The 6 drinks you should order at Speak Low right now

Following the trail of Shanghai's many stunning cocktails blazed by an ever-growing collective of bang-up bartenders in some of the city's (and the world's) most inviting environments is a 'duty' I'm lucky to have. And with so many excellent options – secluded speakeasies and rooftop bars, cosy Former French Concession drinking dens and reimagined shikumen spaces – I don't like to give single answers to questions like 'what's your favourite bar?' or 'who makes the best cocktails in the city?' Everyone has their own tastes, vibes and hard-headed opinions. But there's one thing that global critics, self-proclaimed cocktail snobs and casual drinkers alike agree on: the cocktails at Speak Low are exceptional.

As a 2017 induction into the top 10 of World's 50 Best Bars meticulously helmed by Tales of the Cocktail's International Bartender of the Year Shingo Gokan, the increasingly famous speakeasy can sound like a place reserved for connoisseurs. But it's not – Speak Low's menu holds drinks accessible to everyone, and any of these five cocktails will be one of the best you've ever had. 

The Frog from Lisbon

This is the drink that rocketed Speak Low team's stellar player Atsushi Suzuki to the top as 2017 World Champion of the Chivas Master's Global competition, and one lip-smacking sip demonstrates why. The bartender's signature Chivas Regal 12 year cocktail highlights an earthy pairing – sweet strawberries grounded by balsamic – with subtle undertones of chocolate and coriander. A bit of huangjiu winks at China. 95RMB.

Pandan Milk Punch

This is a drink for everyone, no matter what flavours your palate tends to lean towards. It's the bar's version of a milk punch, a cocktail whose roots go back centuries. Though classically composed of milk, spices and a brown base spirit (and prepared in punch bowl quantities), modern takes like this involve a milk clarification process to turn out the translucent tipple pictured above, not the thick, cloudy drink you imagine when you hear the name. Speak Low's rum and scotch-based milk punch also gently mixes in tropical Asian flavours that enhance its subtle creaminess, like coconut, pandan leaf and nutmeg. 95RMB. 

Benton's Old Fashioned

Speak Low's Old Fashioned is a stiff pour that looks at whisky lovers with 'do me' eyes with its smoky ménage à trois of bourbon, bacon and barrel-aged maple syrup. Enough said. 95RMB.

Parmigano Sour

Strange as it may seem to some, booze washed or topped with cheese is a thing these days, and if you're skeptical, here's one to start on. The drink blends sweet pisco and Sauternes wines and honey lemon tea capped in egg white foam that provides a pillow for a fresh grating of nutty parmesan and a dash of black pepper. The mixture of sour, sugared citrus on the bottom and savoury froth on top makes for a unique and pleasant surprise. 95RMB.

Kiwi Gimlet

A brand new addition to the roster, this mildly fruity and floral gimlet offers featherlight, refreshing sips of gin, lavender essence and kiwi all brightened up clarified lime juice. Again with the clarification, you ask? Why would you need to clarify lime? Well, the process involves the use of agar (a plant-derived gelatin), which collects any floating particles and helps achieve the drink's crystal-clear appearance. Moreover, clarified lime juice retains its sourness and also gives the juice a longer shelf life, plus, it won't foam up when mixed with the other ingredients the way regular lime juice will. Bam. 95RMB.

Sawadee-Cup

Don't be fooled – despite its modest vessel, this isn't your regular order from the corner milk tea shop. The Sawadee-Cup cocktail adds brown butter-washed rum to milky Thai-style iced tea (typically dark-brewed tea with sweetened condensed milk) poured over tapioca pearls and served chilled. 95RMB.

Hot tip: head to the bar on a Tuesday night and ask for some cocktail history from bartender Chris Lowder.

Speak Low 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu (6416 0133).

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