Gin Malaya, a Malaysian craft gin, brought its story and flavours to Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel with an intimate evening at the rooftop Sala Bar on 21 October 2026. The evening gave guests a chance to discover the craftsmanship and botanical profile behind the spirit, from its use of familiar Malaysian ingredients such as pandan, lemongrass and Bentong ginger to the Scottish distilling traditions that shape its character.
Co-founder Eu Jin Foong hosted the evening and traced Gin Malaya’s beginnings, from a shared love of food to the creation of a gin inspired by Malaysia’s culinary landscape. Following the introduction, guests were invited in small groups to an intimate tasting corner, where Foong led them through the gin’s botanicals and flavour profile.
Foong said the gin grew out of curiosity about how familiar ingredients could be given new life through gin-making.
“Gin Malaya was born from our curiosity about how familiar Malaysian ingredients could be reimagined through the craft of gin-making. We looked to flavours we grew up with, such as pandan, lemongrass and Bentong ginger, and explored how they could be brought together with traditional Scottish distilling. We wanted to create something that feels familiar yet offers a new experience, allowing people to rediscover these flavours in a way they may not have experienced before.”
Eu Jin Foong, co-founder of Gin Malaya
The session was guided by the philosophy of “Two Worlds. One Spirit”, which explores how time-honoured gin-making traditions can find harmony with flavours that pay homage to Malaysia’s culinary landscape. Gin Malaya Original brings together hand-foraged Highland juniper with lemongrass, pandan and Bentong ginger. The brand says this creates a distinctly Malaysian expression while retaining the clarity and depth of a classic gin.
The tasting moved on to a curated selection of Gin Malaya cocktails, starting with the brand’s recommended serve: Gin Malaya with soda and ice. Its simplicity let guests appreciate the gin’s botanical profile, and it offers an effortless way to enjoy the gin at home.
Beyond the classic serve, we were served a specially curated cocktail menu with inventive interpretations of familiar Malaysian flavours. The selection included:
- Malaya Rock: a refreshing combination of pandan and coconut water over ice
- The Torch: bunga kantan with Campari and lemon, in a silky, bittersweet sour
- Pandan Malaya: shaken with pandan and smoked ginger, and tinted violet with butterfly pea
- Kantan Fizz: a crisp combination of Gin Malaya Kantan, lemon and soda
Each cocktail offered a different perspective on Gin Malaya, bringing together the familiarity of its Malaysian roots with the creativity of contemporary cocktail-making.
Gin Malaya’s signature cocktail collection is available at Sala Bar, Sheraton Petaling Jaya, where guests can experience it through a curated cocktail menu that showcases the gin’s botanical character in every serve.
Venue: Sala Bar, Level 33, Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel
Address: Jalan Utara C, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Price: RM48 nett per cocktail
For anyone curious about gin with a Malaysian accent, Gin Malaya offers an easy way in. Gin Malaya’s recommended serve is simply gin with soda and ice, which makes it simple to recreate at home with no special equipment or long ingredient list. That simplicity lets the botanicals take centre stage, and for drinkers who know pandan, lemongrass and Bentong ginger from Malaysia’s culinary landscape, there is something pleasantly familiar to find in the glass.
For those who would rather be guided, Sala Bar’s signature collection offers several entry points at RM48 nett per cocktail. The Malaya Rock, with pandan and coconut water over ice, is the refreshing option. The Torch, with bunga kantan, Campari and lemon, suits anyone who enjoys a silky, bittersweet sour. The Pandan Malaya, tinted violet with butterfly pea, adds a little colour and a smoked ginger note, while the Kantan Fizz is a crisp, easy-going pour with lemon and soda.
Sala Bar sits on Level 33 of Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel, making the collection a convenient choice for an evening out in Petaling Jaya, whether with friends or for a quiet drink after work. Because the cocktails are built around ingredients with Malaysian roots, they also make a good talking point for visitors who want a drink that reflects local flavours.
For more info, head over to https://ginmalaya.com/
Photos by the author.
