If there is one word to describe The Cocktail Club, it is "lively".

Even though it was a Tuesday evening and the clock had barely struck 8 p.m., the bar was already packed with colorful individuals who seemed to include Senopati residents, affluent socialites and Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD)-based office workers who were looking to blow off some steam. A burst of booming laughter and a smooth scent of whiskey filled the air – not to mention the silvery smoke of cigars. Looking at the scenery alone, it might have been hard to believe that The Cocktail Club had only been open for a few months.

Stefanie Wijono, deputy director of marketing and public relations for The Union Group, which operates The Cocktail Club, shared how even she did not anticipate such early success.

"We have been pretty fortunate. Since day one, we have been lucky enough to score patrons who eventually became our regulars," said Stefanie at The Cocktail Club on Dec. 7. As to how the bar could attract so many regulars in such a short time, she couldn't help but feel mystified as well.

Authentic bar: The Cocktail Club was established by The Union Group on October 1, 2021 (Photo Courtesy of The Cocktail Club) (Personal collection/Courtesy of The Cocktail Club)

"Actually, we haven't really done much promotion," she said, laughing. "I don't know. It was thanks to word of mouth, maybe? They might have heard about this place from friends or family or they might have checked us out on Instagram."

Perhaps word of mouth was more than enough to put The Cocktail Club on the map. Located on the glitzy Jl. Senopati, the bar quickly attracted the curiosity of Jakarta urbanites, especially those looking for an authentic bar experience, an interesting whiskey collection and bartenders whose skills are worth their salt.

Bartenders and buddies

Established as the latest addition to The Union Group's fine dining establishments, the concept of the bar originated from the company's desire to launch "an actual cocktail bar". The Union Group then decided to transform the second floor of one of their establishments, the French restaurant Pierre, into what is now known as The Cocktail Club. While the bar opened to its first customers on Oct. 1, Stefanie said that it was supposed to have opened "much earlier".

"We were already ready [to open The Cocktail Club] around May or June," she said. "We were really excited to set things in motion. Everything was done, the team was ready, and the place was already furnished. Then, suddenly, COVID-19 restrictions were enforced, and we decided not to move forward just yet because we felt a sense of responsibility as well."

The Cocktail Club aims to create a homey ambiance for its patrons. Instead of packing the bar with dining chairs and traditional, slab-top dining tables, leather couches and wooden card tables were chosen to ensure the patrons would feel comfortable enough to relax and enjoy themselves until the closing time. On that account as well, the bar was adorned "with a lot of care" by adding old-timey embellishments such as 18^th-century posters and pillar candles.

"Honestly, we just wanted to make a bar that was welcoming to everyone. We didn't want to make a place where we forced the patrons to dress up and act serious and stuff like that," Stefanie added.

Cocktail: One of The Cocktail Club's signature cocktails is Umami Bomb (Photo Courtesy of The Cocktail Club) (Personal collection/Courtesy of The Cocktail Club)

While The Cocktail Club serves up an ample variety of cocktails and liquor collections, looking at the bar's current popularity, Stefanie surmised that the true strength of the bar lay in its bartenders, "who are super passionate about this place", she noted. Furthermore, the bartenders are skilled not only in the technical field of mixology but also in how to deliver a "personalized" service to their patrons and regulars.

"A lot of patrons who eventually come back might feel like they are already buddies with our bartenders," she observed.

Vintage R&B, rock and soul music are the main staples of the bar's playlist, the reason being to differentiate The Cocktail Club from other bars offering similar amenities. A live DJ performance is added on selected dates.

Kiki Moka, one of the bartenders at The Cocktail Club who has also been working with The Union Group for more than 20 years, shared his thoughts on the overall appeal of the bar.

"What we wanted from the get-go was a cocktail bar that was cool, fun and rock 'n' roll. No matter how innovative the cocktail being served, if the bar's ambiance doesn't come off as 'hip' or casual, things won't fly," he said.

Whisk(ey) me away

While The Cocktail Club serves a wide range of liquors, whiskey remains its specialty. The selection ranges from whiskeys that have been aged from five to 30 years. To ensure that the patrons have an enjoyable experience, capable and knowledgeable bartenders are of the utmost importance.

"When it comes to whiskey, you need money to buy the brand, but you need the skill to buy the quality," Kiki said. "We have a lot of expensive whiskeys with an abundance of variety as well, but ultimately, whiskey is a journey. Sometimes the expensive ones are not guaranteed to satisfy one's palate. Whiskey can be quite personal that way."

Cigars: The Cocktail Club also offers a vast selection of cigars (Photo Courtesy of The Cocktail Club) (Personal collection/Courtesy of The Cocktail Club)

Another bartender at The Cocktail Club, John T., explained why whiskey had never lost its popularity among liquor enthusiasts.

"Whiskey is known for being able to 'mature'. The older the whiskey, the more delicious it will be," he observed.

Moreover, he noted that whiskey could also be a way for people to get to know each other, such as during tasting parties and social gatherings.

Could whiskey heal the soul as well?

"On a certain level, probably," John T. answered.

The Cocktail Club's house blend boasts a nifty mix of bourbon, blended Scotch whiskey and blended mole. The mash-up is barreled and stored for at least six months prior to being served and is about 42 to 43 percent alcohol. For patrons who are looking for something a bit more adventurous, the bar offers Barrel Aged Whiskey Infinity: a blend of whiskey shots contributed by whiskey buffs who have patronized The Cocktail Club.

"It's simply an evolving whiskey," said Stefanie.

In a cheeky touch, the beverage menu opens with the lyrics to the song "Alkohol" (Alcohol) by dirty jazz band Sisitipsi. The chorus of the song, translated into English, goes, "Alcohol / You're cruel but taste so good / Alcohol / You can also mend my wounds / Alcohol / You're cruel but taste so good / Alcohol / Even though your tax is huge / You are still a solution."

The bar's signature cocktail collections offer more whiskey-based concoctions such as the Umami Bomb, which includes Japanese whiskey, Choya Umeshu and Katsuo Dashi vermouth. For non-whiskey cocktails, the available options include the Caffe Cynar which is a mash-up of Cynar, Amaro Montenegro, coffee and gingerbread. Classic cocktails such as Vieux Carré are also available.

Despite it being a cocktail bar, The Cocktail Club still offers dishes such as a charcuterie platter, a pulled duck confit burger and a Black Angus tenderloin with Bordelaise sauce.

Drinking in peace

Ronal, a "thirty-something" regular at The Cocktail Club, praised how establishment stayed true to its vision of being a comfortable bar.

"Most bars in Jakarta don't understand what the concept of a bar is supposed to be like. Once the bar gets a little less lively, it typically throws a live band performance [to attract patrons], and the band's music is usually top 40 songs or some mellow ballads that the general audience might like. Such things won't happen here because the patrons are here not to hang out or take photos but to drink."

While the pandemic has made it difficult for nightlife spots such as The Cocktail Club to consistently keep their doors open to the public, it also has made many people more appreciative of quality bars.

"The pandemic makes you feel stressed out, right? There are lots of things you have to think about and you want to blow off a little bit of steam," said Stefanie.

The Cocktail Club is located above Pierre on Jl. Senopati. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. For more details, check out the bar’s Instagram: @thecocktailclubjkt.