Somewhere in Tokyo, there’s a storeroom filled with 350 bottles of fine whisky and more than 10,000 vinyl records. It’s a collection that speaks of a man who knows a thing or two about handcrafted products and classic cool. That man is Daiki Kanetaka, owner and head bartender of D.Bespoke – a place where the word “bespoke” is taken very seriously. His suits are tailored in Savile Row, London, the bar’s ultra-thin glassware is hand-blown by the Kimura Glass Co. in Tokyo according to his sketches and the impressive 15-metre-long bar top and the plush leather seats that line it are all custom made. Kanetaka, originally from Kobe, arrived in Singapore by way of Ginza and Beijing, where he plied his trade at award-winning establishments like Bar High Five in the former and Glen in the latter.
For the pursuit of craft cocktails (from $27), D.Bespoke is up there with the best of them. Kanetaka’s creations use top-shelf spirits, fresh, seasonal fruits from around the world and house-made infusions. And we haven’t even mentioned the ice. Made with water purified four times and frozen at high temperatures, the blocks are then cut with impossibly sharp knives. The resulting crystal clear cuboids take forever to melt, keeping your drink at the perfect temperature without diluting it. You might have seen barrel-aged cocktails, but D.Bespoke does them with a difference – their Godfather, Negroni and Rusty Nail ($33 a glass) have been growing in richness and character in their barrels for six years.
Photo: Making the ice to accompany your drink is on its own an art at D.Bespoke
Beyond mixed drinks, D.Bespoke will also educate you on a taste of the Old World. A scholar of whisky, Kanetaka spent six months staying at distilleries in Scotland. During that time, he gained an interest in sherry, a fortified wine produced in and around Jerez, Spain. Sherry casks play a key role in the process of making whisky and yet sherry itself doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves in our region. From this initial interest, Kanetaka pursued certification as a venenciador – a sommelier of sherry. The process took two years. As part of his venenciador status, Kanetaka has the ability to pour glasses of sherry with an instrument known as a venencia. It’s an impressive, theatrical presentation which helps aerate the wine.
Photo: Daiki Katenaka the venenciador
On top of sherry, D.Bespoke also specialises in calvados (apple brandy from Lower Normandy) and Armagnac (brandy from Gascony). All three can be sampled in tasting flights (from $25). If you have the capacity to be intrigued further, they’ve also got a selection of rare and unusual Japanese whiskies.
Photo: Dried fruit with roast almonds are complimentary at D.Bespoke
Food is simple, but suitably artisanal, and you can satisfy your hunger with a complimentary serving of dried fruit and roasted almonds along with cheese and jamon iberico platters (from $30). There is a $60 minimum spend, but you’ll reach it easily with a couple of drinks. Reservations are recommended as there are only 28 seats.
To top everything off, D.Bespoke also features a retail space which showcases products from a collective known as Japan Handmade. Members of the collective have perfected their crafts over the course of generations. The range of wood and metal items, ceramics, textiles and glassware is used in the bar, so you’ll be taking home a piece of its distinctive charm.
D.Bespoke is at 2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 8141-5741. Open Mon — Sat 6pm — midnight.
Other great bars we named Coconuts Hot Spots:
Patro's: A great hangout at the new Parkland Green
Steampunk rules at Copper Bar
What Joo Bar serves on tap will surprise you
Somewhere in Tokyo, there’s a storeroom filled with 350 bottles of fine whisky and more than 10,000 vinyl records. It’s a collection that speaks of a man who knows a thing or two about handcrafted products and classic cool. That man is Daiki Kanetaka, owner and head bartender of D.Bespoke – a place where the word “bespoke” is taken very seriously. His suits are tailored in Savile Row, London, the bar’s ultra-thin glassware is hand-blown by the Kimura Glass Co. in Tokyo according to his sketches and the impressive 15-metre-long bar top and the plush leather seats that line it are all custom made. Kanetaka, originally from Kobe, arrived in Singapore by way of Ginza and Beijing, where he plied his trade at award-winning establishments like Bar High Five in the former and Glen in the latter.
For the pursuit of craft cocktails (from $27), D.Bespoke is up there with the best of them. Kanetaka’s creations use top-shelf spirits, fresh, seasonal fruits from around the world and house-made infusions. And we haven’t even mentioned the ice. Made with water purified four times and frozen at high temperatures, the blocks are then cut with impossibly sharp knives. The resulting crystal clear cuboids take forever to melt, keeping your drink at the perfect temperature without diluting it. You might have seen barrel-aged cocktails, but D.Bespoke does them with a difference – their Godfather, Negroni and Rusty Nail ($33 a glass) have been growing in richness and character in their barrels for six years.
Photo: Making the ice to accompany your drink is on its own an art at D.Bespoke
Beyond mixed drinks, D.Bespoke will also educate you on a taste of the Old World. A scholar of whisky, Kanetaka spent six months staying at distilleries in Scotland. During that time, he gained an interest in sherry, a fortified wine produced in and around Jerez, Spain. Sherry casks play a key role in the process of making whisky and yet sherry itself doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves in our region. From this initial interest, Kanetaka pursued certification as a venenciador – a sommelier of sherry. The process took two years. As part of his venenciador status, Kanetaka has the ability to pour glasses of sherry with an instrument known as a venencia. It’s an impressive, theatrical presentation which helps aerate the wine.
Photo: Daiki Katenaka the venenciador
On top of sherry, D.Bespoke also specialises in calvados (apple brandy from Lower Normandy) and Armagnac (brandy from Gascony). All three can be sampled in tasting flights (from $25). If you have the capacity to be intrigued further, they’ve also got a selection of rare and unusual Japanese whiskies.
Photo: Dried fruit with roast almonds are complimentary at D.Bespoke
Food is simple, but suitably artisanal, and you can satisfy your hunger with a complimentary serving of dried fruit and roasted almonds along with cheese and jamon iberico platters (from $30). There is a $60 minimum spend, but you’ll reach it easily with a couple of drinks. Reservations are recommended as there are only 28 seats.
To top everything off, D.Bespoke also features a retail space which showcases products from a collective known as Japan Handmade. Members of the collective have perfected their crafts over the course of generations. The range of wood and metal items, ceramics, textiles and glassware is used in the bar, so you’ll be taking home a piece of its distinctive charm.
D.Bespoke is at 2 Bukit Pasoh Rd., 8141-5741. Open Mon — Sat 6pm — midnight.
Other great bars we named Coconuts Hot Spots:
Patro's: A great hangout at the new Parkland Green
Steampunk rules at Copper Bar
What Joo Bar serves on tap will surprise you