Moonshine Whiskey and Craft Cocktail Brings a Touch of Rustic Class to Nali Patio

Stepping from the third floor corridor of Nali Patio, and through the entryway of Moonshine Whiskey and Craft Cocktail, is like being whisked into a whiskey paradise. The new bar’s gorgeous, leather-bound menus look more like first editions of literary classics, especially because they contain detailed descriptions of the venue’s cocktails, not to mention a fitting quote from Ernest Hemingway: “I drink to make other people more interesting.” 

There’s no shortage of such muses in Moonshine’s repertoire. Dozens of highland, lowland, island, and other scotch varieties are on offer, like the 18-year-old Inchmurrin for RMB 80 per glass, the RMB 110 per glass Lagavulin 1997 Distillers Edition, and higher grade options like RMB 160 glasses of 21-year-old Highland Park.
 

The cocktails are even more enticing, like the RMB 90 Straight’s Sling. General Manager Linch Li calls this bevy the “little brother” of the Singapore Sling, a variation that he prefers because it forgoes the more famed rendition’s syrupy sweet flavor in favor of a more savory sour tinge, courtesy of its Heyman’s Old Tom Gin, orange bitter, lemon juice, cherry liquor, Benedictine, Angostura and soda. An even more unique option is the RMB 85 Alamagoozlum. Made with Bols Genever, Plantation Original Dark Rum, Chartreuse Green, Cointreau, Gomme, Angostura, and egg whites, this cocktail’s distinct sweetness is decidedly old school, due mostly to the Bols Genever, a classic Holland spirit that is rarely utilized in Beijing bars. But the tastiest of Moonshine’s bevies may very well be the RMB 85 walnut and jujube daiquiri, which features a splash of Plantation Original Dark Rum, the venue’s own house-made syrup and – most impressively – black sugar cooked by a village shop in Guangxi. 
 

“We’ve cut out typical fine white sugar almost entirely from our bar, because it’s a bit boring,” Li says, adding that he is constantly on the lookout for more exotic fare. “I was in a village in Guangxi recently and found this family shop that makes its own black sugar. It was such a unique traditional style, and that’s the kind of ingredients that we want to be using here.” 

However, such exotically regional Chinese twists are only relegated to some of the cocktails. Moonshine’s motif is otherwise the UK through and through. Hardwood floors and trim, smatterings of stained glass, cushy leather back chairs, and even the richly detailed cocktail descriptions in the menu, along with bits of cursive text littered throughout, will leave patrons feeling like they’re out for a nip with Oscar Wilde. It’s a fitting reworking of the space, which housed the more Americana-themed Apothecary bar before it closed early last year, a venue where Li honed his craft as a bartender. This new British aesthetic, along with the distinctly refined flavors of its cocktails, make Moonshine Whiskey and Craft Cocktail an astounding addition to Beijing’s top tier bar scene, one that is sure to be as beloved as Apothecary – and which will hopefully last far longer than its gone-too-soon predecessor. 

Moonshine Whiskey and Craft Cocktail
Daily 7pm-2am. 81 North Sanlitun Lu, D302 Nali Patio, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯北路81号那里花园D302

Photos courtesy of Moonshine Whiskey and Craft Cocktail