Speak Low was the first bar that I’ve visited when I was in Shanghai, and it was well worth a trip. Ranked as one of the best bars in Asia and in the World, Speak Low is a speakeasy with Ocho bartool shop as a front. You have to find the right button to enter, but this is not the only secrete it holds. There is another bar that is hidden behind the bookshelf in the third floor, only accessible by pressing a right button on the map. When I sat at the bar table, there was a group that came from Japan on my right, and Chinese couple on my left making it very international group that night.
Two cocktails I’ve tried were Speak Low and Guilty Pleasure. When there is a signature cocktail that has the name of the bar, I strongly recommend trying it out since the bartender must have immense amount of confidence to name a cocktail after their bar. Speak Low is a cocktail that has rum, sherry, and matcha green tea. I was genuinely surprised to find it quite sweet without any bitterness of matcha. Strained twice, it is very smooth, and reminded me of Hagendaz green tea ice cream.
Second cocktail, Guilty Pleasure used Talisker with Port and Sherry wine, topped it with lemon and raspberry, making the sweet and citrus freshness to cover up the smoky and peatiness of Talisker. Finishing it with raspberry jelly, it was surprisingly refreshing.