Situated on the corner of Republic Street and Pjazza Re?ina, Kingsway has become a key player in classy dining and has set a high bar for chic nights out in the city. That bar got a hefty push last Friday night, as Chivas collaborated with the mixologist team at Kingsway and poured out some tantalising chillers.

We got the chance to try out some of these delicious summer cocktails at the Chivas Cocktails event right in the heart of beautiful Valletta. As we settled into our barstools along bustling Republic Street to the tune of Gianni & Paps.

To kick things off, we ordered ourselves a round of Chivas Collins. Built around the base of a Chivas Regal 12YO, the cocktail was both tangy and sweet, and featured fresh green-apple slices, lime wheels and, most importantly, actual bamboo straws!

The Chivas staff came round shortly thereafter bearing gifts (branded cufflinks and whisky stones), and we were told that the bamboo straws are part of a Chivas initiative called #BarStraws. So props to the event for going full reduce-reuse-recycle while still making the cocktails look as delectable as ever!

For round two, we took to our Instagram and called on our Lovin following to help us choose which cocktail to settle for next. In the end, we got over 200 replies rallying behind Cran de Menthe: a Chivas Regal Extra-based cocktail mixed with lime and cranberry juice, and topped off with fresh cranberries and mint! The drink was probably the freshest of the night, with just the right mix of fruity and smooth.

As we prepared to dive into our third cocktail, a spicy Ginger Breeze, we tucked into some delicious nibbles and Kingsway dishes, featuring everything from deep-fried ?bejna segments to a mouthwatering selection of burgers and platters. The Ginger Breeze itself had some oomph behind it, perfectly marrying the Chivas Regal 12YO and ginger ale, with a dash of Cointreau tying it all together.

In between our requests to Gianni & Paps for more Don’t Look Back In Anger and one last round of Xemx, we cheekily sipped on some Chivas neat and turned to the last cocktail. Aptly named Passion Sours and possibly the most extra cocktail of the night, the drink included Chivas Regal Extra, fresh lemon juice, passion fruit nectar, egg white and a hint of vanilla to really round off the night in style.

Of course, no whisky night out on the town would be complete without a standard #TeamLovin photo in front of a swanky Chivas/Kingsway backdrop. Cheers for the great night out Chivas and Kingsway, and we promise not to drain your whisky reserves the next time.

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Matthew Baldacchino

Self-titled resident SJW and expressionless in-house Head of Internal Marketing. Matt loves prepping vegan and vegetarian food, consumes way too much coffee, and has an unhealthy penchant for storyboarded Instagram Stories. When he's not trying to figure out social media policies, marketing strategies or cracking SEO conundrums, you can catch him as the host of Basically, Livestream Of Consciousness or Lovin Daily. Hit him up if you've got a story about the environment, arts and culture, health, politics and activism, or LGBTQI+ issues. He's also a doctor, but we don't talk about that.