Guests of Jungle Ballroom can be prepared to be whisked away from the lively beaches of Goa to the sunny shores of Malacca with its new cocktail menu, Jungle Journeys Vol. 2. 

Launching this October, Jungle Journeys Vol. 2 heralds 16 new cocktails created painstakingly by Jungle Ballroom's head bartender Adrian Besa and his team. The first iteration of the Jungle Journeys initiative began in late 2023. It saw Adrian head into different corners of Asia with the purpose of uncovering novel spirits and indigenous flavours, as well as gain lessons from local mixology and craft spirit talents.

To create the menu this time around, Jungle Ballroom's team roamed across 11 countries in Asia; comprising Cambodia, South Korea, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. They would proceed to draw inspiration for their new cocktails with their experiences across farmlands, distilleries and temporary residencies. 

Their time overseas has allowed them to understand local nuances behind various cocktails, becoming further educated on such aspects such as ingredient source to the balancing of flavour profiles. Of course, the new cocktails are themselves inspired by the locations the team has been to.

The Blue Ocean. 

For example, the Blue Ocean is named for the waters surrounding the Okinawan islands A deep azure, it is made with Okinawa Gin, toasted rice vermouth, spirulina, sea grapes and ginger flower. It is said to hearken back to the relaxed days the team spent on one such island, accompanied by tranquil waters. One can also travel west with the team and relive a portion of their Balinese escapades with the Java.

The Java.

The To Gather.

Thinking about a holiday to Seoul but no time to do so? Treat yourself with a taste of Korea with the To Gather instead. Crafted with Grey Goose Vodka, Tokki Soju, Black Tea, Kombucha, Ginger, Strawberry, refresh yourself with this homage to bold Korean flavors!

The Chendol.

Closer to home, the Chendol is exactly what it sounds like: a take on a popular classic dessert made with coconut milk. Made with Jura Whisky, Gula Melaka, Pandan Coconut and Cream, it promises a sweet coconut-y treat that is sure to remind you of one's childhood days.

Adrian said that one of the main goals with the new menu was to spotlight remarkable yet overlooked spirits of Asia. “We want these cocktails to be a tribute to the local culture and the artisans behind these exceptional products," he added.

For those that can't contain their excitement, Jungle Ballroom's got you covered. Ahead of the full launch on Oct 16, there will be sneak peeks of 4 unique cocktails each fortnight from Sep 11 to Sep 22, and from Sep 25 to Oct 6.

Cocktails inspired by South Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia and Cambodia will soon be up for grabs.

So head on down for an early taste!

Lok Bing Hong A budding journalist that loves experiencing new things and telling people's stories. I have 30 seconds of coherence a day. I do not decide when they come. They are not consecutive.