I was in Singapore recently for a few days, for business and a bit of fun too as it coincided with my birthday! After a busy day at the office, a few of us headed round the corner for a well-earned drink. Now, you know how much we value the importance of storytelling here at Elmwood. So when we came across a little cocktail bar called Bar Stories, we had to head inside…

In the bar, there was no menu in sight. Instead, you order drinks by telling the mixologist how you feel.

How was I feeling? That evening, it’s fair to say I felt conflicting emotions. Knackered, jet-lagged, but happy to be in Sing and out celebrating my birthday. So a few shakes, a few stirs and a few pours later, the bartender had rustled up a cocktail adventure especially for me – featuring smoked lavender for its relaxing properties, passion fruit to refresh, and plenty of spirits of course. The piece de resistance, balanced on top, was a silver spoon – my birthday gift – holding a scoop of lemon sorbet for some added zing.

What a great approach: a brand tackling the emotional need-states of its patrons rather then offering those easy-fix functional cocktails. A totally different offer and a clever way to add even more theatre to a birthday night out.