A new chapter to a distinctive and unforgettable whiskey adventure story opens this month with the launch of The Whiskey Library. Ensconced within the ornate and luxurious interior of The Vagabond Club, Singapore’s preeminent luxury boutique hotel with 41 individualistic and elegantly appointed rooms and suites, the Whiskey Library offers over 1,000 bottles of thoughtfully curated rare and refined award-winning whiskies from around the world, and comes with a Membership Programme to beguile guests with a love of whiskey and give them access to the captivating vagabond experience.
Adventure awaits within the vintage art deco exterior of The Vagabond Club. Each room within the luxurious hotel is an oasis of comfort and calm bathed in natural light, bearing the touch of the genius French designer Jacques Garcia, executed in his renowned over-the-top, maximalist panache with Parisian-chic flair.
With the unique Membership Programme, guests who sign up will enjoy 10-room nights at The Vagabond Club (fully transferrable) as part of the S$3,000 annual membership fee.
Members will also have privileged access to 80 lockers, each with its own gilded and tasselled key, evocative of a bygone era of old world charm and hospitality, kept on-site in a specially designed wood-crafted armoire placed in a private space at The Vagabond Club’s salon.
Each locker will store up to 15 bottles of whiskey. Members can bring one of their own bottles for every two bottles purchased at The Whiskey Library. Members will also enjoy special bottle pricing, access to the Vagabond Club gym and reserved seating at regular Whiskey Club events and experiences.
Each bottle at The Whiskey Library has been carefully collected from the finest distilleries from Scotland, Ireland, Japan, the US and other countries around the globe, with the collection comprising predominantly single cask and limited-edition bottles. Just as with a great literary work, each bottle is a unique work of art that stirs the imagination, beguiles the mind and excites the spirit.
The creator behind The Whiskey Library is luxury hotelier Satinder Garcha. Motivated by his love and passion for artistry, Garcha has spent two years bringing his dream to realisation.
Designed for what Garcha calls “a club for vagabonds seeking a unique and hidden experience”, the warm and beautifully appointed Whiskey Library hosts up to 75 guests who, while relaxing and enjoying their whiskies, will be entertained with bespoke experiences such as specially curated sung and told Jazz stories, intimate theatre, book readings, artist evenings, musical showcases, and even independent film premieres. Guests will also be able to enjoy delightful small bites prepared by the Chef de cuisine at The Vagabond Club.
In keeping with the theme of artistry and luxury, the vitrines housing the whiskey collection and other crafted white spirits were designed and hand-crafted by local woodsman Mr Ng – one of the few remaining craftsmen in Singapore who continues to create unique furniture pieces. Designed to enhance the decadent elements of the hotel surrounds, the armoires feature brass claw feet to complement the similarly brass Allahbuksh-designed Rhino reception desk.
Akin to the Allahbuksh family from Rajasthan who crafted the enchanting Banyan Trees at The Vagabond Club, Mr Ng has contributed much to the artistry ambience in Garcha’s hotel portfolio.
Bespoke elements such as artisanal ice and an international selection of the finest of cigars, together with the extensive collection of whiskeys, bourbons, and other crafted spirits bring a truly complete and unique experience to guests of The Whiskey Library.
Surrounded by Jacques Garcia’s va-va-voom design, sample local signature dishes with a cheeky twist at month-old eatery, Hot Buns And Thunder Balls, at Hotel Vagabond.
This fun joint dishes up some utterly delicious East-meets-West burgers and desserts. From the luscious mouth feel of the Slow Burn, featuring dark soy and spice braised Iberico pork belly, to the swoon-worthy crispy paneer based McDreamy Bombay style, come get a taste of Singapore's neighbourhoods - with a side of mischief.
Amongst the hustle and bustle at the heart of Little India’s Syed Alwi Road, a Chindian restaurant is spicing up the vibrant Indian food scene with a new chef and a new menu.
Copper Chimney, the 10-year-old Syed Alwi flagship which prides itself in its distinctive North Indian and Chinese Indian cuisine, has gotten a fresh new interior and a revamped menu since F&B industry veteran and now Copper Chimney CEO Vikram Natarajan took over the reins two and a half years ago.
Manchurian sauces and momos or Nepalese dumplings may be the more well-known Chindian staples, but if you’re looking for a crisp start to the meal, the Salt and Pepper Baby Corn is a crunchy surprise on the menu. Expertly stir-fried with a healthy dose of garlic, peppers and soya sauce, this dish goes well with a cold glass of beer.
Another interesting starter is the Chicken Lollipop, juicy chicken fried in crisp batter and served with a spicy szechwan sauce on the side.
The Chicken Manchurian and Chilli Chicken are two of the most popular Chindian dishes on the Copper Chimney menu. The Chicken Manchurian, in particular, is a combination of chicken and freshly sautéed vegetables served in a sweet and sour brown sauce.
The ubiquitous fried rice dish will never be the same again once patrons have tried the spicy Szechwan Fried Rice, which can come served with prawns or chicken or as a vegetarian option. Another of the restaurant’s more popular dishes and made with 100% Basmati rice, the Szechwan Fried Rice has a fiery, rich depth of Indian and Chinese spices.
Each dish is carefully prepared with a selection of high quality spices. Szechwan peppers are brought in from China, and green chilli paste flown in from Calcutta to recreate the authentic flavours that Copper Chimney offers.