Malaysia

Top ranking Asian Bar Trigona has for the sixth year in a row made its mark among Asia’s 50 Best Bars. Unveiled on July 16, 2024, this year’s edition of the prestigious list ranks Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur as #36.

The distinction cements Bar Trigona’s reputation as a mainstay of Malaysia’s exciting cocktail scene. With sustainability at its core, the acclaimed drinking destination is renowned for its imaginative use of local ingredients, giving cocktail connoisseurs in the region an excellent reason to visit Kuala Lumpur.

Head Bartender Rohan Matmary expresses his joy: “We’re absolutely thrilled. On behalf of the entire team, I’d like to thank Asia’s 50 Best Bars and especially our wonderful guests, without whom this success wouldn’t be possible. We’re excited to build on this achievement and continue representing Malaysia with pride on the global cocktail stage.”

In previous years, Bar Trigona has also won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award and the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award. In May, it was listed in the Top Ten Best International Hotel Bars in the World at the 2024 Spirited Awards.

Asian Bar Trigona: Colour Me Curious

Launched in 2024, Bar Trigona’s Colour Me Curious menu has been making waves with its innovative and playful approach to mixology. Guests can explore a selection of vibrant cocktails that celebrate the colours, aromas and flavours of Malaysia, rooted in the landscape’s natural abundance. With a second edition due to be launched, there is plenty more to discover on the horizon.

A Story of Sustainability

Taking a farm-to-glass approach, Bar Trigona puts the spotlight on home grown ingredients, working closely with local farmers and food producers to support them while simultaneously promoting sustainable practices. Cocktails are centred around locally sourced fruits, herbs, spices and flowers, with the team working meticulously to utilise ingredients in their entirety.

“Along with reducing food waste and carbon emissions, our zero-waste techniques also help to unlock unusual new flavour profiles,” adds Rohan, noting the bartending team’s creative use of oft-ignored ingredient parts such as seeds, leaves and roots.

Bar Trigona’s honey focus

What do Bar Trigona’s name, décor and cocktails have in common? Trigona honey, of course! Framed by sweeping views of Kuala Lumpur, the bar’s striking hive-inspired interiors are a nod to its honeyed origin story.

Prized for its unique citrus notes, trigona honey is made by stingless bees native to the Malaysian tropics. Guests can sample its distinctive taste, transformed by the seasons, with a signature honey tasting flight. Bar Trigona sources artisanal, organic and sustainably farmed trigona honey from its local partners.

Since its inception, the bar has led several eco-friendly initiatives with the goal of preserving Malaysian bee habitats, protecting biodiversity and empowering local communities. The perennially popular Adopt a Beehive program invites guests to symbolically adopt a trigona beehive, thereby supporting sustainable beekeeping practices.

Happy Hour Asia raises a toast to the triumph of Malaysian-inspired libations at Bar Trigona!