Daily guest shifts spotlighted professionals from different countries and regions (Photo: PCW)
Say what you want about the heat and traffic, Penang has a way of enticing and embracing people from all walks of life with its eclectic charms. Beyond the bustling food scene, heritage attractions and lush nature, the Pearl of the Orient has an intrinsic warmth that resonates with even the most distant of visitors. Home is where the heart is, and the island is nothing if not full of heart.
It came as no surprise, then, that this year’s Penang Cocktail Week (PCW) harnessed that very spirit. One of the most prominent events on Malaysia’s mixology calendar, the bartending festival returned for its fourth edition last month, renewing its focus on home-grown talents while attracting global professionals to its city-wide schedule.
The launch party at Michelin-selected Lucky Hole opened with a bar takeover by two veterans from south of the Tebrau Strait — Singaporeans Rishi Randhawa of Origin Bar and Andrew Yap — showcasing a suitably fun and approachable line-up of tipples to kick things off. Drinks were paired with innovative fusion fare that took cues from beloved dishes like Teochew fish, oyster omelette and asam laksa, fuelling guests for the exciting week ahead.
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More than an itinerary of imbibing, the 2026 roster was themed “Welcome Home” and featured a diverse range of events categorised into five distinct pillars of Penang hospitality. Daytime activities included beachside workout sessions and a futsal showdown under Makan Angin (to go out and explore), designed to get people moving and see more of the island’s attractions — of course, with plenty of drinks to quench their thirst afterwards.
Jiak (to eat), one of Hokkien’s most recognisable words, was an ode to all manner of good food. Sessions like the Martell Drinks Sum Party, where classic Cantonese bites met tea-based Martell cocktails; and Plates & Pours programme, which starred delectable dishes by Honky Tonks Tavern of Hong Kong and Singapore’s Stay Gold Flamingo, offered creative takes on how beverage pairings can work with regional culinary cultures.
Late-night supper clubs were PCW’s take on hitting the mamak after a night of drinking. Melaka’s Peranakan powerhouse Bulldog whipped up deep-fried satay jantan and lemongrass-spiked mackerel otak-otak in collaboration with Nep! wine bar. Over at BaoBae, toothsome noodles from Hatsu and Nood Nood were washed down with creations by the folks from The St Regis Bar Bangkok.
As synonymous as the island is with street grub, fine fare got its spotlight too. For The Tasting Table, chef Thav of Bangkok’s one Michelin-starred 80/20 crafted a six-course meal accompanied by three cocktails from Penang’s own acclaimed Restaurant Au Jardin.
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On the more educational side of things, the Kongsi (to share) sessions were convened to appeal to emerging and experienced bartenders and owners, sharing all manner of business and technical know-how. Suitably hosted at Hotel Mokozoyo’s suave vinyl bar Kool Kongsi, the lectures included a rundown on successful management, data analysis and hiring protocol by Gregory Buda of Bisou Bisou in Montreal, while Élise Hanson, Canada’s Bartender of the Year 2025, divulged personal testimonies on challenges faced by female bartenders.
Bar hops, of course, are the crux of any good cocktail week. This year’s evening sessions comprised a daily rotation of guest shifts at watering holes around town, inviting notable figures from Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam, China, Canada, India, Thailand and Taiwan (just to name a few) as part of the quintessentially northern Kaki Lang mantra — the unifying “one of us” mentality that welcomed experts and enthusiasts alike. Unsurprisingly, locality got major attention, with the concept of home receiving various interpretations. Many drinks leaned into nostalgic profiles, like the “Sarsi” by Barley & Rye of KL, which blended sweet vermouth and monk fruit longan cordial for a liang sui palate. Others folded in familiar ingredients, like Poo Loong & Co’s Picante De La Casa, made with cili padi and pickled jalapeño, or the patriotic Hibiscus Sour from Rhubarb & Roses.
We also saw the Malaysian bartender’s handshake making a comeback. For the uninitiated, our nation’s version of a shared shot between industry pals swaps Fernet-Branca for a bracing gulp of Angostura bitters — something worth knowing before you accept your first greeting!
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An homage to one of the country’s bar scene’s most defining presences, one of PCW 2026’s key highlights was a tribute to the late Karl Too. A co-founder of Omakase + Appreciate, Too left behind plans for a final bar project titled Persau with three unreleased recipes. Shawn Chong, fellow co-founder and current proprietor of Bar Mizukami and Teeto Turtle, recreated and shared the cocktails at an intimate session on the second anniversary of Too’s passing. A public guest shift brought together Chong, Shirmy Chan and Joe Ngui — Too’s former colleagues from the much-missed haunt — as well as TJ Antony for a commemorative moment at Steep Social.
The final pillar, Lau Juak (to celebrate), accented the lively, celebratory energy of partying in all its forms — think thumping underground beats, neon-splashed EDM and even a margarita-filled bus whisking passengers through George Town for a spot of boozy sightseeing. Closing out the week was the PCW Cocktail Garden at Hin Bus Depot, where 15 bartender booths, food and fashion stands and an all-day DJ line-up took over the courtyard for a full Sunday of sipping, snacking and chilling.
Practically speaking, one cannot underestimate the boons that walkability (or at least affordable Grab-ability) provides for a multi-day, city-wide drinking experience, and while the KL equivalent strategically employs a zone-based layout, PCW delivers a sense of closeness and community that is truly hard to beat. The joy of cocktail week lives as much in the first taste of a fantastically crafted drink as in the excited waves when you pass another entourage en route to your next stop. While the curtains have closed on this year’s edition, the festival serves as a powerful reminder that for great tipples and warm company, one need only look upwards.
This article first appeared on Oct 12, 2026 in The Edge Malaysia.
