KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — The Pearl of the Orient will celebrate its first cocktail festival as the inaugural Penang Cocktail Week kicks off on October 20 for a 10-day-long celebration of cocktails, mixology and bartenders.

Running from October 20 to 29, it seeks to highlight the thriving cocktail scene of the northern island state, where 10 independent bars will host guest bartending shifts by renowned bartenders from around the world, cocktail workshops and bartending masterclasses, bartending competitions as well as cocktail parties in George Town.

Penang Cocktail Week hopes to further highlight the talent and passion of the Penang cocktail scene, which often plays second fiddle to Kuala Lumpur.

It also aims to give the bars here valuable exposure, experience and networking opportunities with some of the world’s best in the industry, to further elevate the quality and success of Penang bars.

An initiative by Backdoor Bodega proprietor Koh Yung Shen, the idea is to ride on the momentum that the Penang cocktail industry enjoyed when George Town was cast into the global spotlight of the bartending community as it was featured on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for the first time in 2022; Backdoor Bodega was ranked at #97.

Penang-based bartenders also achieved international recognition through global cocktail competitions such as the Giffard West Cup, Jameson Black Barrel Bartender’s Competition, Hennessy MyWay Cocktail Competition and the 50 Best Scholarship, where Penang’s own Janice Lok made the global Top 25 shortlist.

The 10 independent bars featured in this year’s Penang Cocktail Week are Backdoor Bodega, Cocktails & Shots, BaoBae, Biso, Chez Chez, Foxhole 24, The Mandarin, The Nest, No Bar Here and Nomad.

The 10-day festival will feature appearances by Malaysian bartenders including local industry legends Shawn Chong and Karl Too.

They are joined by foreign counterparts such as Jean Trinh (winner of the World’s 50 Best Bars Bartender’s Bartender Award 2022) of Alquimico in Columbia, Thanos Prunarus of Baba Au Rum in Athens and Agung Prabowo of Penicillin in Hong Kong.

"This event is the first of its kind in Malaysia ever. We used to have only two-day events, most of them happening in KL. So, this is the best time to showcase the bar industry of Penang to the world,” said Cocktails & Shots owner Justin Eng.

An enigmatic speakeasy and a haven tailored for cocktail enthusiasts seeking top-tier libations, Cocktails & Shots boasts an expertly curated selection of cocktails (and shooters), served with a generous dose of flair.

For Penang Cocktail Week, the bar will introduce ‘Not A Beer’, a unique concoction that combines Thai green tea-infused Roku Gin with condensed milk, lemon juice, coconut milk and a touch of orange liqueur.

"It’s a sip of Thailand in a glass, and it’s sure to leave your taste buds pleasantly surprised,” said Eng, who added that Cocktails & Shots will move to a new location which is also in the heart of George Town by end of the year.

For more details regarding Penang Cocktail Week, visit its Instagram.