Shanghai's own unofficial cocktail week is happening right now

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine (Fancy Free)

Give your livers a pep talk 'cause they've got a lot of work cut out for them coming up. Shanghai's own *unofficial* cocktail week has started, with a whole handful of world-class bars flooding the city. It's all because of local bar industry mag DRiNK Magazine, which is hosting its third annual awards on Monday. 

The DRiNK team is flying in six top-shelf bars from around the world for the ceremony, and while that's an invite-only ceremony, they'll all be doing pop-ups across the city in the coming days, where the public can guzzle down some serious cocktails. Beyond these six bars, there'll also be a cascade of other pop-ups from industry folks in town for the awards. Here's all the boozy (and one non-boozy) madness to look out for.

Happiness Forgets at The Portman Ritz Carlton

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Serving high-end cocktails from a low-rent basement, this drinking den in Hoxton, London is known for its charm, character and great drinks. 'They’re innovative but sensible, based on a tight grasp of cocktail fundamentals,' say our friends at Time Out London of the tipples. 'One of the best bars in east London – or in all of London, for that matter.' Catch them at The Portman-Ritz Carlton tonight (Saturday 17). 

📍Ritz Bar, Second Floor, Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Xikang Lu. Sat 17. 7pm-midnight. Free entry.

Fancy Free at The Shanghai EDITION

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

This bar hasn't even opened yet and they already seem to be killing it. The foursome, which includes Rob Libecans, Chris Hysted-Adams, Matthew Stirling and Ryan Noreiks, met at award-winning cocktail bar Black Pearl and will be opening a brick-and-mortar bar later this year. Get a sneak peek of the new concept today (Saturday 17) at The Shanghai EDITION.

📍Club Room, Fifth Floor, The Shanghai EDITION, 199 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Henan Lu. Through Sat 17. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Jerrold Khoo at Union Trading Company

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Jerrold Khoo of Jigger and Pony (ranked No 42 on Asia's 50 Best Bars) is in town and will be flexing his mixing muscles at Union Trading Company for one night. The Singapore bar embraces the classics and reinvents recipes in its playful menu, featuring a tea twist on the Singapore Sling and Madame President which is a tribute to Singapore's first female president. Catch Khoo tonight (Saturday 17) at Union.

📍Union Trading Company, Building 2, 64 Fenyang Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu. Sat 17. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Macarena Rotger of The Other Roof

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Macarena Rotger (formerly of Shanghai's 1515 West Chophouse & Bar and currently boss of newly-opened The Other Roof) is returning to Shanghai with her tea-infused cocktails. Boasting over 400 different tea-finished spirits, The Other Roof is currently the first and only bar in the world where all spirits are created in-house and finished with tea. Catch her at Union Trading Company on Tuesday 20.

📍Union Trading Company, Building 2, 64 Fenyang Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu. Tue 20. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Erik Lorincz at Speak Low

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

One of the most well-regarded bartenders in the world, Erik Lorincz, formerly of The American Bar, is making his way to Shanghai and is behind the stick for one night only at speakeasy Speak Low. With Lorincz at the helm, The American Bar was featured on the World's 50 Best Bars list every year and was named the World's Best Bar in 2017. Get a sip of his creations on Tuesday 20.

📍Speak Low, 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu. Tue 20. 7-10pm. Free entry.

Ago Perrone of Connaught Bar at The ZUK Bar

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Ago Perrone of London's acclaimed Connaught Bar, an entry on The World's 50 Best Bars for ten consecutive years, is bringing timeless cocktails to The ZUK Bar. Five of the Connaught Bar's signatures will be recreated by Perrone and ZUK's head bartender Vincenzo Pagliara, who previously worked at the Connaught. Catch them on Tuesday 20 at The Sukhothai Shanghai.

📍The ZUK Bar, First Floor, The Sukhothai Shanghai, 380 Weihai Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu. Tue 20. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Native at The ZUK Bar

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Singapore cocktail bar Native by Vijay Mudaliar is one to watch in the region's bar scene. Mudaliar uses only local ingredients such as chai, laksa leaves and even ants in its menu, and has a strong commitment to minimising waste. Nothing goes to waste in this fully solar-powered watering hole – lotus stems are swapped in instead of plastic straws, and dried lotus leaves are used as coasters, before being composted in the bar's garden. Catch Mudaliar on Wednesday 21 at The ZUK Bar.

📍The ZUK Bar, First Floor, The Sukhothai Shanghai, 380 Weihai Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu. Wed 21. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

Coupette at The Portman Ritz Carlton

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Coupette, which loosely translates to 'cheeky one' in French lives up to its name with its extensive, playful menu which boasts a mix of classics and experimental cocktails. Time Out London called the cocktail menu by Chris Moore 'a conceptual art-filled masterpiece', and it's one that focuses largely on calvados, cidre and poire, all rotating regularly. The team was recently awarded the Best New Opening Award at The World's Best 50 Bars 2018. Catch them on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 at The Portman Ritz-Carlton.

📍Ritz Bar, Second Floor, Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Xikang Lu. Wed 21 and Thu 22. 7pm-midnight. Free entry.

The Dead Rabbit at The Shanghai EDITION

Photograph: courtesy DRiNK Magazine

Basically a brand name to bartenders, The Dead Rabbit has grown to be much more than just a bar in New York's Financial District. Voted World's Best Bar several times over, this Irish-American watering hole serves meticulously researched cocktails. Try them for yourself on Wednesday 21 through Saturday 24 at The Shanghai EDITION.

📍Club Room, Fifth Floor, The Shanghai EDITION, 199 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Henan Lu. Wed 21 through Sat 24. 7pm-midnight. Free entry.

Seedlip at The Cannery, The Bunker and Shake

Photograph: courtesy Seedlip

This is a fun one. Give your liver a break at these pop-ups from the world's first non-alcoholic spirits brand. Each evening will see a special pop-up menu of no- and low-ABV cocktails which have been developed in collaboration with local and visiting bartenders. Sip on drinks like the Almond Sour (Tuesday 20) or the No-groni (Wednesday 21), a no-ABV take on a Negroni, at The Cannery, a Spice Root cocktail (Thursday 22) at The Bunker and a non-alcoholic take on a spritz (Friday 23) at Shake.

📍The Cannery, Building 1, Room 106, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Tue 20 through Wed 21. 8pm-midnight. Free entry. 

📍The Bunker, Second Floor, The Barn by Green & Safe, No. 22, 181 Taicang Lu, near Huangpi Nan Lu. Thu 22. 8pm-midnight.

📍Shake, Third Floor, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, near Jinxian Lu. Fri 23. 8pm-midnight. Free entry.

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