I bet many of you have been or at least heard of Smoke & Mirrors, one of the conic rooftop destination bar in Singapore that is located atop of National Gallery Singapore. Recently, this beautiful bar has welcome Jorge Conde as the Head Bartender and launched a new cocktail menu, Illusion of Flavours, with a total of 16 drinks grouped under 6 different categories to bring you through the mixology world of fruity, refreshing, sweet, savoury, strong and complexity.
We started the evening ahead with Jack of The Jungle from the Fruity & Punchy section which is a concoction of sugar cane spirit, blend of spices, 48 hours fermented agave and jackfruit. As unassuming it looks, it was a cup of complexity! One can taste a myriad of fruity, spicy, smoky and citrusy flavours. What intrigued me the most was how the 48 hours fermented agave can taste so different yet beautiful on its own and when it was mixed with other elements.
As a gin lover, gin based cocktails have always been my to-go-to no matter which bar I go to. Le Paix 75 Le Paix 75 from the Fizzy & Elegant department was a wonderful surprise. I like how this gin based cocktail surprised me with savoury notes. Jorge Conde is meticulous with his art. Not only was the gin, was infused with dog fennel and the olive served as a garnish was also macerated with this herb. I kid you not that this is one of the best olives that I have tasted in Singapore.
For mojito lovers, Jorge Conde has created Bossa Nova, a modern trendy rendition of the classic mojito with local and Asian ingredients such as lemongrass and shiso leaves. Found under Long & Refreshing, you can also get Just a Thai Spritz ($22) which is made with Thai tea infused vodka and Robbery At The Museum ($28), Smoke & Mirrors spin on classic Singapore Sling.
By using techniques such as distillation, preservation and fermentation together with his 20 over years of experience tending bars around Europe, Jorge Conde has created 16 cocktails from light and refreshing to spirit-forward ones to woo different groups of cocktail lovers. In fact, Jorge Conde also has a little lab where he does his magic. A trip to Smoke & Mirrors might not be sufficient for cocktail lovers. Trust me, after trying several of the cocktails, I was so motivated to try the rest of the cocktails on Jorge Conde’s Illusion of Flavours cocktail menu.
Smoke & Mirrors also has a list of bar bites to complement the cocktails. No matter whether you are looking for a bar for an early pre-dinner drink, girls night out or even just to admire the beautiful skyline. Smoke & Mirrors is one of the destination that one should at least try once if ambience, music, and drinks are some of your key considerations. If you are one who is adventurous and looking for a full sensory experience, you will be in for a treat, what you see might not be what you taste! Not only can you experience unexpected flavours in the cocktails, Jorge Conde is pushing boundaries and creating surprises with modern techniques in experimental twists on classic cocktails which are not otherwise found in the bar!
Oh yes, you can also get a cocktail on the house with a minimum spending of $20 of you are using American Express Platinum Card.
Smoke & Mirrors
1 St. Andrew’s Road, #06-01 National Gallery Singapore, Singapore 178957
Tel: +65 9380 6313
Email: reserve@smokeandmirrors.com.sg
Operating Hours: Mon-Thu 3pm — 1am, Fri 3pm — 2am, Sat 12pm — 2am, Sun 12pm — 1am.
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