Kurt Ganapathy talks with Roman Foltan, the talented bartender behind Atlas, one of Singapore’s sexiest watering holes.
It’s no exaggeration to say that some of the best cocktails in the world are served in Singapore (check out our current favourites). Nine Singapore bars claimed spots on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2016, with stalwarts 28 Hong Kong Street, Manhattan and Operation Dagger making it to the coveted World’s 50 Best Bars list. Consequently, it takes a lot for a newcomer to generate any real buzz.
Fortunately, Atlas ticks all the boxes. An iconic location – Parkview Square; a cool concept – Jazz Age Art Deco lobby bar specialising in gin; and a big name behind the bar – Roman Foltan, who arrives from London’s Artesian, named the world’s best bar 2012 to 2015.
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What made you move to Singapore?
Singapore has always been on my radar. In my six years in London, I have been lucky enough to visit Singapore quite frequently and I fell in love with the city. There is a great bar scene that is ever-growing and evolving and such a good-spirited community of fellow bartenders, which makes Singapore a great place to be. I was approached for Atlas as I finished up at Artesian and it was the easiest decision I ever had to make.
What’s the most important thing you learned during Artesian’s reign as the world’s best bar? How will this experience benefit you at Atlas?
Stay humble, be passionate, and keep working on trying to improve yourself – no excuses. My work ethic is founded on this experience and it is the same base I teach to my team at Atlas. It’s so important to keep yourself grounded and remain passionate! You do the best you can every day – not to be the best in the world but because you care.
Gin has had quite a renaissance in recent years – what do you think is the reason behind this?
Gin is the most versatile spirit used for cocktails and is the quintessential cocktail spirit. The rise of cocktail culture around the world, and in recent years in Singapore, could be one of the reasons why gin is in the limelight. Gin is probably one of the favourite additions to any bartender’s bar as its versatility allows us to create a host of exciting cocktails, which are true testaments to our skills. After all, it goes in two of the world’s most iconic mixed drinks, the martini and the G&T.
The use of natural ingredients, an aura of provenance, and a real “handcrafted” approach to production makes gin appealing to many, when people are caring more about what goes into their cocktail, and where it comes from. It also tastes lovely!
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How many gins can we expect to see at Atlas?
Atlas carries over 1,000 bottles of gin.
What are some of the unique labels?
The Archie Rose Atlas Orange Gin is exclusive to Atlas. After a lot of research, we found a style of gin produced in the 1920s called orange gin – it is nowhere to be found today. We collaborated with Archie Rose distillery from Sydney, Australia, to reproduce this special style of gin. It’s much sweeter, more elegant, and less juniper-heavy, and it features four types of oranges.
Citadelle Reserve Gin is a wonderful modern French gin that encapsulates everything about Atlas. It is made in the Cognac region using Charente direct-fired stills from a recipe dating back to the mid-1770s. It has a mix of 19 botanicals including soft nutmeg, orange peel, and green cardamom. The gin is sweetened with dark barrel-aged sugar and then rested in barrels for three months. We use this in some of our signature cocktails but it also makes a great Hanky Panky or Martinez.
Atlas also houses a collection of vintage bottles of Booth’s London Dry Gin from every decade from the 1940s to the present day. This iconic brand was founded in Clerkenwell in the 1790s. Production was moved to the USA in 2006.
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And what about the tonics that you’ve sourced to go with them?
We use our own Atlas Burma tonic water that East Imperial bottles for us. The fantastic East Imperial tonic waters are low in sugar and use only natural Thai cane sugar. They also have tonic waters with flavours such as grapefruit and yuzu.
There are a few gin speciality bars in Singapore and a handful with a Prohibition Era/Jazz Age aesthetic. What do you think sets Atlas apart?
There’s an authenticity to what we do and where the stories come from. It’s not theme-y and everything comes from the owners’ love of Art Deco, and of good food and beverages. While inspiration comes from Europe during the 1920s or 1930s, this is a very contemporary, sophisticated experience. There are no flappers or zoot suits here.
Also, we value making people feel comfortable, and special, over everything else. We have a beautiful venue, stunning drinks and delicious food but at the end of the day, or night, we just want people to feel good and enjoy themselves. There are so many stories to tell but people will discover all the special bits and pieces of Atlas on their own, in due time.
On being a “gin bar”, we think Atlas is a lot different. Apart from the size and complexity of the collection [said to be the largest in the world], we also aim to be a regional, if not world centre of excellence. We are launching our Juniper Society, a gin appreciation club, and will host regular workshops by artists and gin luminaries to bring people into the world of gin.
Tell us more about the cocktails at Atlas.
The cocktails at Atlas are inspired by some great cocktails and the drinking traditions of Europe. Each section represents cultural hallmarks of the Art Deco period, including The Bright Young Things. The cocktails cover the broad spectrum of flavour profiles and sensations, and all incorporate some peculiar modernist flourish.
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