The cocktail menu – developed by Head Bartender Yugnes Susela and his team – has three sections, itemised according to flavour profiles; High & Mighty with potent spirit-driven concoctions; Subtle & Gentle featuring light and refreshing drinks, and Refined & Renewed where classic cocktails are given a modern twist. I’m assuming (never should) that you’re already familiar with Smoke & Mirrors, perched atop the National Gallery Singapore – with an Instagram-worthy view and a chance to sight someone falling of the balcony while attempting a silly selfie. Doesn’t happen a lot, so in the meantime, there were terrific tipples to distract us.

Nakajima’s Dansu (S$22): Cherry Blossom infused tea bourbon, apricot brandy, orange and apple bitters. It’s like an Old-Fashioned in a sake cup, with a very elegant finish. The fan is to smoke the cackling leaves, and for when it gets humid. It’s only the third cocktail, but am declaring this the winner – subarashi!

Smoked Up (S$20): An ode to Chuck Noland when he was stranded with Wilson the volleyball, made with Lapsang Souchong infused tequila, banana maple syrup, and Peychaud Bitters. Visually this is a winner, but the cocktail was a bit too sweet for my liking. What’s even sweeter: the parchment contains William Cowper’s The Castaway poem, a section of it anyway, ours read, “No braver chief could Albion boast / Than he with whom he went / Nor ever ship left Albion’s coast / With warmer wishes sent…” Perfect if you love your drinks to be inspired by great works of literature, but we’re gonna have to say “no Hanks”.

Duck’s Fat Hope (S$22): Jackfruit infused rum, five-spiced honey, lemon, dashes of Peking duck jus. Someone beat us to it and suggested calling this a “Duckquiri”, which is what it is. Duck works with plum, but it would was been too ‘dishy’, so jackfruit, which is a relative of plum, was cleverly used instead. It’s a lovely complement, giving the drink a full-flavoured lift. (Note: If attempting this at home, the jackfruit must be morning fresh.)

Let’s just take a second to appreciate the space and the view.

Okay, let’s move on.

Goju Goju ($20): Banana infused bourbon, apricot brandy, Irish whiskey, pistachio cream and carrot sherry. Sweet cos of the brandy, creamy cos of the whiskey, and savoury cos of the sherry and bourbon. We hate to use the word ‘balanced’, but this one is…that. Infusion’s a really big thing here, we love the experiments.

Glasgow’s Winterfall (S$25): Revive the Scottish soul with this bubbly concoction of Drambuie, Amaro Nonino, Becherovka, grapefruit sherbet, lemon, orange bitters and bubbles. You end the night either with this, or the Temporada – which both serve a refreshing purpose.

Parched verdict: We’re excited about his lot because it’s obvious a lot of work went into the process and presentation. And if the name Smoke & Mirrors doesn’t give it away, sometimes you’re not sure if what you’re seeing is what you’re getting. Looks, as they say, can be deceiving, but there’s more substance here than stunts. The prices are at the friendlier end of 20, and there’s a creative selection, and it’s cocktails you can’t ignore and will talk about. For us, it’s a GO.

Smoke & Mirrors, #06-01, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew Road, tel: +65 6384-5595. Hours: Sun – Thurs 12 noon – 12.30am; Fri – Sat 12 noon – 2am.

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