Kuala Lumpur Cocktail Week (KLCW) is set to return for its second edition from 22 to 27 April 2025, bringing together global bar talents, local hospitality leaders, and cocktail enthusiasts for a week of dedicated events across the city. This year, the festival continues its mission to raise the profile of Malaysia’s cocktail culture and spotlight Kuala Lumpur on the global cocktail map.

The 2025 edition will see the city divided into five zones—Bangsar, Petaling Jaya/Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Damansara Heights, Chinatown, and Kuala Lumpur City Centre—with each area hosting bar takeovers and activations. The festivities will culminate in the Festival Village at Sentul Depot on 26 April, running from 2:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., where guests can enjoy signature cocktails from global brands, live music, games, and performances.

International Guest Shifts and City Takeovers

A major highlight of KLCW 2025 is the participation of 27 international bars from across Asia, the Americas, and beyond, including several ranked in the World’s and Asia’s 50 Best Bars. Guest venues include:

  • Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City)

  • Jigger & Pony (Singapore)

  • BKK Social Club (Bangkok)

  • Bar Leone (Hong Kong)

  • Vender (Taipei)

These guest bartending events—part of the City Takeover program—will feature one-night-only shifts that spotlight creative cocktails, cutting-edge techniques, and global bartending trends. The takeovers also aim to foster collaboration between visiting bars and local hosts.

Alongside these global names, the Malaysian cocktail scene will be represented by venues from across the country in a special Malaysian Takeover. Participating bars include Good Friends Club (Penang), Haiiro Usagi (Johor Bahru), Budi (Malacca), and No Bar Here (Penang). These homegrown names will join a strong lineup of Kuala Lumpur-based venues—among them Astor Bar, Bar Trigona, Concubine, Pahit, Penrose, Three X Co, and Reka—as host locations for international collaborators.

Further deepening the festival’s industry focus, KLCW will present a series of expert-led seminars in partnership with Bar Convent Singapore. Talks will cover topics such as olfactory mixology by Hadrien Moudoulaud (Bar Nouveau) and hospitality philosophy by Philip Bischoff (BKK Social Club). A special roundtable, featuring Mr. Money TV, will address financial literacy for hospitality professionals, tackling personal finance and business sustainability.

KLCW 2025 will also introduce cocktail pairing dinners at some of Kuala Lumpur’s top restaurants. Participating venues include Akâr, Beta, Fifty Tales, Ignis, Bistro Lea, Chipta, Jwala, Jus, Okaju, ESCA, Barkar, Upperhouse, and Yellow Fin Horse at RAW, offering curated food and drink experiences throughout the week.

The festival is supported by a wide range of brand sponsors including Belvedere, Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Johnnie Walker, Chivas, Martell, Dewar’s, Michter’s, Hendrick’s, Monkey Shoulder, Tanqueray, The Botanist, Roku Gin, Ron Zacapa Centenario, Volcan, Edelweiss, and Jameson. FunNow returns as the official reservation and ticketing platform.

Through citywide programming, international collaboration, and dedicated industry engagement, KLCW 2025 aims to further grow appreciation for fine drinks and craft cocktails, while reinforcing Kuala Lumpur’s position on the global cocktail map.