When I was told the folks at Alice were doing a guest shift at Jigger & Pony, I had no idea what to expect. 

I thought, as usual, it would just be a normal bar crew takeover from another esteemed bar (as is certainly always the case at Jigger & Pony).

But when I first walked in at 8.30pm on a Tuesday night, Jigger and Pony was poppin’ and what did I first eye at several tables? A literal piece of Alice – the iconic bunny-shaped tiki mug! Never have I seen a guest shift so dedicated that they brought their own drinking vessels! It was at that point I knew, like Alice in wonderland, I too magically transported myself to Cheongdam, Seoul, home of Alice, a regular on Asia’s 50 Best Bar List since 2016.

Alice is currently No. 46 on Asia’s best bar list and is well known for its fantastical ambience and theatrical cocktails, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Famously hidden behind a flower shop, the speakeasy is hidden in a private nook that offers an escape from the frenetic streets of Seoul and provides a brief respite with an immersive sensory experience.

The Alice team was represented this evening by Mason Park and Jinny Yang, the maestros behind the bar counter at Jigger for the evening.

Mason Park, who was previously joint head bartender is currently the General Manager of Alice is an incredibly esteemed figure in Seoul. He has over a decade of experience and won many honours including an impressive consecutive top three finishes in DIAGEO World Class Korea in 2022 and 2023.  

Jinny Yang, a relatively newer member of the team who recently joined the ranks at Alice last year is the new wunderkind at Alice with previous experience at a cocktail bar before furthering his expertise making single malts, just before joining Alice.

Both gentlemen are very warm and represent the convivial hospitality that Jigger & Pony is renowned for. We even spotted some mingling though we were too far away to join in.

The takeover, we were told, was part of a tour to celebrate a new menu launch: Be Wonder. The team visited 5 cities, across Asia, namely, Shanghai, Tokyo, Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore. Here is a list of the 5 bar takeovers that occurred on March 11:

• Virtù, Tokyo (Asia’s No.11 and World’s No. 42 (2024))
• Jigger & Pony, Singapore (Asia’s No.3 and World’s No.5 (2024))
• The Curator, Philippines (Asia’s No. 33 (2024))
• Bar Leone, Hong Kong (Asia’s no.1, World No.2 (2024))
• Speak Low, Shanghai (No.32 Asia (2021))

Without further ado, its time to delve into the drinks!

Hippity Hoppity

The iconic Hippity Hoppity in its true original form made it all the way to Singapore!

The concoction is a true crowd-favourite, and I would say nearly all reviews and write-ups about Alice will shine a glowing light on this beloved cocktail. It was my opening drink, the start of a lovely evening which was light, slightly sweet and something I could just nurse the whole evening. The blend of Beefeater Gin, Ice Wine, Kiwi, Camellia and Dill was a true refreshing delight. The Dill was the most surprising note as to me, it came through the strongest with the fresh slightly grassy undertone that balanced the ice wine perfectly.

We were rather amused that the Hippity Hoppity tiki mugs were very fastidiously cleared from each table, under the guise of it being an extremely popular order and that there were limited mugs available to meet the burgeoning demand. I couldn’t help but wonder if the true reason for the quick hands were that that the Alice folks were worried about a slight of hand from several cheeky guests? Perhaps too many rabbits have lost their way and they had to be carefully guarded from further losses.

I wouldn’t find it too hard to believe as the whimsical tiki mugs were adorable and would be a lovely souvenir. Alice crew if you’re reading this, perhaps consider releasing a series of merch!

Quack Quack

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck… check and check!

The team didn’t have to go this hard. This one knocked it out of the park in terms of attention to detail. When I ordered Quack Quack with no preconceived ideas of what it would look like, I didn’t expect to see a little meringue duck floating, complete with eyes on the top of the drink. The little fella had a little leaf to float on too.

The mix of Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky, Sweet Potato, Balsamic, Smoked Duck Fat and Stout Foam made this a creamy treat. As I progressed on the drink it started to taste like a lighter version of coca cola to me with a light fizz. It is rich and a little indulgent and overall a theatrical drink. With each sip I began to realise the meringue duck was sinking further and the eyes started to bleed in horror that the drink was disappearing.

Okie DOK

Okie Dok which comprises Tokki Soju gold, Strawberry, Gochujang, Rice Ice Cream and Egg, was a very playful drink as it had a crunchy aspect to it. The rice crispy snack had hints of sesame oil which complimented the Soju very well. I consumed it gingerly with a little nibble of the rice crispy, a little sip, rinse and repeat.

Personally, I am not a fan of egg in my cocktails and tend to avoid egg-whites in my orders too but in this case, the “eggy” taste did not come through too strongly which I appreciated.

Wander Flower

The final drink, which was forewarned as the strongest drink was to put it quite frankly, mind blowing.

Served in a martini glass, a light blue liquid surrounds an asteroid festooned with a purple flower on top. This is the swan song drink of the night and boy did it not disappoint.

Our collective first thought: “Is that even edible?”

The Jigger & Pony crew, were quick to spot our furrowed brows and quickly clarified that it is not only edible, it is a biscuit with a cherry ganache. Holy shit the chocolate biscuit was insanely good!

I had so many questions, did they bake it themselves? Has to be! How did they dream this up?

The Wander Flower should be renamed Wonder Flower as it is a true wonder how they did it. It is a perfect ending of a drink containing Daiyame Shochu, Cabernet Sauvignon, Peat, Pear, Bay Leaf and Violet. It was a little smoky and the sweet nips of the biscuit elevated the drink tremendously.

Of course we had to get the mac and cheese.

We left with great vibes and sneaked a little chilli mac and cheese in our bellies before we left.

What a stellar evening and a great new menu refresh for Alice.

For those heading to Seoul soon, check out Alice’s new cocktails for an evening of whimsical fun and feelings of long forgotten child-like wonder at the creative tipples!

@crystaltonic