Twenty Fifth Hour came to the bar scene a couple years back and this was one I was meaning to try. It’s hidden in Luk Yu Building taking the whole thirteenth floor tower, above the famous Luk Yu teahouse. But don't judge the lobby of this old building - entering the speakeasy will truly surprise you. It’s a quiet place during weekdays for intimate chats and I reckon larger groups pour in towards the weekend.
A dark interior filled with saturated shades of blue, setting the mood also accompanying for large groups. I love the architecture of the curving blue couch you can tuck yourself away on.
Twenty Fifth hour feels like a mirage in the middle of Central’s chaos. There are semi-private rooms are tucked away against a bright light with plants that sit against an opaque window.
The love cocktails (all $138) are inspired by the highs and lows of love, romance, and relationships and are part of the larger cocktail menu at Twenty Fifth hour. Designed by Head Mixologist Kenzo Lee, the delicate drinks focus on a fragrant, floral touch on the nose, soft flavours unfolding on the palate, with some containing contrasting aftertastes.
Considering the hardships couples will endure is the Honeybee, taking its inspiration from the Bee’s Knee’s. The drink conveys a testament to overcoming obstacles together with the sweetness following. Gin, elderflower, peach, egg white and lemon dominate the cocktail. Surprisingly, this cocktail does not use any honey – the gin along with elderflower are aged with beeswax for two weeks to get the sweet and slightly woody aroma. The flower sitting atop the drink contains a bit of wasabi to represent the hard time, and the following sip of the cocktail representing the sweetness.
Full Bloom is emotional and symbolises longing and nostalgia on a past romance. How sweet it can be to dream and reminisce on the loving times, but the crushing reality filled with mourning of a relationship that has ended. This smooth Widges gin martini spotlights the delicate Sakura. Sweet and floral elements fill each sip from the lillet, and mixed with Fernet Hunter, and juxtaposed by the grapefruit and blossom bitters. The drink is garnished with a salted, pickled Sakura at the bottom conveying lost love and the taste of tears.
For a cocktail that’s light and refreshing, I recommend trying the Tear Drop, which is a twist on a paloma. This cocktail is about a holiday fling or travelling as a young couple for the first time. Bright in colour with ombre shades of amber, pink, and raspberry red, the tequila based drink contains grapefruit, lime, and hibiscus. It’s not as fizzy as I thought it’d be, but is tropical and carefree, just like how it is described, until the bittersweet moment when a holiday comes to an end or when the fling is over.
Verdict
The cocktail menu is metaphorical and symbolic, playing around with a lot of floral, soft notes. The menu unfolds an endearing love letter to the palate and specifically focuses on crafted flavours to illuminate stories of joy, lust, passion, heartbreak, and new beginnings all surrounding the cycles of love.
📍 13/F, Luk Yu Building, 24-26 Stanley Street, Central, 5546 8540
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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