A Malaysian holiday like Merdeka deserves a Malaysian toast and what better way to do that than with a Malaysian-inspired cocktail?

This year, our beloved country celebrates 59 good and fruitful years of independence, a milestone that without a doubt deserves a toast. 

Why toast with just any drink -- a Malaysian holiday like this deserves a Malaysian toast and what better way to do that than with a Malaysian-inspired cocktail? 

Here are 5 cocktails made with ingredients we all will be familiar with from Milo and hibiscus flower to gula melaka.


Frozen Ketayap Kolada - Marini's on 57

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You can now also drink the tea-time favourite kuih ketayap, reinvented into cocktail at Marini's on 57 by means of Ron Zacapa 23 Years rum, fresh pineapple juice, coconut cream, pandan water and gula melaka. Edible pandan powder is also sprinkled generously around the glass for that unmistakable fragrance that our best foods wouldn't be complete without. Try it here.


Hibiscus Margarita - Grand Hyatt KL 

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Our national flower isn't only beautiful on the eyes, it is delicious on the lips as a drink as well. Grand Hyatt KL has combined Tequila Gold, Triple Sec, lime juice and hibiscus flower syrup into an inviting cocktail of passionate red for the Merdeka festivities. If one glass isn't enough (as we suspect it wouldn't), it also has a Monster Margarita that serves the cocktail in a large bowl. Have a sip here.


Oriental Mojito - AQUA Restaurant & Bar

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 Gula Melaka doesn't only belong on kuihs and chendol -- its creaminess also makes it ideal for cocktails as in the case of AQUA's Oriental Mojito. Mixed with Captain Morgan rum, mint and lime juice, gula melaka proves itself to be a very refreshing drink, perfect for our hot weather and even more so as a toast to our country's independence day. Order one here. 


Milo Dinosaur - Sparrow

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This chocolatey mamak favourite is made doubly tempting by Sparrow Bar with aged rum and Cacao Brun Liqeur added to the classic Milo and condensed milk concoction. Every sip will bring you back to your childhood and perhaps, bring about a flashback or two of the nostalgic Milo truck that made all our schooling days that little bit sweeter. Get your fix here.


Spirit of Borneo - Manja

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We haven't forgotten about East Malaysia. Manja pays tribute to Sabah and Sarawak's favourite drink -- tuak -- with this cocktail made with the famed local rice wine, lime, elderflower and egg white. Creamy, sweet and vibrant, it is the perfect reflection of the warm hospitality and genial nature of the people there. Who says you'll have to wait till Hari Gawai for a taste of tuak? Try it here.


Looking for something more indulgent? Feel free to get messy with some monster milkshakes.