Colada at a real bar, with aged rum and fresh pineapple and coconut cream, is a different drink to the airport version. Comforting, dessert-leaning, easy.
If you have never had alcohol or want to skip it tonight
We have a full manifesto on the mocktail side, but quickly: anything our bar (or any decent cocktail bar) builds without alcohol will be much better than the "fruit punch" stuff at hotel bars. Try:
Coffee mocktails: our Black Honey, Peach Blossom, Floral Mango. Built with the same care as our cocktails.
Loose-leaf tea cocktail: ask for a cold tea-based mix. We make several with hibiscus, jasmine, or pu-erh.
A clarified mocktail. If we have one on rotation, it is one of the most interesting non-alcoholic drinks you can have anywhere.
What to skip as a first cocktail
Not because they are bad drinks but because they are easy to dislike if you do not know what to expect.
Negroni (the original). The bitter is intense. Many people who try a Negroni as their first cocktail bounce off it. Start with the Sbagliato and work up.
Martini, very dry. A drink that is essentially cold gin with a hint of vermouth is intimidating. Try the Wet Martini (more vermouth, friendlier) first.
Espresso Martini. Strong and caffeinated. Lovely drink, not the best one to introduce yourself to the cocktail category.
Anything with mezcal as the lead. Mezcal is wonderful but the smoke is a learned taste. Start with mezcal as a co-ingredient (Naked & Famous, Oaxaca Old Fashioned) rather than the lead.
What to do at the bar
If you do not want to read the menu in detail, you have three good options.
Ask the bartender to recommend. "I drink mostly wine, I want to try a cocktail, what would you suggest?" works every time. We get this question constantly.
Use the drink builder. Our website has a five-tap drink builder that generates a cocktail brief based on your mood, preferred spirit, and so on. You can show the result to the bartender or send it via WhatsApp before you arrive.
Order one of the drinks above by name. We will pour you a respectable version. Most decent cocktail bars in PJ or KL will too.
How fast to drink
Cocktails are not meant to be sipped fast. A well-built drink takes 20 to 30 minutes to finish. The temperature and dilution shifts as you drink it; the second half tastes slightly different from the first. Knocking back a Manhattan in two sips misses most of what makes it interesting.
If you want to try the most cocktails for your money, slow down rather than buy more. Two slow ones is a better experience than four fast ones.
One small note
If your first cocktail does not land, that is fine. Not every drink works for every palate. Tell the bartender what specifically did not work ("too sweet," "too herbal," "too strong on the alcohol") and they will adjust the next one. We would much rather rebuild a drink than let you finish one you did not enjoy.
If you are deciding whether to come, just come. Walk-ins are welcome at both our rooms. We will help you pick something.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best cocktail to order if you've never had one?
It depends on what you usually drink. Wine drinkers should try a Negroni Sbagliato (Campari, sweet vermouth, prosecco) or Bee's Knees (gin, lemon, honey). Beer drinkers should try a Paloma (tequila, grapefruit, lime, salt, soda) or Tom Collins. Whisky drinkers should try an Old Fashioned. Match the cocktail's intensity to the drink category you already enjoy.
What cocktails should beginners avoid?
Not because they are bad drinks, but because they are easy to dislike without context. The original Negroni is intensely bitter (try the Sbagliato first). A very dry Martini is essentially cold gin and reads as intimidating. The Espresso Martini is strong and caffeinated. Anything mezcal-led is a learned taste; start with mezcal as a co-ingredient rather than the base.
How do I tell the bartender what I want without sounding pretentious?
Just describe what you usually drink and what mood you are in. I drink mostly wine, I want to try a cocktail, what would you suggest works every time. We get this question constantly and prefer it to silence. You can also send a WhatsApp ahead with your mood and preferred spirit and we will pre-think a drink for your arrival.
Can I substitute a non-alcoholic version of any cocktail?
Most. A good bar will build you a non-alcoholic Negroni Sbagliato, French 75, or sour with the same care as the alcoholic version. Coffee mocktails and tea-based cold mixes are particularly strong off-menu. Avoid hotel-bar mocktails (mostly fruit punch); a proper cocktail bar treats the NA category seriously.
Where should I have my first cocktail in PJ?
Dissolved Solids (43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607) has a printed menu, which makes first-time ordering less stressful. Soluble Solids (50-1 Jalan SS2/24, WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651) runs on conversation: tell the bartender what you like and they build for you. Walk-ins welcome at both; tell us it is your first and we will pick the right drink.