The food and drinks off erings at The Union Trading Company.

Shanghai’s affair with cocktails

According to Vance Yeang, a sommelier who has opened two cocktail bars in Shanghai, the Shanghainese are no strangers to foreign spirits which cocktails are made of, thanks to the Western influences in the city since after the first Opium War in 1842.

However, he noted that the cocktail culture in Shanghai only started around the early 1990s when expatriates opened a slew of bars and nightclubs in the former French Concession. Many industry experts said that Shanghai’s cocktail renaissance took place in 2012, the year Yeang opened Yuan Cocktail and Oyster Lounge along North Xiangyang Road in Xuhui district.

"In 2012, the cocktail scene had just begun to boom. There were only a handful of craft cocktail bars available then but if you look at the situation now, you can find at least 20 good bars in the city. Some of them are opened by famous global bartenders and national bartending champions," said Yeang.

"In China, baijiu is still the most popular drink on the dinner table as it a tradition that has been passed down for generations. Cocktails still rank the lowest as most locals don’t see it as a serious drink. However, this will soon change as more cocktail bars open and provide people with greater exposure to this culture."

Yao, the most recent winner of the Chivas Masters China competition, believes that the renaissance hit its peak in 2014, the year that Union, Speak Low and a host of other popular destinations like The Nest came about.

Unlike Yao’s cozy enclave or Gokan’s secretive cocktail hideout, The Nest is a modern-chic, one-stop destination that serves cocktails and Nordic-inspired food created by award-winning bartenders and chefs. The place also ramps up the party atmosphere after 11pm with pulsating electronic music. The Nest is backed by Shanghai’s MUSE Group and Vodka brand Grey Goose.

"I think the success of The Nest has to do with it having a good mix of everything. It’s got a great party atmosphere and you can have a meal and enjoy good cocktails for affordable prices. There are hardly places near the Bund that sell cocktails for 68 yuan ($10) a glass," said Carson Xie, head bartender of The Nest and the winner of the 2014 Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition.