DF Cantina taps into Singapore’s growing thirst for agave

Nimmi Malhotra takes a look inside newly-launched DF Cantina to find out what makes one of Singapore’s only dedicated agave bars unique.

Agave spirits are going from strength to strength in Singapore. They currently make up 2% volume and value of the total spirits market in the country, according to IWSR data. However, the category is growing, with value rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% from 2018 to 2023.

From 2022 to 2023 alone, agave spirits rose 66% in value in Singapore, and 30% in volume. The upward trend is set to continue, though at a steadier rate, with volume and value predicted to rise at CAGR 3% between 2023 and 2028.

Taking a cue from the growing interest, Singapore based drinks group The Compound Collective recently opened a dedicated agave bar: DF Cantina.

DF Cantina is Singapore’s second agave-centric bar after Cat Bite Club, which opened last year. In Asia, Coa leads the charge in the proliferation and education of agave spirits with two outfits in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

DF Cantina founders Celia Schoonraad, Michael Callahan and Roman Foltán are behind the rustic bar in Clark Quay dining district, where they also run Barbary Coast, another successful bar and late-night venue.

The initials DF refer to the bar’s old name, Deadfall, and also Mexico city, known locally as District Federale. Schoonraad says the bar addresses a gap in the market. “Agave is the fastest growing spirit in the world, and there was no Coa-level bar in Singapore. DF Cantina offers a three-part solution in terms of design and style, flavour profile and overall concept with their service style; there wasn’t anything like it,” she continues.

Inspired by Oaxacan aesthetics, DF Cantina lists a dozen cocktails, three-quarters based on Tequila or mezcal, and five variations of the margarita.

The drinks programme extends to single pours of 87 rare and unique agave spirits ranging from Jalisco highland and lowland Tequila, mezcal and Raicilla, most of which were brought over by co-founder Michael Callahan from Oaxaca and Jalisco.

The trio takes pride in sourcing lesser-known and iconic labels from small batch producers in remote villages. Bottles include Cupreata, Lalocura Cuishe by Eduardo Angeles, and limited Sanzekan mezcal made from agave cupreata by the late iconic producer Ciro.

Callahan says: “These producers can only produce 30 to 300 bottles worldwide. Allocation is hard, and as a new agave bar, we should not have access to it. But being in the industry for as long as we’ve been, we’ve leveraged our 25-year individual relationship to get an allocation.”

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