[:en]Jigger & Pony: a Singaporean group that has written a new chapter in world mixing[:]
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A group that in just nine years has revolutionized the Singaporean and global mixology scene. It is the Jigger & Pony, owner of the eponymous venue, ranked 9th in the world according to the World's 50 Best Bars, of the Gibson, ranked 25th in Asia, and of three other establishments – a cocktail bar, a seafood restaurant and a restaurant-bar with an Italian accent – which we explored in depth with marketing manager Janette Yo.
When and by whom was the Jigger & Pony group founded?
Jigger & Pony Group was founded in May 2012 by couple Gan Guoyi and Indra Kantono with the aim of bringing classic cocktails back to Singapore.
What was the first venue and what were the subsequent openings in chronological order?
We currently have 5 locations under the Jigger & Pony group, all located in Singapore. The first one is the Jigger & Pony, named after the double-cone measuring device used by bartenders to accurately pour spirits and pays homage to the 19th century, when cocktail recipes were listed in “jiggers” and “ponies”. In August 2015, it took shape Humpback, a seafood restaurant that celebrates oysters and seafood and serves classic and contemporary drinks. In September of the same year we opened Flagship, a cocktail bar that paid homage to the Old Fashioned, now renovated in the current Live Twice, in October the fourth local, Gibson, and in March 2018 Fernet Coffee, a 130-seat all-day restaurant and bar with an Italian accent and informal atmosphere.
How multi-ethnic is the team and how difficult is it to work with people from different cultures to achieve a common goal? Who is responsible for leading the group?
The diversity of the team is one of the greatest strengths of the Jigger & Pony group, where we have 11 different nationalities. We have different backgrounds, but we all work towards the same goal of providing convivial hospitality. The diversity allows us to best welcome guests from all over the world and to always address problems with the most suitable person to solve them, thanks also to the supervision of our bar program director Aki Eguchi.
Let's start with Jigger & Pony. What is the initial idea and how has it evolved over the years?
Our co-founders wanted Jigger & Pony to be a place where people could indulge their thirst for fine drinking in a decidedly casual environment. Opening Jigger & Pony was a definitive step in the Singapore cocktail bar scene, and over the past nine years, the city has become a hub and the venue continues to define modern cocktail culture, centered on convivial hospitality and innovation.
How satisfied are you with the worldwide recognition you have received? Has anything changed since then?
Since its launch, Jigger & Pony has been widely recognised as one of the pioneers in the Singapore cocktail industry. We are proud to have been named one of Asia’s top 50 bars and subsequently one of the top 10 globally. This win is both an honour and a responsibility for us to represent our team, the city and the industry in this challenging time. Our popularity has given us the opportunity to engage with guests new to the industry, but it has not forced us – nor have we felt obliged to – change our identity.
The second highlight is Gibson. What mix do you propose here? What is an iconic cocktail?
Named after the classic Gibson cocktail, Gibson is an intimate cocktail bar with a menu focused on Asian flavors and quality ingredients. The Gibson team explores Asian ingredients discovered in childhood or during travels around the continent. The menu features 17 cocktails divided into three main sections: classic, Southeast Asian, and Japanese-inspired. Among the former, the most iconic cocktail is the Gibson, with Roku Gin and a specially crafted vermouth based on ginjo-sake. It is served with pickled wasabi leaves, pickled onions, and smoked quail eggs. Each bite adds a different layer of flavor to complete the cocktail.
Live Twice is the third cocktail bar of the group. What are its strengths?
Live Twice is a cocktail bar that takes inspiration from the mid-century modern era in Japan. It is aimed at cocktail lovers who lead fast-paced and successful lives by day and want to unwind by night. The bar aims to be at the forefront of a new school of bartending, marrying the best of Japanese and Singaporean styles. It features a unique blend of Japanese savoir-faire and conviviality, to produce an experience that is outside the realm of traditional bar concepts. I menu invite you to live twice, as the sections “A life for yourself” and “And one for your dreams” say. We have 14 cocktails, mostly signatures like the Yukiguni with km12 Gin, Cointreau, lime and the First Light with vodka, coffee flower distillate, filter coffee, plum juice and cascara (an infusion of coffee peels), plus three non-alcoholic drinks, two of which are made with the Seelip 42 'distillate'. Among the many signatures, the menu also features three classics: the Vesper, the Alexander, in the version with the addition of Williams pears, and the Mizuwari, a traditional Japanese way of drinking, more than a cocktail in itself, which consists of diluting one part of distillate with two parts of cold water and ice. We gave this name to a cocktail with Nikka Coffee Grain Whisky, Nikka Coffee Malt Whisky and Hokkaido fresh water.
The group is completed by the Italian-American restaurant Caffe Fernet and the oyster restaurant Humpback. Why did you choose to invest in this sector? Do you also serve cocktails to go with the dishes?
In Singapore, food and drinks go hand in hand and one of our goals was to also operate in the restaurant sector. At Caffe Fernet we offer a menu of proposals for the aperitif, which are divided into granitas – Garibaldi and melon – Spritz – Sicilian, Sloe Gin, Aperol and Marina – aperitif – Americano, Bicicletta, Campari shakerato and Vermuttino – and Negroni – classic, dry, elegant or old. At the Humpback, however, there is a menu composed of wines, champagnes, sparkling wines and cocktails, which accentuate the culinary experience of oysters and seafood and creations with a refreshing taste. An example? The Lobster Bloody Mary with Vodka, tomato juice and lobster, lobster tail.
The latest idea launched by the group was Pony, a new line of premium ready-to-drink cocktails. Is this mode of consumption already in vogue in Singapore or is it a trend you intend to trace? What cocktails have you already created and which ones do you intend to launch?
PONY is a new premium cocktail brand – available in 200ml and 500ml sizes – that brings the bar to your home. The cocktails are made by our bartenders at Jigger & Pony and the idea for the project was born during the Community Circuit Breaker, which forced the closure of restaurants in Singapore from mid-March to mid-June due to Covid-19. We launched this idea during this time and it was met with great response from the city. While we wait for new arrivals, we have a range of six cocktails divided into two sections: Classic, with timeless classics such as Negroni, Old Fashioned and Martini, and Signature, with cocktails created by us, such as the Chocolate Boulevardier with Suntory Chita Whisky, Cinzano Rosso, Campari, chocolate bitters, cocoa nibs and orange essence, the Cassis & Rose with Suntory Chita Whisky, Merlet Creme de Cassis, Cinzano Extra Dry, Haku Vodka, rose water and Bowmore 12 Scotch Whisky and the Sakura Martini with Roku Gin, sake-based vermouth, sakura leaf essence and peach cream.[:]