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It's ladies night every night at Singapore's whisky bars
Singapore whisky bars were once predominantly the domain of men, but more females are ditching their cosmos for single malts
Cheryl Lee and Marie Choo are two gals who enjoy their single malts over any girlie tipple.Manicured hands, lipstick and skirts weren't typical sights in Singapore whisky bars a year or two ago, but they're increasingly becoming fixtures.
"I’m addicted to this stuff," says Cindy Ho, gently shaking her tumbler of golden single malt. A banker by day, a cigar-smoking, whisky-sipping connoisseur by night, Cindy firmly believes that "nothing helps me unwind better than a single malt whisky, neat."
Cindy is one of the many women who have swapped fruity cocktails for more expensive whiskies -- heretofore the domain of men -- at Singapore whisky bars and other clubs around the island.
"I used to be a big fan of vodka," says Ho. “But since I had my first sip of whisky, it’s hard to go back to the sugary stuff. And I do feel more sophisticated going up to the bar and ordering a shot of 18-year-old Macallan."
Fellow whisky drinker and attorney Sharon Lim agrees. "It’s pretty shallow but my colleagues do look at me differently when we go out for company drinks and I order a whisky on the rocks. I enjoy the taste of a good whisky, but if it also gives an impression of being one of the boys, why not?"
According to local spirits distributor Donald Seah, female consumption at Singapore whisky bars is on the rise.
"People tend to be more discerning when it comes to enjoying alcohol nowadays," says Seah. "Women in general have started to branch out from their usual white wines and vodkas to the heavier red wines and whiskies. Nowadays many Singaporeans are so well traveled, women included, that they are more exposed to different tastes and experiences."
Curious to get your first sip of single malt? These Singapore whisky bars are a good start.
Highlander Bar
Block 3B, The Foundry, #01-11 Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, tel +65 6235 9528
Quaich Bar
390A Havelock Road, #01-09/10 Waterfront Plaza, tel +65 6732 3452
La Maison Du Whisky
The Pier @ Robertson Quay, 80 Mohamed Sultan Road, #01-10, tel +65 6733 0059
Have a favorite Singapore whisky bar? Tell us about it or share your own whisky experiences.
