What: The Wall
Where: 76 Tanjong Pagar Road
Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays: 5pm to 1pm
Tel: 6225-7988
[dropcap size=small]W[/dropcap]e have no shortage of excellent whisky bars in Singapore, but those voluminous menus they’re so (rightfully) proud of can be intimidating to a neophyte. The Wall aims to demystify that experience. The whisky and sumiyaki bar on Tanjong Pagar Road, named for the century old brick walls that line the two sides of the shophouse, was opened by whisky and wine importers Mok Chan Wai and Kenneth Au, who wanted to offer a more casual setting alongside an accessible food pairing menu.
That’s right — each of the five whisky flights offered here are served with a selection of charcoal-grilled meat skewers (sumiyaki), driving home the notion that whisky enjoyment needn’t be an after-dinner activity. Indeed, the Smoke and Peat flight (Ardbeg 10 YO, Talisker 10 YO, Laphroaig 10 YO and Caol Ila 2006 Boubon Cask) wasn’t just a fine introduction to toastier whiskies, but also a testament to the drink’s ability to go with Japanese finger food. A full omakase pairing menu is also available, a nice change from the usual snack-starved watering holes.
But make no mistake, The Wall is every bit as serious a whisky bar as it gets. There are about 300 labels available here, 120 of them by the glass. The owners’ private collection of extraordinarily rare bottles are also smugly on display, including a Glenfiddich 50 Year Old and a comically large 4.5L Ardbeg, among dozens of others.
If you still want the “gentleman’s club” atmosphere for an evening of sumptuous sipping, the second floor — complete with a wine cellar and glossy chesterfields — welcomes VIPs with a minimum spend of just $100. The six-seater private room is available at $3,000.
The Wall caters to connoisseurs of every level, but the full sumiyaki menu and the knowledgeable yet unassuming staff will be the reasons you will return, as this is a bar that knows how to sate more than just your thirst.
Check out our previous Bars of the Week: The Library | Bago at Limehouse | The Other Room| Shin Gi Tai | Employees Only | Cin Cin | Joo Bar | Bob’s Bar
