Tasting Kitchen (TK), Asia’s epicurean lifestyle media group, leads the way to the world’s best in food and drink, art and design, and luxury travel adventures.
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Dimple Yuen, cofounder and head distiller of Two Moon Distillery, peers into the pot of “Luna,” their 100-liter copper still. Custom-designed and handhammered in Germany, Luna’s unique design features a moon-like – hence its name – spherical helmet that sits above the pot and provides a very large copper surface area to interact with alcohol vapors to produce a cleaner, more refined spirit. Read more about Hong Kong’s first gin distillery, starting on page 106.
香港致月蒸馏酒厂的联合 创办人兼首席蒸馏师阮澔 查看 100 公升的铜制蒸馏器 Luna 。 Luna 在德国定制设计 和手工锤制，设计亮点是如圆 月般的球形顶部，宽广的铜表 面与酒精蒸气充分接触，产生 更纯净精致的烈酒。翻阅第 106 页，了解更多香港首家琴 酒蒸馏酒厂的故事。
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Welcome to Tasting Kitchen issue TK 57, The Bar and Beyond
When you think about what makes a bar great, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the cocktails.
You’ll assume that the bartenders of any top-notch establishment have mastered the nuances of flavor and the intricacies of ice, that they maintain a Rolodex of classics on instant recall and are technically brilliant at shaking, stirring, layering, and garnishing.
The interior design of the bar may also be a key element. Through the evocative use of space and color, sound and light, you want to be transported – even before you’ve sipped your first drink –to another realm.
Also crucial is spirit selection. Seeing a backbar filled with a diverse array of premium, rare, and boutique spirits – some that you’ve never seen and are curious to try – whets the palate and assures you that your guides for the evening have good taste and will soon lead you on a good tour of taste.
And then there’s the secret ingredient that can’t be bought but that all great bars keep on endless tap: a warm welcome for their guests. The feeling of being generously recognized makes us feel better than any libation can.
This issue offers an ample supply of all of the above and more as we lead you on a tasting adventure to Asia’s best bars and beyond.
LARK Distillery and artist Del Kathryn Barton collaborate to help protect Australia’s oceans.
AT THE SAPPHIRE PROJECT’S June fundraising dinner for ocean conservation, the very first of 208 bottles of LARK x Del Kathryn Barton Art Release, a premium single-cask limited-edition single-malt whisky from the Tasmanian distillery, was auctioned for AUD16,000. Adorning the label and adding the artist’s award-winning idiosyncratic style to this exceptional whisky was an image of Barton’s 2024 acrylicon-linen, Heart Nectar
BY KATE NICHOLSON
The collaboration between the renowned maker of Australian single-malt whiskies and the two-time Archibald Prize winner, celebrated for her renegade mixed-media canvases, follows other artist partnerships, including those with Shenzhen creatives Yao and Susu of 1983ASIA for LARK’s 2024 Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year Release and with Shanghai-based illustrator Menghui Huang, which is ongoing for 2025.
“Art is LARK’s new, long-term creative platform for delivering quality innovative experiences that celebrate craftsmanship,” says LARK Global Head of Marketing Cleo Smeeth. “Just as an artist carefully selects the colors, textures, shapes, and forms to create a masterpiece, so does a master distiller when it comes to the unique casks, wood profiles, flavors, water, barley, and peat to create whisky that will mature and be enjoyed for years to come.”
↖ The label on LARK’s latest limited-edition art release features Heart Nectar (2024) by Del Kathryn Barton. LARK 最新推出的限量版 艺术酒标上的是 Del Kathryn Barton创作的 《Heart Nectar (2024)》 。
↗ A bottle of LARK x Del Kathryn Barton Art Release in the artist’s studio. Del Kathryn工作 室中的一瓶 LARK x Del Kathryn Barton威士忌。
LARK x Del Kathryn Barton Art Release 是来自这间塔斯曼尼亚酿酒厂的顶 级单桶限量单一麦芽威士忌。在六月份的 The Sapphire Project 募款晚宴 上，首批 208 瓶 LARK x Del Kathryn Barton Art Release 以 16,000 澳币的 价格拍卖成交。酒标上的画作为 Del Kathryn 于 2024 年创作的丙烯颜料作 品《Heart Nectar》，以艺术家独树一格、荣获奖项肯定的创作风格来搭配 杰出的威士忌。
A student collection of glass cocktail vessels and accompanying drinks pays tribute to the neglected impact of women in design.
BY KATE NICHOLSON
IN THE MATERIAL SENSE, spirits are distilled liquors, their varied flavors, scents, and colors spanning the breadth of human sensory experience. In 2023, students from the Space and Communication master’s program of Swiss art and design school HEAD Genève created a series of seven blown glass cocktail vessels and matching tipples to highlight women’s chronically overlooked contributions to the global history of product and experience creation.
The resulting exhibition, Spirits: Excellent for the Head, debuted at Milan Design Week 2023, with each glass paying homage to a specific designer: Ray Kaiser Eames, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, Eileen Gray, Anab Jain, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Magdalene Odundo, and Valentine Schlegel. The collection was acquired later that year by the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (MUDAC) in Lausanne, where the works are now on display. The student designers drew inspiration from the speakeasies of the US Prohibition era – a time when mixologists and creatives, many among them women, thrived even though their work was often hidden from wider society or deemed illicit. Spirits, here, refers as much to wit, soul, and brave defiance of social norms as it does to alcohol.
①
E-1027, a Tribute to Eileen Gray, by Emile Demerliac and Victoria Jospin, honors Gray’s design ethos and Mediterranean influences.
Hopeful Future, a Tribute to Anab Jain, by Joseph Curle and Constance Thiessoz, explores future visions via present-day signs. Hopeful Future，向设计师 Anab Jain致敬， 由 Joseph Curle和 Constance Thiessoz 创 作，通过现今的标志探索未来的景象。
③
Else, a Tribute to Valentine Schlegel, by Chiara Kocis and Chirine Samii, honors Schlegel’s seamless mix of art and daily practice.
Who Manipulates Who?, a Tribute to Daisy Ginsberg, by Camilla Hoffmeister and Hannah Mackaness, explores environmental perspectives through magnified views. Who Manipulates Who？由Camilla Hoffmeister和Hannah Mackaness创 作，向设计师Alexandra致敬，透过 放大的视角探索不同环境观点。
由系列而生的展览名为「Spirits: Excellent for the Head」，在 2023 年米兰设计周上首次亮相。每件玻璃酒器都向一位特定的设计师致敬： Ray Kaiser Eames、Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg、Eileen Gray、Anab Jain、 Sophie Taeuber-Arp、Magdalene Odundo 及 Valentine Schlegel。该系列 同年稍后由瑞士洛桑当代设计及应用艺术博物馆（MUDAC）取得，正于馆 内展出。这群学生设计师的灵感来自美国禁酒时代的地下酒吧。当时的调 酒师和调酒界创意人士有许多都是女性，虽然她们的付出与工作往往不为 社会所知或被视为非法，但依然发展蓬勃。此系列中的 Spirits 不仅指酒精， 更是机智、灵魂及勇敢反抗社会规范的精神。
TAKING WING
Hong Kong speakeasy Dragonfly brings its enchanting flights of fantasy to Singapore.
BY KATE NICHOLSON
The imposing wings of the bar’s fairy-like dragonfly were custom-crafted by skilled stained glass artisans.
Morgan Raelin Barron presides over cocktail creation at Dragonfly Singapore.
Morgan Raelin Barron
Dragonfly Singapore
Bite the Blossoms contains vodka infused with Hanami tea, Oloroso sherry, bittersweet grapefruit, and a hint of vegetal freshness from rhubarb.
Bite the Blossoms使用了注入日本花茶的伏特加、
Oloroso雪莉酒、苦甜葡萄柚，并带有大黄的新鲜蔬菜气息。
Rocks and coupe glasses selected for their curved silhouettes that mimic Art Nouveau lines complement classic highball and martini glasses.
曲线优美的岩石杯和高脚杯有新艺术风格线条的风采， 与经典高球杯和马丁尼杯完美搭配。
IN JUNE, Hong Kong bar scene headliner Dragonfly opened Dragonfly Singapore, tucked into the back of the Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard. Describing itself as “a one-room revolt for luminaries,” it preserves the original’s speakeasy charm by remaining cleverly hidden from the view of anyone entering the hotel lobby.
“We wanted guests to have the distinct impression of entering another reality when they walk in,” says interior designer Ashley Sutton, who also designed Dragonfly Hong Kong. “There’s so much joy to experience within a fantasy world.” An enormous dragonfly of sorts, a handcrafted fairy-like being with glass mosaic wings, hovers over the bar area, while various dragonfly motifs embellish cast iron lamp arches and tabletops. The ceiling undulates with a bloom of iridescent sea-green jellyfish that are, in fact, hand-blown lampshades hung upside down at varying heights.
“I’ve always been particularly drawn to the works of the Art Nouveau period and how its lines and mediums reflected the natural world,” says Sutton. As an apprentice in a glass studio, he studied the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, whose early use of dragonfly themes became a brand signature. “Drawing inspiration from this, we explored the fascinating life of dragonflies, particularly their underwater life cycle, which many are not aware of.”
The bar’s master mixologist, Morgan Raelin Barron of Jigger & Pony and 28 HongKong Street fame, has transformed Sutton’s vision of dragonflies skimming along at twilight or dawn and creating delicate ripples on the surface of the water into a distinctly original selection of cocktails for Dragonfly’s menu, The Cause and Effect
她将 Ashley 对蜻蜓在黄昏或黎明时轻掠水面、在 水面上激起细腻涟漪的想像，转化为 Dragonfly 独 特原创的鸡尾酒系列 The Cause and Effect。
全新风貌
NEW LOOK
The Glenrothes celebrates the artistry of The 25 and The 18 single malt whiskies with elegantly restyled packaging.
IN THE PASTORAL SPEYSIDE town of Rothes in the Highlands of Scotland, The Glenrothes has produced its renowned single malt whiskies since 1879. This year opens a fresh chapter in the legendary distillery’s legacy, as its 25- and 18-year-olds don sophisticated new garb that is an art form in itself.
Fully recyclable cylinders of luxurious copper for The 25 and regal purple for The 18 encase the bottles in tribute to the first-fill sherry-seasoned oak casks that hold the whiskies as they mature. The cylinders are embossed with the topographic contours of The Glenrothes Estate, source of the pure spring water from The Lady’s Well that is essential to the distillery’s inimitable house style.
Twisting a cylinder rolls back the front panel to reveal the bottle inside with its newly lengthened neck for a smoother pour. Each bottle, bearing a transparent label with the whisky maker’s handwritten tasting notes, is truly one-of-a-kind.
The spirits within are the result of time and patience, a very slow distillation and aging process, and an evolution of flavor intensified with exceptional depth.
The delicate and fruity, golden-hued 25-year-old fills the nose with an aroma of ripe peaches and zesty orange peel. A palate of luscious vanilla, Swiss milk chocolate, ripe stone fruit, and orange oil is infused with toasted almonds, delicate oak, and lingering sweet spice. Rounded, balanced flavors are followed by a rich, sweet finish with silky nuttiness and persistent fragrance.
The 18-year-old delivers an intense and rich flavor profile and vibrant fruitiness. On the nose is a waft of ripe pear and sweet vanilla pods with a hint of dried ginger. The deeply flavorful palate is alive with sweet ginger, pear, and rose water. Aromatic fruit and light oak balance an undercurrent of creamy vanilla, and the silky, lingering finish is brimful of sweet, spicy, peppery notes.
瓶中的酒液是经由时间与耐心淬炼出的成果， 透过 The Glenrothes 的慢速蒸馏工艺，经历风味演 化，最终沉淀成一瓶瓶珍稀佳酿。
Hong Kong’s Krug Ambassade Chefs present exquisite pairings of Krug Champagnes with dishes featuring edible flowers.
NDIVIDUALITY IS THE ART of understanding that every plot, as one wine, is in itself a single ingredient in Krug Champagnes.
Joseph Krug founded the House of Krug in 1943 with the dream of crafting the very best Champagne he could offer, every single year, regardless of climate variations. He was able to achieve this by paying close attention to the vineyard’s character, respecting the individuality of each plot and its wine, as well as building an extensive library of reserve wines from many different years.
For the past ten years, the House of Krug has honored its savoir-faire by selecting a single ingredient and inviting their Ambassade Chefs to create original dishes to pair with the latest editions of Krug Grande Cuvée or Krug Rosé. This year, Krug turns to the realm of flowers, celebrating their delicate elegance, exquisite diversity, and unparalleled potential.
In viticulture, a vineyard in bloom is more than just a beautiful sight. Flowering marks the crucial period when weather conditions influence the number of berries that will grow in each cluster. A successful bloom sets the stage for a bountiful harvest.
In the world of fine dining, edible flowers open new doors for culinary creativity, well beyond the vivid array of color they bring to the plating. They can be infused, dried, served fresh, cooked, or made into salts. Consider the iodized flavor of borage, the delightfully bitter dandelion, the lemony elderflower, or the peppery nasturtium. The kaleidoscopic spectrum of blooms is as diverse as it is delicious.
“Edible flowers in the kitchen heighten the aromatic expression of a pairing, infusing entirely new flavors and unexpected aromas,” says Krug Cellar Master Julie Cavil. “They offer chefs a blossoming spectrum diversity, adding refinement and a touch of the unexpected to any culinary creation.”
For the 2024 Krug x Flower campaign in Hong Kong, Krug Ambassade Chefs demonstrate creative ways to craft flowerinspired menus to pair with a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition and the elegance and boldness of Krug Rosé 28ème Édition.
库克香槟酒庄深信每座葡萄园都能展现其独特个 性，就如香槟中的一款款单一食材。
Joseph Krug 于 1843 年在法国兰斯创立库 克香槟酒庄时，就決意不论天候如何变化，每年 都会酿造出最好的香槟。他的成功归功于他密切 关注葡萄园的特色，尊重每块园地及其葡萄酒的 个性，并建立了一个收藏不同年份基酒的庞大味 觉库。
为了迎接 2024 年的「Krug x Flower」系列 活动，香港的库克名厨大使透过创新料理诠释各 种花卉的特质，搭配具有「最丰富的香槟特质」 的库克陈年香槟（Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition），以及优雅而大胆的库克粉红香槟（Krug Rosé 28ème Édition）。
DAVID HARTUNG
Pumpkin, corn, saffron
Guillaume Galliot
CAPRICE, FOUR SEASONS HOTEL HONG KONG
Floral inspiration
Saffron (crocus flower stigmas) 番红花
I once made a dish featuring corn and pumpkin, and to my astonishment, Pierre Hermé drew inspiration from my creation to craft a macaron. It was an extraordinary honor that I cherish. Now I’m re-creating it as an amuse bouche and infusing it with saffron, a golden treasure that brings a vibrant hue and a delicate aroma. / 我曾经制作了一道以玉米和南瓜 为主的菜肴，然后知名法国糕点师 Pierre Hermé 制作了一款以 此为灵感的马卡龙。此事出乎我的意料，也是我珍视的非凡荣 耀。现在我将它重新创作成一道开胃小菜，并加入增添色彩与 香气的番红花。
Pairing notes
The floral and honeyed nuances of saffron harmonize with the vibrant fruitiness and elegant structure of Krug Rosé 28ème Édition. The saffron’s earthy undertones complement the complexity of the Champagne, enhancing its depth and adding a touch of intrigue to each sip. Furthermore, the subtle spiciness of saffron provides a delightful contrast to the wine’s fresh, crisp character. / 番红花的花香和蜜糖感，很能搭配 Krug Rosé 28ème Édition 的活力果香和优雅结构。番红花的土壤气息增加 了香槟的层次，每一口都多了一丝神秘感。此外，番红花 些微的辛辣感，与这款清新爽脆的香槟创造出令人愉悦的 对比。
Brittany lobster, filo pastry, harissa
布列塔尼龙虾、 酥皮、哈里萨辣酱
Uwe Opocensky
RESTAURANT PETRUS, ISLAND SHANGRI-LA, HONG KONG
Floral inspiration
Nasturtium flowers, cucumber flowers, blue borage flowers 金莲花、小黄瓜花、蓝色琉璃苣
Flowers have always been a part of my cooking since day one. They play a significant role in a life circle. When they bloom, they get pollinated and create more life. If I were to be a flower, I wouldn’t be a single bloom but rather a sea of wildflowers, because they represent my philosophy in the kitchen, which is endless reinvention without boundaries. / 花在生命循环 中扮演了重要角色，也是我自厨艺生涯之始不可或缺的一部分。花朵盛开、 授粉，孕育更多生命。如果我是一朵花，我不会是单一的花朵，而是一片 野花海；这样的意象与我的厨艺理念呼应，那就是无止境、无界限的创新。
Pairing notes
Krug Rosé 28ème Édition complements the peppery notes in the nasturtium flower. And the sweet, creamy flavors of the lobster add another dimension to both the dish and the Champagne. / Krug Rosé 28ème Édition 与金莲花的胡椒调性完美搭配；龙虾香甜滑顺的口感则为菜肴和香 槟增添层次。
Vicky Cheng
VEA
Floral inspiration
↓ Chinese almond panna cotta, osmanthus jelly 中式杏仁奶冻、桂花冻
Dried osmanthus flowers, various edible flowers in different colors 干桂花、各式可食用花卉
The osmanthus tree is widely grown in Hong Kong. During its blossoming period, a sweet aroma wafts through the air and provides a natural, longlasting fragrance in the surrounding area. The small flower buds are dried and are often used in desserts or enjoyed as a floral tea. / 桂花树在香港 广泛种植，每逢花期空气中便弥漫一股清甜，周围环境充满了天然持久的 芳香。小巧的花蕾经干燥后，常以甜点或花茶的形式享用。
Pairing notes
The creaminess of panna cotta made with Chinese almond milk and osmanthus jelly amplifies the blooming aroma and nutty almond notes of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition. / 中式杏仁奶冻 和桂花冻的爽滑口感，更加突显了 Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition 四溢的香 气和杏仁风味。
Ricardo Chaneton
MONO
Floral inspiration
Nasturtium flower
金莲花
The nasturtium plant grows at high altitudes in the Andes Mountains. I remember eating the root and being astonished at its spicy flavor profile and how it contrasts with the texture and delicacy of the flower. / 金莲花生长于安地 斯山脉的高海拔地区。初尝金莲花根部，辛辣的风味让我印 象深刻，与小巧精致的花朵形成对比。
Pairing notes
The delicate, spicy, and smoky elements provide a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures with the complexity and delicacy of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition. The pairing brings together all the nuances in the dish and the Champagne in a harmonious way to create a symphony of flavors. / 这道料理包含的精致、辛辣和烟熏元素，为复杂 而精致的 Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition 提供了美妙风 味和质地对比。两者的搭配仿佛演奏了一场味觉的交响乐， 菜肴和香槟间所有细微的差异反倒和谐共处。
It was interesting to think outside of the box and not simply use a pretty flower. I chose flowers that have very distinctive sweet and spicy notes. And I used different parts of a flower, such as the pistils of saffron, the nectar of orange blossom, and the petals of chrysanthemum, to showcase flowers in an unexpected way. / 跳脱框架而不仅是使用漂亮的花朵作装 饰，是一件相当有趣的事。这次，我选择了具有 独特甜味和辛辣味的花种，并使用花的不同部位， 像是番红花的雌蕊、橙花的花蜜和菊花的花瓣， 以意想不到的方式呈现花卉。
Pairing notes
The light golden color and fine, vivacious bubbles of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition pair well with the foam and the texture of the dessert. The Champagne’s aromas of flowers in bloom and of ripe and dried citrus fruits complement the passion fruit sauce, and its marzipan almond paste notes match the almond cake. / Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition 的淡金 色泽和细致活泼的气泡，与甜点的泡沫 和质地完美搭配。香槟中盛开花朵的芳 香，以及成熟干燥柑橘的香气，与甜点 中的百香果酱相呼应，而香槟的杏仁膏 风味则与杏仁蛋糕互相配合。
Flowers lend delicacy to a dish, but sometimes they do not have the flavor you want. With the shiso and chive flowers, we felt that the bitterness and onion notes were contrasts to the texture and umami flavor of the rice. The borage, on the other hand, gave a sweet, sea-like taste that enhanced the uni. / 花虽然能让菜肴更为精致，但有时它们并 不具备你想要的风味。我们发现紫苏花和韭菜花的 苦味和洋葱味，与米饭的质地和鲜味形成对比；琉 璃苣则带来鲜甜的海味，提升了海胆的风味。
Pairing notes
The freshness of the uni and the flowers give the scent of summer and enhance the summer fruit notes of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition. The shiso flower gives a hint of Asian flavor that enhances the delicate nuttiness of the Champagne.
/ 海胆和花朵的鲜味为 Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition 带来夏日气息，突显了香槟的夏季水果香调； 紫苏花带有一丝亚洲风味，更衬托出香槟细腻的坚 果风味。
Samosa cones, rice-dashi filling, amaebi filling, uni 萨莫萨饺脆皮、米汤内馅、 甜虾内馅、海胆
Mori Tomoaki
Floral inspiration
Torenia flowers, cosmos flowers 夏堇、波斯菊花
I would be a cosmos flower, because it symbolizes order, harmony, and balance. It is also peaceful, tranquil, modest, and joyful. And that’s what a sushi chef should be. / 如果我是一朵花，我会选择波斯菊。波斯 菊象征秩序、和谐与平衡，也有和平、宁静、谦逊和喜 悦之意，这些正是一名寿司师傅应该具备的特质。
Pairing notes
Japanese flounder, which is subtle and smooth, and cosmos and torenia flowers, which are light and slightly sweet, harmonize with the honey, plum, and vinegar sauce. Together, they amplify the freshness of Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition and create an umami aftertaste. / 细腻滑顺的日本比目鱼，以及轻甜的波斯 菊花和夏堇，与蜂蜜、梅子和醋汁和谐融合。这些元素 一同放大了 Krug Grande Cuvée 172ème Édition 的清新 感，并创造出鲜美的余韵。
↓ Japanese flounder, torenia flowers, cosmos flowers
日本比目鱼、夏堇、波斯菊花
Stefano Bussi
时光隧道
TIME-WARPED
COCKTAIL
Vida Rica Bar introduces a new menu of cocktails inspired by the past and present of some of Macau’s most famous landmarks.
LOCATED IN THE LUXURIOUS MANDARIN ORIENTAL, Macau, Vida Rica Bar offers sweeping views of the city and across the waterfront, accompanied by a cozy and welcoming atmosphere that encourages guests to sit back and unwind with one-of-a-kind cocktails.
Celebrating the vibrant flavors of Southern China and Macau, Vida Rica Bar’s recently launched Sensing the Multiverse cocktail menu offers a unique perspective on the city’s well-known landmarks and heritage sites. Head Mixologist Stefano Bussi, after moving to Macau in November 2023, spent his first three months discovering its unique combination of Chinese and Portuguese traditions, architecture, and flavor profiles. He decided to design eight cocktails that reflect eight notable places across the city.
Macau’s contrast of old and new is one element that Bussi wanted to explore. By working with AI, he was able to reimagine important sites around the area, both transforming their modern aspect to the world of 1488 and bringing their fifteenth-century legacy into modern society. By distorting time, Bussi aimed to make the familiar unfamiliar and the unfamiliar familiar. “AI is a big part of our society now, though it’s still quite niche in Asia. It’s a great tool for inspiration and allows you to explore endless possibilities.”
Born and raised in Northern Italy, Bussi has always had an interest in cocktail culture. He sampled his first Negroni in his family’s café and has been making his way up in the industry ever since. After bar-backing at The Ritz in London and bartending in Sydney, he made his debut in Asia at the end of 2023 as head mixologist at Vida Rica Bar. “It was a big step out of my comfort zone, but I was ready for a challenge.”
He has more than met the challenge by recently winning the 2024 Diageo World Class Competition Hong Kong & Macau. Crowned the region’s Bartender of the Year, he will go on to the finals in September in Shanghai to vie for the title of Global Bartender of the Year.
Bussi finds many similarities between the cocktail cultures in
澳门新旧并陈的面貌，正是 Stefano 想探索的元素之一。他利用 AI 将重要地标的现代面 貌重塑为 15 世纪样貌，也让当时的古迹再现今日风 采。Stefano 穿梭时光隧道，试图让熟悉的事物变得 陌生，也让陌生的事物变得熟悉。他说：「尽管在亚 洲 AI 还算是很新的概念，但这项技术已然是我们当 代社会的一部分。它是找寻灵感的绝佳工具，协助 你探索无限的可能性。」
A World of Dreams 梦的世界
Western and Asian markets, but he notes that Instagram is particularly strong here, and he has been working to impress guests with both the appearance and the contents of his creations. Using specially designed glassware from Italy, he presents his cocktails in a stylish fashion while letting the unique flavor combinations and techniques tell the story of each location.
As one of the pioneers in sustainable luxury hospitality, Mandarin Oriental, Macau believes it is essential to create the minimum possible waste for every ingredient. “Many departments of the hotel are using a variety of ingredients daily,” says Bussi, “and by cooperating, we’re able to reduce wastage while creating something wonderful for the bar.” The Foundation cocktail, for example, makes use of leftover coffee grounds from breakfast to infuse sparkling wine from the previous night’s service. This is paired with homemade banana water that uses leftovers from reception fruit baskets to create an aromatic, bubbly take on a classic Negroni.
“While it’s challenging to achieve zero waste at the bar,” says Bussi, “we’re constantly taking steps and coming up with new and unique techniques to make sure everything we use gets a second or even a third life.” The Bay of A-Ma cocktail is a perfect example of giving an ingredient multiple lives. Bussi and his team infuse the remainder of the breakfast croissants, along with leftover butter, into light rum and then toast the croissants to create a powdered garnish. The result is a cocktail with a silky, buttery texture and a contrasting crumbly finish, and one that also makes full use of otherwise wasted ingredients.
With such an intricately thought-out menu of cocktails and with such rich stories behind them, Bussi’s top priority is to ensure that guests feel entirely comfortable in making their choices. Team members take the time to walk each one through the landmark sites to find a perfect fit. “If a guest leaves with a bigger smile than they came in with, our mission is complete.”
Mesa Bar offers delectably imaginative cocktails that capture the essence of Macau’s rich history and culture.
“THE MAIN FLAVOR of this cocktail is honey,” says Resort Master Mixologist Frederick Ma of Mesa by José Avillez at THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau. “We use specially selected wild honey from Portugal that arrives with a real bee in the jar.” In just one such sentence, Ma offers vivid and engaging cocktail presentations that captivate his guests. “Excellent handcrafted cocktails should not just look good,” he says. “They should also sound great and taste wonderful.”
BY JOYCE KWOK
Ma, who has been in the industry for more than fifteen years, has seen dozens of trends come and go, including molecular mixology, double distillation, infused spirits, but he believes the key to a good cocktail is that it connects with the drinker and has deep roots in the local culture. The taste should also reflect the bartender’s perspective on the world around, as well as his craftsmanship, which includes expert spirit selection and temperature control.
Just how, as a Hong Kong native, has Ma managed to distill Macau’s unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese culture in a line of cocktails with names like Casa de Abelha, Amor de Lisboa, and The Highest Peak? He laughs and explains that it was difficult at first “until I started chatting with locals and visiting tourists to better understand how they would describe the culture of Macau.” From these conversations, several ideas gradually took shape.
The Casa de Abelha, for example, is bursting with an elegant floral aroma in a tribute to the bounty of blooms that await visitors to Portugal in spring. The eco SPIRITS Widges Gin used also reflects the team’s
commitment to a sustainable F&B industry. Amor de Lisboa, which uses a sour cherry wine produced in Portugal and a handmade chocolate bowl, evokes the streets of Lisbon where the sweet liqueur, ginja, is a local favorite. The Highest Peak was inspired by Ponta do Pico, the tallest volcano in Portugal, and features Islay whisky, a peaty single malt that brings to mind the smoke hovering over the mountain, and verdelho wine, which is grown on its slopes.
Over the last decade, with the proliferation of bartending competitions and bar rankings, the prestige of top mixologists has grown to nearly rival that of the chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants. But Ma believes that bartenders must be even more willing than chefs to explore and experiment. To find creative nourishment for his future cocktails, he often likes to step out of his comfort zone by flying to various locales to participate in
competitions or to work as a guest bartender. “Although I’m doing these things outside of work, my international trips have been key to much of my growth at work,” he says. In fact, he credits his ability to grab his customers’ attention in just six seconds with a pithy introduction to a cocktail to his long experience on the competition circuit.
“I’ve always felt that mixologists are like artists – they must allow their imaginations to run wild when coming up with new ideas," says Ma. “But on the other hand, when running a bar, they also need to adopt a more pragmatic attitude so that the team’s products are consistent.” That’s why Ma is more than willing to share his knowledge with his team, to help them grow as a whole, and to inspire them with the possibilities for new and exciting paths forward.
MO Bar Manager Clare Teng and Head Bartender Tiger Chang
JUST YOUR TYPE 灵感「印」象
MO Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen creates a delightful menu of cocktails inspired by the Chinese invention that revolutionized communication.
A display of antique movable type enhances the décor. 酒吧陈列了一台古董级的活字印刷机，呼应主题。
OFFERING EXHILARATING VIEWS across the city skyline, the seventy-ninth floor of Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen is home to an upscale bar with a unique theme. Both the stylish décor and the innovative drinks list of MO Bar pay tribute to China as the birthplace of movable type printing.
“It starts with the bar’s industrial-chic interior design that features elements of steel and wood, both of which are materials used in printing presses,” says Tiger Chang, who heads up MO Bar’s skilled mixology team. “But it’s the cocktails that really connect to the concept of movable type. I know it seems unusual, but actually it makes a lot of sense. We visited a museum to get a better understanding of the history and processes of movable type printing and what concepts we could draw from it to apply to our drink menu.”
BY
MO 酒吧位于深圳文华东方酒店 79 楼，不仅坐 拥闪烁耀眼的城市夜景，还具有独一无二的特色 —— 无论是内部装潢，还是精心调配的创新鸡尾 酒，灵感都源自于中国古老的活字印刷术。
带领 MO 酒吧实力高超的调酒团队的首席 调酒师张明儒表示：「故事要从酒吧的装潢说起。
MARK HAMMONS
• PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID HARTUNG
Chang compares the early period of cocktail creation, when drinks were classically simple and elegant, to initial forays into movable type printing. “The first printing blocks were made of clay, then they were made of wood, and after the Industrial Revolution, they were made of steel. Bartending has also gone through a series of changes over the years. In the beginning, there was very little equipment – even ice cubes were a luxury. Then technology brought many advances, just as it revolutionized the printing industry. Today, you can find many different bartending techniques, like clarification and the use of chemical reactions.”
“I think we are the first to celebrate this piece of Chinese history. MO 酒吧是第一家以此中国历史上划时代发明为主题的酒吧。”
Tiger Chang 张明儒
↑
Drawings and art pieces showcase the concepts and ingredients of the bar’s ten signature cocktails.
十款招牌调酒都以艺术挂画的形式呈现，展示每一款调酒的故事和所用材料。
Three cocktails on the list that relate to different eras of printing were ingeniously designed by Chang to evoke the theme – and also to delight the palate. “Our Clay Aged Negroni, whose Chinese name means ‘Earth,’ was inspired by the earliest printing blocks made from clay. The drink contains rice wine to add a traditional Chinese element, along with a little bit of white chocolate and Suze. We use white chocolate because it is similar in texture to clay, fragile and easily broken, much like the first printing blocks.”
To reflect the evolution to wooden blocks, Chang presents a drink named Moving On, or “Wood” in Chinese. It offers woody notes from bourbon but also some freshness from a little fermented rose jam. “The fermented elements also have a crossover with our theme,” he says. “The development of movable type printing unfolded across the ages, much like fermentation also develops over time.”
Chang’s cocktail called The Copper Press, or “Copper” in Chinese, celebrates further progress in the story of printing. “Copper was a product of the Industrial Revolution,” he says, “and as time passed, printers started using steel or other metals that were more durable. So we serve the drink in a copper cup to honor this step forward.”
“Rum, coconut, and pandan leaf are in this tropical-style cocktail. We also add our own white pepper foam and again recall the printing theme by spelling out the MO Bar logo on top with cocoa powder. The flavor of this drink is sweeter and a bit more refreshing than the others, and the pandan leaf gives it a Southeast Asian taste.”
为了呼应活字印刷术进展到木头字块的 演变，张明儒推出一款名为 Moving On 的鸡 尾酒，中文名字为「木」，散发波本威士忌的 木质香，但也带有发酵玫瑰酱的新鲜口感。他 表示：「发酵元素也与我们的主题有关，活字 印刷术的发展跨越许多时代，而发酵这个过程 也正是随着时间的推移而产生变化。」
另一款名为 The Copper Press 的鸡尾酒， 中文名字为「铜」，则是象征印刷术的突破。 张明儒说：「铜是工业革命的产物，随着时间 的推移，印刷师傅开始使用钢铁或其他更耐用 的金属来印字。因此，这款鸡尾酒被盛装在铜 杯中，纪念这个划时代的进步。」
「这款热带风格的鸡尾酒含有朗姆酒、椰 子和班兰，还加入自家制作的白胡椒泡沫，并 在顶部用可可粉拼出 MO 酒吧字样，再度呼应
Clay Aged Negroni
Among MO Bar’s sections is the outdoor balcony, perfect for enjoying the sunset at happy hour. MO酒吧的景观开扬，露台更是享受欢 乐时光及黄昏美景的绝佳地点。
As a fan of classic cocktails with fewer elements, Chang rounds out his menu with a good selection of martinis, sours, and old-fashioneds. He also includes creamy, sweet, and fruity mixed drinks along with some deliciously imaginative mocktails.
“We want to offer our guests both a modern and a retro experience,” he says. “I like to look at the local dining culture, too, and take inspiration from that.” And for him, teamwork is essential. The fact that the MO mixology team comes from diverse environments and cultures presents an opportunity for creativity and fruitful exchanges of ideas. “We all work together, and communication is really important to us,” says Chang. “With all these different backgrounds and personal qualities, there’s a good chance that someone will have tried something that I haven’t.”
MO Bar’s movable type printing experience continues even after the drink is poured. Guests can print out a coaster and take it home as a souvenir. “I think we have something really special here,” says Chang. “Lots of bars work with elements of Chinese style, but I think we are the first to celebrate this particular piece of Chinese history.”
MO 酒吧的调酒团队成员都来自不同的环境和文化 背景，这也更能激发创造力与高效的脑力激荡。张 明儒解释：「因为我们要一起工作，所以沟通非常重 要，而且每个人的背景和个性都差很多，很可能有 些人曾经尝试过的做法，是我从未接触过的。」
MO 酒吧的客人不只能体验与活字印刷术完美 融合的鸡尾酒，还能当场印制出一个杯垫带回家作 纪念品。张明儒说：「我认为 MO 酒吧独一无二，许 多酒吧都融入了中国风格的元素，但我们是第一家 以此中国历史上划时代发明为主题的酒吧。」
亚 洲 新 酒 势
TO
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 highlights the creativity and growth of the vast region’s flourishing drinks scene. 2024年「亚洲50最佳酒吧」榜单出炉， 充分展现亚洲调酒业丰沛的创意与成长势能。
BY NICOLE SLATER AND JOEY CHEANG
BBEFORE THE GALA CEREMONY at Rosewood Hong Kong opened with a showstopping Chinese dragon dance, an A-list of invited guests sipped on custom-crafted cocktails that had been curated by some of Asia’s most lauded bartenders. The occasion on July 16 was the eagerly anticipated Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 awards, the ninth edition of the prestigious annual event and the second one in a row to be held in the multicultural mecca that is Hong Kong.
“I am thrilled that Hong Kong claimed first place on Asia’s 50 Best Bars for four years in a row,” commented Executive Director Dane Cheng of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, which has provided support for the awards for two years. “I am also happy to reveal that this event marked the first event in a new long-term partnership with 50 Best, which will see Hong Kong host more 50 Best events over the next three years.”
Asia’s 50 Best Bars, created in 2016 with the purpose of showcasing the best and most innovative of Asia’s bar talent, was the first regional event of The World’s 50 Best Bars brand. Each year, industry professionals, drinks media representatives, and mixology experts from across Asia wait with bated breath for the announcement of the rankings, which are based on the votes of Asia’s 50 Best Bars Academy, composed of some of the most knowledgeable and well-traveled members among these groups. To accurately reflect the diversity of Asia’s drinking scene and the development and importance of the bar cultures in a variety of locations, the Academy spans dozens of cities across the continent.
In recent years, the event has branched out to include awards for achievements in sustainability, hospitality, and bar design and to recognize notable establishments and individuals for exceptional contributions to the bar scene.
With eleven destinations featured on this year’s list, from Ho Chi Minh City’s energized streets to Indonesia’s tranquil landscapes, the ceremony gathered a full spectrum of about one thousand participants from widely differing backgrounds and cultures to celebrate each other’s achievements under one roof. And by shining a spotlight on unique concepts, innovative cocktails, and talented individuals, the event has fostered growth, adaptation, and exchange of ideas across Asia’s drinks sector.
TK raises a toast to the top five bars in the rankings and to several winners of special distinctions.
The Best Bar in Hong Kong Disaronno Highest New Entry Award
ONE-YEAR-OLD neighborhood hotspot Bar Leone was triplecrowned as The Best Bar in Asia 2024, The Best Bar in Hong Kong 2024, and, as the first new entry ever to be named No. 1 on the list, winner of the 2024 Disaronno Highest New Entry Award. Embodying a characteristically Italian ethos of “cocktail popolari,” meaning “cocktails for the people,” the bar is well-known for its revived classics and laid-back vibe that make it a crowd favorite. Framed football jerseys line the walls and music ranges from Italo disco to Pavarotti. It is the first solo venture of Lorenzo Antinori, who wanted to dispense with complex techniques associated with his previous posts and emphasize speed, simplicity, and spirits and ingredients, especially Italian ones, that are found on almost any back bar.
WITH SUSTAINABILITY at the forefront of its menu, modern Korean bar Zest continues to hold the title of The Best Bar in Korea for a second year in a row. Founder Dohyung “Demie” Kim, named Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2024, and his team utilize every ingredient on their compact cocktail list to minimize waste and inspire sustainable change throughout the industry. Minimalist in style, Zest celebrates local ingredients like Gujwa village carrots and specialty Jeju oranges in its Jeju Garibaldi cocktail. The orange peels are upcycled and redistilled into a house gin, and the pulp is transformed into cordial or sauerkraut. In Oh. My. G!bson, citrus cardamom gin and Italian vermouth meet local ingredients like omegi artisanal sour yakju and seasonal pickles. The bar also reduces plastic and can waste by making its own carbonated beverages.
NAMED THE BEST BAR IN SINGAPORE for the fifth consecutive year, Jigger & Pony is an industry icon, well known for its converted classic cocktails and welcoming hospitality that has earned it the nickname “living room of the city.” Among its ever-changing roster of magazine menus, known as “menuzines,” is the latest release, Smash! Its twenty vibrant cocktails, mocktails, and sharing punches are a colorful and flavorful celebration. A case in point is Strawberry Fields, which combines tequila, local strawberries, and strawberry blossoms. Smashing Sundae is a blend of melon, green tea, shiso, and vanilla ice cream fortified with gin and vodka. Imaginative bar snacks include the masala toastie and the bikini sandwich, made with burrata, serrano ham, and black truffle.
LAST YEAR, this intimate, candle-lit stellar standout became the first bar ever to be named three times as No.1 on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. It launched in 2019 with the Highest New Entry Award, and in 2020, owner-bartender Jay Khan won the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award. Aptly named for the machete-like tool employed in harvesting the plant that is distilled into tequila and mezcal, COA offers Hong Kong’s largest array of agave-based spirits. Khan, who has visited every distillery on the list of two hundred bottles, dispenses his deep knowledge on the topic along with signature drinks like La Paloma de Oaxaca, a blend of grapefruit, mezcal, and tequila. In 2022, he opened a branch, COA Shanghai, and 2023 saw the debut of The Savory Project in Hong Kong.
去年，这间氛围魅密的精致酒吧成为有史以来首间三度 获评「亚洲 50 最佳酒吧」榜首的酒吧。COA 于 2019 年 以最高新进榜奖之姿亮相；2020 年，老板兼调酒师的 Jay Khan 荣获 Altos Bartenders’ 调酒师奖。COA 以「收割采 摘龙舌兰的砍刀」命名，植物可蒸馏成龙舌兰酒和梅斯卡 尔酒，也恰好反映了这间酒吧拥有香港种类最多的龙舌兰 酒。Jay 亲自造访过酒单上两百瓶酒的每一间酒厂，在提 供招牌饮品如 La Paloma de Oaxaca（混合葡萄柚、梅斯 卡尔酒和龙舌兰酒）的同时，也传授他对这个主题的深入 见解。2022 年，他在上海开设分店 COA Shanghai。2023 年，他的 The Savory Project 在香港首次亮相。
Bar Benfiddich
TOKYO 东京
The Best Bar in Japan
AWARDED THE TITLE THE BEST BAR IN JAPAN 2024, this fifteen-seat establishment in the heart of Tokyo is noted for its farmto-glass ethos. Ingredients are grown on owner-bartender Hiroyasu Kayama’s family farm, roots and native vegetation are personally foraged, and many of the bar’s unique glassware pieces come from his personal collection. Bar Benfiddich’s apothecary-inspired interior blends past and present. Cultural artifacts from days past are displayed along with homemade tinctures and aged herbal liquors, stuffed owls, one hundred different bottles of absinthe, and rare antique glassware. Behind the bar’s walnut counter, Kayama works his mixological magic using everything from juniper berries and wormwood to anise to fennel in his custom-made cocktails.
EMBODYING THE GLAMOUR and nostalgia of New York’s golden era, The St. Regis Bar Macao offers sophisticated luxury, stunning décor, and stellar service. Mixologist Kevin Lai presides over a gleaming onyx bar set amid sumptuous furnishings, crystal accents, and soft jazz from the piano. On the menu are imaginative takes on cocktail classics, including the Maria do Leste, the bar’s signature variation on the Bloody Mary, containing Macau-inspired ingredients like Portuguese chorizo, black vinegar, and Chinese peppercorns. In tune with the bar’s ambience, many of Lai’s creations reference New York, like Times Square, A Day in West Village, and Garnet Sour, a reimagined New York sour that adds ruby port in honor of Portuguese immigration to the US in the 1940s. “The drink list can be diverse,” says Lai, “but your style needs to be distinct. We get guests coming back by making sure every visit is fresh.”
澳门瑞吉酒吧体现了纽约黄金时代的魅力和怀旧 情怀，精致奢华，装潢迷人，服务水平超卓。在 华丽的家具、水晶装饰、柔和钢琴爵士乐的围绕中， 调酒师 Kevin Lai（赖祥如）掌管闪闪发光的玛瑙 吧台。鸡尾酒单上有许多想象力十足的经典鸡尾酒 改良版，如招牌鸡尾酒 Maria do Leste，融入了葡 式腊肠、黑醋、花椒等澳门本地特色元素，重塑了 经典的血腥玛丽。赖祥如的许多创作都以纽约为 主题，呼应酒吧氛围，如：Times Square、A Day in West Village 和 Garnet Sour。其中 Garnet Sour 加入了红宝石波特酒，是对经典 New York Sour 的重新演绎，以纪念 1940 年代赴美移民的葡萄牙 人。赖祥如表示：「酒单可以多种多样，但风格必 须有与众不同的差异性。我们确保客人每次光临 的体验都是新鲜的，从而吸引他们回访 。」
DAVID HARTUNG
BKK Social Club
BANGKOK 曼谷
The Best Bar in Thailand
BANGKOK MEETS BUENOS AIRES in engaging, gardenlike surroundings at BKK Social Club at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River. The sophisticated cocktail menu, curated by Beverage Manager Philip Bischoff, a native of Berlin, is an Argentina-inspired tribute to the lively Buenos Aires bar scene of the 1970s and 80s and to some of the country’s legendary personalities. The bar’s signature Evita, for example, is a classy tribute to an iconic figure. Made with Plantation Pineapple Rum, Campari, Aperol, citrus mix, bay leaf, and cinnamon syrup, it pairs the bitterness of a Negroni with the tang of a sour. Argentinian ingredients feature on the menu, including yerba mate and apple, along with craft spirits like Principe de los Apostoles gin and a lineup of house-made infusions and macerations.
曼谷湄南河畔曼谷四季酒店的 BKK Social Club 拥有花园般的环境， 如将曼谷与布宜诺斯艾利斯融为一体。酒吧精致的鸡尾酒单由来 自柏林的饮品经理 Philip Bischoff 精心策划，以阿根廷风格致敬 20 世纪 70、80 年代充满活力的布宜诺斯艾利斯酒吧风光，以及 该国的传奇人物。例如，酒吧的招牌鸡尾酒 Evita 是对一位知名 人物的优雅致敬。这款酒由 Plantation 凤梨兰姆酒、金巴利香甜 酒、艾普罗香甜酒、柑橘混合果汁、月桂叶和肉桂糖浆调制而成， 将尼格罗尼的苦味与酸味融合。鸡尾酒菜单上以阿根廷食材为主， 包括马黛茶、苹果等，以及 Principe de los Apostoles 琴酒等手工 烈酒和一系列自制浸泡酒与浸渍酒 。
The Savory Project
HONG KONG 香港
London Essence Best New Opening Award
ON THE HEELS of the stunning success of Hong Kong’s COA, its cofounders, Jay Khan and Ajit Gurung, have opened their newest venture, The Savory Project, a welcoming bar done up in warm earth tones and a mix of marble, metal, wood, and stone. As its name implies, the cocktail concept is to downplay sweetness, celebrate complex and nuanced flavors, and feature unorthodox ingredients with an accent on savory and umami notes. Often inspired by food recipes that call for ingredients normally found in the kitchen, the bar’s drinks contain such items as beef jerky, fungus, corn husks, Japanese white soy sauce, and brine. The menu creates equity for all by offering two sections, Hedonism for those partaking of spirits, and Temperance for those who prefer the bar’s selection of specially crafted nonalcoholic drinks.
继香港 COA 取得惊人成就后，联合创始人 Jay Khan 和 Ajit Gurung 又启动了另一项新
THIS TECHNIQUE- driven speakeasy, the first of its kind to open in Guangzhou, has gone from strength to strength since its founding in 2016. Concealed behind a nondescript cha chaan teng in a quaint district filled with Cantonese curio shops, it has staked its claim on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for six years in a row. In a formerly stick-to-tradition bar scene, Hope & Sesame has introduced such modern mixology trends as centrifugal clarification, sousvide infusions, slow-cooking, and rotary distillation. Inventive menus with names like The Kitchen Pantry and To the Flavours have explored a global range of unusual flavors. The bar’s Truffle Banana cocktail, for example, achieves a rich complexity by combining spiced banana bread liqueur, fermented banana distillate, black truffle honey, and applewood-smoked sticky rice wine.
这间以技术为主导的隐藏式酒吧是广州第一家走这 类风格的酒吧，自 2016 年成立以来不断壮大。在一 个满布粤式古玩店的古雅街区内，酒吧隐身在一家不 起眼的冰室后方，并已连续六年入选「亚洲 50 最佳 酒吧」榜单。在从前墨守成规的调酒年代，庙前冰 室已引入离心澄清、真空低温烹调、慢煮和旋转蒸 馏等现代调酒技术。其自家研发、名为 The Kitchen Pantry 和 To the Flavours 的创意鸡尾酒单探索了全 球各种不寻常的风味。例如，酒吧的松露香蕉鸡尾酒 通过混合芳香香蕉蛋糕利口酒、发酵香蕉蒸馏精华、 黑松露蜂蜜和苹果木熏糯米酒，创造出丰富复杂的味 蕾组合。
The Best Bar in Taiwan Vender
THIS BAR’S UNIQUE and quirky concept is inspired by the ubiquitous vending machine. To gain access, guests must insert a coin in the machine at the entrance, after which they are welcomed with a small-sized Singapore Sling. Founded by Summer Chen and Darren Lim, Vender offers bottled cocktails and beers from vending machines and also encourages guests to explore the menu by selecting capsules that denote each cocktail and its main ingredients, which often include herbs and spices from Southeast Asia. Smoking her first Cuban cigar was Chen’s inspiration for The Cigar Vending Machine cocktail, made with dark rum, red wine syrup, fresh lemon juice, egg white, and aromatized wine and chocolate bitters smoked with Taiwanese cypress wood chips.
RISING AN ASTOUNDING forty-two places on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars from its debut ranking in 2023, Penrose has achieved the Nikka Highest Climber Award 2024 as well as the title of The Best Bar in Malaysia 2024. Led by Jon Lee, Penrose encourages interaction across the bar in an intimate ambience. Its innovative and holistic approach centers on each cocktail’s “compound structure” of five elements: alcohol, flavor, taste, body, and dilution.
LED BY SASHA WIJIDESSA and Christina Rasmussen, gastrobar Fura takes an approach to sustainability that spans the bar’s every element, from food waste and staff well-being, to responsible sourcing and community support. Every possible thing is upcycled, recycled, or repurposed. When the neighboring oyster bar was tossing its shells, Fura began reusing them as coasters. Cocktails, often featuring surplus and invasive ingredients, include the Jellyfish Martini, a gin martini with invasive jellyfish, fish leaf, and kombu oil.
LIVING LEGEND and trailblazer of Indian mixology Yangdup Lama began his love affair with cocktail-making early in his career, when he filled in behind the bar one night. He went on to found Cocktails and Dreams, a mobile barkeeping service for events, as well as Cocktails and Dreams School of Bar and Beverage Management. Today, his acclaimed Sidecar in New Delhi has ranked among Asia’s Best Bars for four years in a row.
印度调酒界的传奇人物和先驱 Yangdup Lama，在职涯初期一 次替班调酒的机缘下，展开了他与调酒的亲密关系。后来他创 立 Cocktails and Dreams，专门为活动提供移动调酒服务，以及 Cocktails and Dreams 酒吧和调酒管理学校。如今，他在新德里 备受赞誉的 Sidecar 已连续四年入选「亚洲最佳酒吧」榜单。
Virtù TOKYO 东京
Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award
THIS OPULENT BAR at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi offers Art Deco interiors, Parisian-style gilded embellishments, and an unparalleled guest experience that effortlessly blends influences of French and Japanese drinking cultures. Virtù presents micro-seasonal cocktails in artisanal Japanese glassware along with fun and flair in every aspect of its impeccable service. “For us,” says Head Bartender Keith Motsi, “the deep-rooted Japanese cultural practice of omotenashi, which means wholeheartedly looking after a guest, epitomizes hospitality.”
Virtù 以精美的日本手工玻璃器皿奉上微型季节性鸡尾酒，并在其无可挑剔的服 务中处处呈现乐趣和风格。首席调酒师 Keith Motsi 表示：「对我们来说，深植于日本 文化中的『款待精神』（omotenashi），就是要全心全意照顾客人，成为热情好客的 典范。」
Atlas
SINGAPORE 新加坡
Bareksten Best Bar Design Award ign Award
BEHIND THE IMPOSING ART DECO FAÇADE of Singapore’s Parkview Square, known as “the Gotham City building,” lies Atlas, the edifice’s Jazz Age-inspired lobby bar that is the inaugural winner of the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award. Lofty frescoed ceilings, glittering chandeliers, and sumptuous Spanish-flavored furnishings are dominated by a twelve-meter-high bronze tower holding more than thirteen hundred bottles of gin and accessed by an elegant staircase. Below it lies a rose gold Champagne room filled with hundreds of labels.
OPEN TO ANY BAR IN THE WORLD, whether or not it has made The World’s 50 Best Bars list, the Siete Misterios Award of Asia’s 50 Best Bars this year went to casual drinkery Nest by Pun. Guests descend into a moody space with a honeycombed interior and hexagonal tables. The clever, centrally bound cocktail menu, Tales of Nest, rotates to present nine categories, each offering two creations grouped by a common ingredient or technique and paired with flavor profile descriptions and an apt quote.
Siete Misterios 奖项开放给全球任何酒吧参与，无论其是否入选「世界 50 最佳酒吧」名单， 而今年「亚洲 50 最佳酒吧」的 Siete Misterios 最佳鸡尾酒单奖就颁给了轻松惬意的 Nest by Pun。酒吧空间以蜂巢概念为核心，内部摆放着六角形结构桌子，充满情调。巧妙设计 的鸡尾酒单 Tales of Nest，可旋转展示九个饮品类别；每个类别提供相互的两杯创意调酒， 以共同原料或调酒技巧分组，附随上风味描述和细味引言。
THE FULL LIST OF ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS
2024
1. Bar Leone (Hong Kong)
2. Zest (Seoul)
3. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
4. COA (Hong Kong)
5. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo)
6. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
7. BKK Social Club (Bangkok)
8. Penrose (Kuala Lumpur)
9. ARGO (Hong Kong)
10. The Aubrey (Hong Kong)
11. Virtù (Tokyo)
12. The Cocktail Club (Jakarta)
13. Vesper (Bangkok)
14. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou)
15. Sago House (Singapore)
16. Night Hawk (Singapore)
17. Darkside (Hong Kong)
18. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok)
19. The Savory Project (Hong Kong)
20. Bar Cham (Seoul)
21. Bar Us (Bangkok)
22. The St. Regis Bar (Macau)
23. The SG Club (Tokyo)
24. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
25. Offtrack (Singapore)
26. Quinary (Hong Kong)
27. Pantja (Jakarta)
28. Craftroom (Osaka)
29. Smoke & Bitters (Hiriketiya)
30. Vender (Taichung)
31. Native (Singapore)
32. Origin Bar (Singapore)
33. The Curator (Manila)
34. The Bellwood (Tokyo)
35. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
36. Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur)
37. Bar Mood (Taipei)
38. Employees Only (Singapore)
39. Barc (Kathmandu)
40. ZLB23 (Bengaluru)
41. Reka (Kuala Lumpur)
42. Fura (Singapore)
43. CMYK (Changsha)
44. The Public House (Taipei)
45. Mostly Harmless (Hong Kong)
46. Alice (Seoul)
47. The Halflington (Hanoi)
48. Le Chamber (Seoul)
49. Atlas (Singapore)
50. Pine & Co (Seoul)
创意之作
MEMORABLE MENUS
Head of Content for 50 Best Bars & Hotels, Emma Sleight tells Lucy Morgan what makes a fabulous cocktail menu. § 50 Best Bars & Hotels 内容主管 Emma Sleight与TK分享一份精采的鸡尾酒单应具备哪些条件。
How should bars go about creating their cocktail menus?
Bars need to appeal to consumers with different palates. The range of drinks is crucial, but the drinks menu should also be in line with the bar’s identity. Good bar menus often offer great storytelling to consumers – and that’s equally important. As is innovation. A great classic will always be well received, but finding something new for consumers that they haven’t tried before – that is increasingly sought after.
Please tell us about the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.
It’s open to any bar around the world, whether it has been ranked in The World’s 50 Best Bars list before or not. There are no specific criteria for any bar to meet. It can be newly opened, old, small, large. This award was created to recognize the incredible research and development that can go into the process of creating a cocktail menu and sharing it with consumers. It helps to amplify diverse voices within the industry.
How does judging work?
There are five assessment criteria: design and layout, storytelling, innovation, range of drinks, and communication of the bar’s identity. There are regional and global awards. We’ve seen previous winners focus on things like using unusual ingredients and sustainability. North America’s 50 Best Bars 2024 winner based its menu on a historical event that happened in their city. It’s also about how these cocktails work together to create an ultimate menu.
全球任何酒吧都可以参加 Siete Misterios 最佳鸡尾酒单奖，就算未曾 登上前五十最佳榜单的也能参加。参赛不需要符合任何特定标准，不论是新 开设、既有、小型或是大型酒吧，只要填写线上表单就能轻松参赛。设立这 个奖项的目的是表扬设计优秀的鸡尾酒单，特别是店家在开发与研究酒单时 的创意与心血，并把成果与消费者分享。有更多酒吧来参赛角逐，能让业界 多元、不同的声音被更多人听见。
What stands out about Asia’s cocktail scene?
Asia is a young and dynamic drinks market with great cultural diversity across the region and plenty of innovation. There’s a lot of openness to integrating different ingredients and techniques. The Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu has a regional iteration for Asia’s 50 Best Bars. This year’s award was taken home by Nest by Pun for their Tales of Nest menu. Of course, anywhere is eligible to win the global award at The World’s 50 Best Bars. It’s entirely possible for a bar in the region to win.
亚洲是一个年轻、充满活力的饮品市场。整个区域文化十分丰富多元， 且持续创新，乐于接纳各种不同的食材和调酒技巧。本年度「亚洲 50 最佳 酒吧」的 Siete Misterios 最佳鸡尾酒单奖由 Nest by Pun 的 Tales of Nest 鸡 尾酒单获得。事实上，任何地区的酒吧都有机会赢得「世界 50 最佳酒吧」 的 Siete Misterios 最佳鸡尾酒单奖 亚洲地区的酒吧也相当有潜力。
首要意义
COCKTAIL POPOLARI
Tasting Kitchen’s Mamie Chen chats with Lorenzo Antinori, the visionary bartender behind Bar Leone, about his journey, philosophy, and creative process. Known for his distinguished career at renowned bars like the American Bar at The Savoy and Dandelyan, both in London, and ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Lorenzo has now turned the focus of his new venture to simplicity and approachability. In an exciting turn of events, just two days after the interview, Bar Leone was named The Best Bar in Asia 2024, becoming the first new entry in history to be ranked No. 1 on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars. § Tasting Kitchen 的 Mamie Chen 访问香港知名酒吧Bar Leone 的调酒师Lorenzo Antinori， 在访谈中讨 论他担任调酒师的心路历程、理念和创作过程。Lorenzo曾在伦敦The Savoy酒店的The American Bar、Dandelyon酒吧、香港四季酒店的 ARGO酒吧掌舵，早以闻名业界。现在的他开设了一家自己的酒吧， 致力追求简约、轻松友善的风格氛围。令人惊喜的是，Lorenzo接受 采访两天后，Bar Leone 便荣登2024年「亚洲50最佳酒吧」第一名， 更是首间首次上榜就获得此荣誉的酒吧。
Can you tell us about your journey as a bartender?
I did law school for three years, but I wasn’t very good at it! So, I took a sabbatical year to travel in Australia and worked in a bar, and I loved it! The environment, the energy, always connecting with new people. That was the fun part. But I also became interested in the craftsmanship behind the cocktail making.
My first real bartending job was at The Savoy in London at the American Bar, one of the oldest cocktail bars in Europe. Later, I became curious about different approaches, so I worked with Mr. Lyan at Dandelyan. He has a very innovative, very radical approach. Then I moved to South Korea, and I had to mold myself into the Asian bar scene. So I took all my experiences in London and found my own direction and style. Here in Hong Kong, ARGO is definitely very, very innovative. I think the program we set up was unique and a little bit ahead of its time. With Bar Leone, I’m going back to the things that I really like, which are the beauty of simplicity and the question of how can we take something simple and make it very unique.
DAVID HARTUNG
Lorenzo Antinori
The term “simple” may mean different things to different people. What does it mean to you?
For me, simplicity is the way we filter our ideas, as complex as they might be, and translate them into a very accessible language. Of course in the process, there’s a lot of study and research. The challenge is taking an idea that might sound simple, adding layers to make it unique, but keeping the idea approachable and easy to digest.
For example, the Filthy Martini is our take on a dirty martini. We have in-house smoked olives that people went crazy for and became a signature on our food menu. The brine has a unique flavor that is like smoked meat or barbecue. So, we decided to use that with vodka for the martini. It’s so simple. I mean, it’s just two ingredients, right? But it’s incredibly delicious.
Our Olive Oil Sour is basically a whiskey sour with extra-virgin olive oil from Italy. It takes the drink into a different dimension with the texture and flavor profile. There are different techniques that can be applied to use oils and fats in cocktails. We just dump it in the shaker and shake it hard. Sometimes when I explain this very simple method, even bartenders are surprised. Often people are searching for a larger-than-life concept, but sometimes the best answers are just next to us.
What inspired you to make this change in style and approach from ARGO to Bar Leone?
I was getting tired of focusing so much on just the cocktail aspect. And I think Covid also pushed people into wanting a different type of experience, where conviviality is put at the front. People want good, personal service and don’t want to break their wallet. I think that’s what drove me in the direction of more accessible fun.
Our motto is “cocktail popolari,” which means “cocktails for the people.” Our drinks are approachable. They’re balanced. Guests don’t need a dictionary to understand the ingredients or a deep explanation of the root causes behind the drink. We don’t talk about techniques or the machinery we use to extract flavors. Because I don’t think that’s important in this bar experience. We’re a neighborhood bar, and as long as the guests have a good time, that’s what really matters.
“We’re a neighborhood bar, and as long as the guests have a good time, that’s what really matters.
我们是一间邻家酒吧，舒适愉悦。 客人玩得开心，才是最重要的。”
Lorenzo Antinori
What is in store for the future?
I like to see myself as a dynamic person. I like to change my mind about a lot of things. Maybe in a few years, I’ll buy the biggest distillery, or maybe I’ll open another bar that’s all about innovation. I don’t know. I think as a bartender, it’s important to be flexible and be ready to embrace new ideas and new styles. The market, consumer preferences, and technology all change so fast. So we need to be fast as well.
Now that it has been crowned The Best Bar in Asia 2024, what does this achievement mean for Bar Leone and for you?
We’re extremely proud. It’s an incredible honor being recognized amongst many friends and fantastic bars. At the same time, we’ll keep working on creating good bar experiences for our patrons. They are our main priority.
What do you think sets Bar Leone apart from other bars in Asia, leading to this incredible recognition?
The most common feedback we got from guests and fellow bartenders is how Bar Leone’s vibe and atmosphere are unique. I love this compliment because it means that people feel comfortable when at the bar and that the cocktails are not necessarily the most important thing.
How do you plan to keep the momentum going and ensure that Bar Leone continues to delight your guests?
We’ll keep pushing to improve ourselves with the service, food, and cocktail program, and we’ll work on projects that excite us and our patrons and keep spreading the “cocktail popolari” gospel.
我们最常从客人和调酒师获得的反馈是 Bar Leone 拥有非常独 特的氛围和气氛，这种称赞让我很快乐，因为这表示他们在这里感 觉很舒服，而鸡尾酒反倒变得不那么重要了。
您打算如何保持目前的优势，并确保 Bar Leone 持续取悦客人？
我们会继续努力提升店内服务、菜式和调酒规划，努力打造 让自己和顾客都喜欢且兴奋的项目，继续传播「 cocktail popolari 」 福音。
Bar Leone’s Italian-flavored décor contributes to a classically comfortable ambience.
Bar Leone
卓越巧思
BEYOND COMPARE
At The St. Regis Macao, Mixologist Kevin Lai presides over the city’s most highly rated bar.
THIS JULY, at the ninth annual Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards, not only did The St. Regis Bar at The St. Regis Macao vault to twenty-second place in the rankings, but the iconic bar won the title of The Best Bar in Macau 2024. Following the announcement, a lavish celebration was held for management, associates, invited guests, and Mixologist Kevin Lai.
Lai, originally from Taipei, is undoubtedly one of the key figures behind The St. Regis Bar’s rapid ascent. Over a decade ago, while still studying financial management in university, he discovered his love of mixology. With the help of part-time jobs, he slowly grew an impressive skill set and career portfolio.
Despite starting later than many of his peers, Lai showed a zeal for mixology that quickly made up for lost time. With clear goals and a drive to achieve them, he ventured overseas, working in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau. Through international bartending competitions and guest bartending stints, he deepened his understanding of mixology. As word of mouth grew, Lai soon acquired a reputation as one of Asia’s rising bartenders.
Localization and sustainability have become hot topics in the world of mixology, but Lai has always believed that it’s the experience a mixologist brings to the craft that wins fans. Today’s guests are well traveled, and many have experienced some of the best the bartending world has to offer. “We have to keep improving every day,” he says. “We get guests coming back by making sure every visit is fresh. The drink list can be diverse, but your style needs to be distinctive.”
As part of his “continuing education,” Lai laughs, he has traveled to many cities like Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Changsha, and Taipei to visit bars. Thanks to such trips, he has made friends with many of Asia’s top
“Everyone on our team here brings enthusiasm and takes the initiative to offer new ideas or new cocktail creations.
我们的团队都充满活力，向心力很强； 也会主动提出想法，创作新调酒。 ”
Kevin Lai 赖祥如
TIMES SQUARE
Lai crafts this cocktail, inspired by the melting pot of diversity in New York City’s Times Square, with distilled lavender gin, butterscotch liqueur, and blueberries. 以纽约曼哈顿的时代广场为蓝本。Kevin 受当地的多元文化启发，于是以蒸馏薰衣 草杜松子酒、焦糖利口酒、蓝莓等创出这 杯风味纷陈的鸡尾酒。
mixologists while also putting The St. Regis Bar on the map for visitors to Macau. “After a visit to The St. Regis Macao, I always take them to see the Ruins of Saint Paul’s,” he says.
Lai attributes much of the bar’s success to the work of his team. “Everyone on our team here brings enthusiasm and takes the initiative to offer new ideas or new cocktail creations.” What he calls “team cohesion” has been built on work trips to Japan and Singapore, where they spent time socializing together.
言谈谦逊的 Kevin 认为，今年成功获奖必须归功 于他的团队伙伴。「我们的团队都充满活力，向心力很 强；也会主动提出想法，并创作新调酒。」他还说，平 时大家到日本、新加坡等作客座活动，工余时都聚在 一起吃宵夜、到访酒吧，良好的关系培养出更出色的 工作默契。「所以我的管理秘诀，就是与他们一直工作！」 说时这位大男孩哈哈大笑，展现率真的一面。
Gavin Liao and Narcelita Garduque
“The secret to my management style is simple,” he notes. “I’m always there working side by side with them.”
Only when team morale is high, Lai believes, can drinks and service reach the highest level of excellence, which is found in the smallest details at The St. Regis Bar. Cocktail recipes use precise quantities, measured in grams or milliliters. The preparation of ingredients follows strict protocols consistent with the meticulous attention to detail that Lai learned as a financial management student. “The second secret is our luxurious service,” he says. “We treat every guest equally and like royalty. We carefully inquire about any drink preferences they might have. For example, heavier or lighter fruity or herbal flavors. These extra touches make our guests feel truly valued.”
Lai’s insistence on luxury and elegance is mirrored in the layout and management of The St. Regis Bar, which draws inspiration from turn-of-the-century New York. Every evening features unique events like Champagne sabering and the Violet Hour Ritual that celebrates twilight with the Violet Hour Martini. The glamorous ambience is further enhanced by a rich tapestry of live jazz performances.
With its signature Maria do Leste Bloody Mary and contemporary expressions like Times Square and A Day in West Village, created by Lai after visits to New York and LA, The St. Regis Bar most definitely lives up to its newly minted reputation as The Best Bar in Macau 2024.
New York City’s renowned cultural neighborhood, the West Village, inspired Lai to create a cocktail based on gin and bianco vermouth. The addition of pistachio syrup evokes an afternoon in the West Village enjoying a pistachio gelato.
不论手上是酒吧经典的血腥玛丽，抑或是 Kevin 月 前只身飞往美国纽约、洛杉矶而创作的特色调酒「Times Square」、「A Day in West Village」等，每位宾客保证都能 尽情沉醉于奢华的「澳门最佳酒吧」。
GOLDEN AGE GLAMOUR
Singapore’s Manhattan Bar offers barrel-aged cocktails in the luxe ambience of old New York, along with a Warhol-inspired progressive cocktail studio.
Cocktails age in oak barrels in Manhattan’s rickhouse. 精心调制的鸡尾酒在酒吧 的Rickhouse中陈年。
“WE CREATE A SEAMLESS BLEND of past and future,” says Assistant Bar Manager Riccardo Lugano of Manhattan Bar. “Inspired by the golden age of cocktails, Manhattan brings the glamour and sophistication of late-nineteenth-century New York to the present day.”
Located inside Conrad Singapore Orchard hotel, this stylishly low-lit space is dominated by a bar that looks like a stage, one that transports guests into a world of bygone elegance. In one corner is a room called the rickhouse, stacked with an array of oak barrels that guard one of Manhattan’s mixology secrets. Inside each one, a carefully formulated cocktail is aging and developing its own distinctive flavor profile.
“We have a collection of a hundred barrels that age whiskies, spirits, bitters, and single-cask cocktails, including our signature Barrel-Aged Manhattan, Aged Bamboo, and Charlie Chaplin,” says Head Bartender Zana Möhlmann. “Our goal was to push the boundaries of traditional bartending and offer our guests a one-of-a-kind experience.”
Not all cocktails benefit from aging. Citrus-forward, more delicate drinks or those that use fresh herbs are not suited to aging because they would tend to lose their vibrancy and freshness. On the other hand, spirit-forward drinks like Manhattans and Negronis mellow during their time in a barrel, their robust flavors developing depth and complexity. “Aging cocktails can help create a more nuanced drink,” says Möhlmann.
Manhattan regularly hosts visiting bartenders as part of their
“Friends of Manhattan” series. In one cherished tradition, the guest mixologist creates a sort of time capsule to remember moments spent together with the Manhattan team. It comes in the form of a cocktail that will be barrel-aged in the rickhouse. “We’ve hosted some of the world’s most renowned bartenders,” says Möhlmann.
“In the past year, we’ve barrel-aged cocktails from venues around the world, including The Connaught and DUKES London, Allegory in Washington, D.C., Vesper in Bangkok, and Tokyo Confidential and Bar TRENCH in Tokyo. Some of their cocktails are being harvested and shared with our guests as specials, while others are still aging until they are ready.”
Manhattan has one other unusual space, a secret bar tucked discreetly away to the side of the main seating area. Brightly lit, its gleaming metal provides a strong contrast to the romantic plush
Manhattan 会定期邀请客座调酒师驻店。客座调酒师 会打造一个时间胶囊，用来纪念与 Manhattan 团队 共度的时光，而这也成为酒吧珍贵的传统。这个时间 胶囊当中承装的当然是鸡尾酒，并且会放在酒桶中陈 酿。Zana 回忆说：「我们接待过几位全球知名的调酒 师。过去一年来，我们搜罗世界各地酒吧的鸡尾酒， 装进酒桶中，例如伦敦的 The Connaught 和 DUKES London、华盛顿的 Allegory、曼谷的 Vesper、东京 的 Tokyo Confidential 和 Bar TRENCH。有些陈酿酒款 已取出并用来制作鸡尾酒特调与宾客分享，有部分则 继续陈酿，直到时机成熟。」
Manhattan’s décor evokes the glamour of late-nineteenthcentury New York. Manhattan的内装设计复刻十 九世纪末纽约的魅力与精致。
Zana Möhlmann demonstrates flair and artistry in the imaginative cocktails she designs for both Manhattan and East47. Zana Möhlmann 为Manhattan和East47 的客人设计了富有创意与艺术气息的鸡尾 酒, 充分展现了她出色的调酒技艺。
furnishings and dark wood of the main bar. Named East47, this small futuristic bar-within-a-bar is inspired by Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory on E. 47th Street, which became famous as a gathering place for the cultural and artistic elite of the 1960s. “East47 features a progressive menu with imaginative cocktails inspired by the pop art movement,” says Lugano. The intimate space is designed to encourage interaction between guests and bartenders. “It embodies the spirit of creativity and innovation, allowing us to surprise and delight our guests with unique and unexpected experiences. For example, we have a Vintage Hanky Panky that we barrel-aged and bottled back in 2019, and that is now part of a cocktail we’ve created for East47. Think of East47 like a cocktail studio where every drink is a piece of art that tells a story of free-spiritedness and forward-thinking creativity.”
In the basement of a beautiful London townhouse, an atmospheric bar serves delicious Mexican snacks that complement a classy cocktail menu.
ALONG AN ELEGANT STREET in Marylebone London is one-Michelinstar Kol, offering refined and innovative Mexican-inspired dishes. Down the restaurant’s circular wooden staircase, lit so the steps glow orange, is an atmospheric bar, Kol Mezcaleria, where Group Bar Manager Matthias Ingelmann pairs exciting cocktails with Chef Santiago Lastra’s delightful antojitos
“Antojitos translates as ‘little bites,’” says Lastra. “They’re snacks that you have in Mexico traditionally while drinking in cantinas or when you go to Mexican restaurants or people’s houses during celebrations.” At Kol Mezcaleria, there’s an intriguing twist to these delicious snacks. Rather than importing ingredients, Lastra works with British products, forming relationships with growers and farmers to source what he needs. His quest across Britain revealed a treasure –Oaxacan-style cheese made on a farm in Kent in the South of England.
位于伦敦优雅联排别墅地下室的氛围感酒吧， 带来高雅鸡尾酒单与美味墨式小点的完美搭 配。
BY LUCY MORGAN
米其林一星餐厅 Kol 坐落于伦敦马里波 恩区一条优雅的街道上，提供精致创新的墨 西哥风味佳肴。沿着木制旋转梯而 下，感受楼梯在光线映照下呈现橘 色调，您会来到一间气氛迷人的酒 吧 – Kol Mezcaleria。在这里，集 团调酒经理 Matthias Ingelmann 精心打造令 人惊艳的鸡尾酒，与主厨 Santiago Lastra 的 「Antojitos」美妙搭配。
The cheese features in a quesadilla, its stretchy creamy quality complemented by touches of wild garlic, giving a faint smokiness and bitterness to the sweet filling. Ingelmann likes to pair this snack with a sorrel-and-hop sour. British sorrel picks up the bitterness of the garlic, while the foamy texture of the sour, a mix of agave and tequila, matches
Santiago 解释道：「Antojitos 有『小口食 用』之意，是墨西哥人的下酒菜，也是到餐厅 用餐或是与家人团聚时享用的传统点心。」在 Kol Mezcaleria，这些美味点心更是别具一格： Santiago 不采用国外进口的食材，而是与当地 农民建立合作关系，以英国本土食材制作这些 墨式点心。他在英国各地寻寻觅觅，终于在南
酸橘汁腌鱼
the rich texture of the cheese. Another savory snack on the menu is the chalk stream trout tostada with a floral and fruity dressing. Ingelmann matches this with a fresh-tasting rose-and-grape white Negroni. The acidity and sweetness of both drink and dressing combine perfectly.
Kol Mezcaleria is a welcoming space. Warm lamps hang directly over the bar counter, each wearing a rattan shade. The combination of cozy corners with gently pulsing beats generates an energy that is at once relaxing and invigorating. Dark wooden furniture echoes
部肯特郡的一座农场发现了宝藏 道地的瓦哈 卡风格奶酪。
这种奶酪用以制作餐厅的墨西哥烤饼，它绵 密的奶香搭配野蒜创造出微妙的烟熏味和苦味， 为香甜的内馅增添了层次。Matthias 喜欢将这道 墨式小点与酸模酸酒（Sorrel and Hop Sour）搭配。 英国酸模与蒜的苦味相呼应，而由龙舌兰与龙舌 兰酒调制而成的酸酒，其绵密的口感与奶酪的浓 郁质地可说是天造之合。菜单上另一道咸食是白
Ceviche
Enoki Tostada
金针菇玉米饼
the bar’s commitment to the natural environment. Traditional brightly painted masks hang on the far wall, and colorful Mexican alebrijes sculptures can be found around the room.
Mezcal, the spirit from which the bar derives its name, features in a cocktail picked to pair with Kol’s extremely popular “guacamole.” This dip is not made from avocados, which would need to be imported. Its creamy texture is provided by zucchini and pine and hemp oils, and its sweet richness makes it
垩溪鳟鱼玉米饼配花香果味酱汁，这道菜搭配清新的 玫瑰葡萄白色尼格罗尼，完美衬托出彼此的酸甜口感。
Kol Mezcaleria 的空间情调温馨友善：温暖的吊灯 外围盖上质朴的藤编灯罩，直悬在吧台上方。舒适优 美的角落，结合轻柔悸动的节拍，营造了既放松又充 满活力的氛围；深色的木制家具呼应了酒吧对自然环 境的重视；远处的墙上挂着传统彩绘面具，色彩缤纷 的墨西哥阿莱布里赫雕塑放置在室内各处角落。
Kol Mezcaleria is a welcoming space decorated with traditional Mexican painted masks and alebrijes sculptures. Kol Mezcaleria装饰了墨西哥的传统彩绘面具及阿莱布里赫雕塑，打造温馨的氛围。
a bestseller. It pairs perfectly with a light-flavored fig leaf mezcal tonic, brightening the rich notes of the pine oil and refreshing the palate between bites. In contrast, the empanada, a traditional Mexican pie packed with flavorful beef short rib, requires a very sturdy drink. “I think the cornand-chamomile old-fashioned can stand up to the powerful flavors of the empanada,” says Ingelmann. This drink is made from a by-product from Lastra’s tortillas. “We save water from milling the corn and then reduce and sweeten it. It’s silky and milky and builds the base for the intense corn flavor.”
Kol Mezcaleria is taking part in a series of exciting collaborations with other internationally acclaimed bars to create imaginative and fun pop-up events. Together, they design a special menu highlighting each of their cocktail styles, which they serve alongside Lastra’s antojitos. “The bar industry is an incredible one that enables you to do this type of event all around the world, connecting with people globally and learning from and with each other,” says Ingelmann.
“The best thing about the Mezcaleria is it’s a unique place that creates a fun vibe with great drinks, a one-of-akind spirits selection, and amazing antojitos. We recreate Mexican flavors from British ingredients and mix those with the best of Mexican spirits. It really makes you connect with two countries at the same time and rediscover where you live through a completely different lens.”
With three vibrant beverage concepts, W Macau – Studio City is Macau’s top destination for creative cocktails and collaborations.
Destination α 22°12’N 113°33‘E
This cocktail, named for the latitude and longitude of Macau, is inspired by a local dish, Macanese chicken rice pilau. It contains spice-flavored spirits, turmeric, and white pepper and is topped with grilled bacon and raisin.
SITUATED BETWEEN THE ISLANDS of Coloane and Taipa, W Macau –Studio City offers a unique contrast of old and new. The hotel, which takes inspiration from Hollywood films shot during the mid-1950s in Macau, brings to the city a lively and contemporary luxury.
Overseeing the hotel’s distinctive beverage concepts, Living Room and Blind Tiger, is Head Mixologist Samio Choi. He believes that a perfect drinking experience calls for complete and well-thoughtout beverage menus, good service, an engaging environment, and interesting collaborations with the local community – all of which W Macau’s venues offer in spades.
澳门新濠影汇 W 酒店坐落于路氹区，展现出 新旧交融的独特对比。这座酒店的设计灵感 源自 50 年代在澳门拍摄的好莱坞电影，带 来了活力四射的当代奢华。
BY NICOLE SLATER
Blind Tiger, which offers guests unparalleled views over the Cotai Strip from the hotel’s top floor, features a remarkable cocktail list divided into two sections. “Destination α” takes guests on a journey through Asia with cocktails inspired by regional specialties, like Taiwan’s signature pineapple cake and Macau’s Portuguese egg tart. The menu’s second section focuses on the popular highball, adding a spin to the classic by incorporating dried local ingredients that give each variation a unique flavor profile. “Delicious drinks, clear flavors, and quality ingredients encapsulate W Macau’s mixology philosophy,” says Choi.
The hotel focuses first on the guest experience but also believes in giving back. W Macau hosts the popular MIXO Nights at Blind Tiger to invite international new-generation bars and mixologists to show off their skills. MIXO events follow a unique “4+4” format, with both the guest bartender
澳门 W 酒店著重顾客体验，同时也致 力于回馈社会。酒店会邀请国际新生代酒 吧和调酒师，在 Blind Tiger 的热门 MIXO
Blind Tiger
Living Room
and the resident team each designing four drinks to showcase. “Many hotel bars host guest mixologist events,” says Choi, “but they usually only invite the guest to provide four drinks. At W Macau, we ourselves also create an additional four event exclusive drinks to foster a sense of interaction and exchange.” MIXO events allow bartenders to learn from each other and give guests a chance to sample more unique creations throughout the evening.
By following “4+4” format, Choi and his team partner with Macau’s ever-growing bar scene by hosting bimonthly guest shifts. The “Who’s Next” events at Living Room, the hotel’s main bar on the first floor, give W Macau the opportunity to invite local emerging bartenders to display their talents and to spotlight potential rising stars. They also serve as a platform for local bartenders to gain wider recognition.
Living Room offers different experiences at different hours, from coffee options during the day to cutting-edge cocktails in the evening. The venue’s relaxed lounge style encourages guests to sit back and unwind as
they would at home. Its unique cocktail list, accenting flavors and aromas that stimulate the brain to release the “pleasure hormone,” dopamine, includes sweet and nostalgic drinks like Ice Cream and KitKat.
A.P.D. (A Perfect Dose), W Macau’s hidden bar located next to Living Room, is the first bar in town to star mezcal, an on-trend Mexican spirit that has not yet become widely popular in the Macau market. A.P.D. unfolds into an extraordinary space where infusion meets smoke in a custom-crafted mezcal-based cocktail experience. Mixologists work their magic with fresh organic herbs from the bar’s vertical hydroponic garden, turning every drink into a botanical adventure.
Enhancing the ambience at every W Macau bar is tailor-made music. And inside Blind Tiger is Greater China’s first W Sound Suite, equipped with a state-of-the-art studio that allows enthusiasts to record live music. With such passion and attention to every detail, it’s no wonder that Choi and his team have continued to elevate the guest experience at W Macau – Studio City one delightful sip at a time.
在 Blind Tiger 内，还设有大中华区首间 W 音效套房，内设专业的现场录音设备，让 音乐爱好者现场录制音乐，彰显了澳门 W 酒 店对音乐的热情。
Ice Cream Samio Choi
简要但不简单
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Beijing’s stylish Long Fong bar connects with customers through a new menu of straightforwardly delicious cocktails.
LONG FONG CONCEIVES of its ever-evolving series of cocktail menus as a bridge to cocktail lovers as well as a platform for showcasing the bar and its very considerable talents. At the end of May, it released its tenth original menu, Simple Drink, designated version 3.0.
In its previous menu launches, Long Fong explored a variety of issues. With menu 1.0, the newly opened bar focused primarily on its internal research and development and established the direction of modern technology-themed cocktails. Menu 2.0, I Am From China, was an exploration of the bounty of the natural environment, establishing a benchmark for the use of high-quality local raw ingredients.
Now, with Menu 3.0, the focus is on the balance between the bar and its customers. After pondering whether the emphasis should be on enjoyment or on showing off the intricate techniques behind each cocktail, Long Fong was inspired by the “iceberg theory.” The decision was made to hide the complex “works” beneath the surface – like an iceberg – so that customers could experience the pure joy of simple yet delectable drinks.
The result is the new 3.0 Simple Drink menu of original concoctions with clean presentation and minimal decoration. In crafting drinks that are easy on the taste buds, the question arose as to how the first cocktail on the menu, Durian Lipstick, could be made most appealing to guests. The result is a refreshing long drink with notes of durian, herbs, cream, nuts, jasmine, and coconut, but without any objectionable durian odor. The fruit’s flavor is extracted and its familiar character is presented as a lipstick-like decoration that is perceived only by the sense of smell when the drink is sipped.
Simple Drink showcases simplicity with complex techniques. For example, the Mango Martini is much like a dry martini with a mango aroma, an easy-drinking experience meant to be enjoyed by everyone. But this flavorful, seemingly simple drink was produced by a complex process of subtraction through distillation. Dark rum, dried mango, and the skin, flesh, and pits of mango are distilled together to remove the discordant rum flavor and create a mango-aroma-based liquor. With the addition of organic rhum bio and sake for sweetness, the result is Long Fong’s luscious Mango Martini, achieved without any of the ingredients of a dry martini.
A local distillery pioneers new paths in the realm of gin, ensuring that each bottle tells a story.
BY MAMIE CHEN
• PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID HARTUNG
ON THE NINTH FLOOR of an industrial building in Chai Wan lies
Two Moons Distillery, Hong Kong’s first producer of gin. At the heart of this small, trailblazing facility stands a 100-liter copper still, affectionately nicknamed Luna for its moon-shaped helmet. The unique design plays a critical role in removing impurities from the distillate by providing a large copper surface area to interact with the alcohol vapors, resulting in cleaner, more refined spirit.
There is the indisputable science behind the distillation process of gin-making, and then there is the intrinsic art involved in selecting a unique combination of botanicals to craft distinctive spirits that tell a special story. For cofounders Dimple Yuen and Ivan Chang, that freedom and ability to communicate a sense of place or share a passion is what first drew them to craft gins.
“When the craft gin wave grew in Hong Kong, we tried really interesting ones from around the world that were very different from the familiar classic English gins. We saw that Japanese gins could have their own style and Italian gins could have a completely different character,” says Chang. “But they all carried a key element that is unique to gin – the ability to express a story from the distillery. That’s when we began to fall in love with this spirit.”
Their exploratory trip to the UK in 2018 was transformative. After visiting multiple distilleries, Yuen and Chang made their first bottle of gin, which they named Virgin. Back home, friends consistently chose Virgin over commercial gins during blind taste testings, and they realized they had something special. Inspired by the positive feedback, they decided to establish their own distillery in Hong Kong.
After two challenging years to obtain a license and set up their operation, Yuen and Chang released their first Two Moons product, Signature Dry Gin, which retains much of the original Virgin recipe. “We changed some elements to include ingredients we grew up
Signature Dry Gin and Five Flowers Tea Gin each tell a story.
“We tweaked it to infuse a bit of our DNA and heritage in a traditionally Western spirit.
我们调整了一些元素，将我们的DNA 和文化注入传统的西方烈酒中。”
Dimple Yuen
with in Hong Kong,” says Yuen, who serves as head distiller. “We tweaked it to infuse a bit of our DNA and heritage in a traditionally Western spirit.”
The new recipe includes dried tangerine peel, Chinese almond, Chinese licorice root, and other classic Asian spices. The result is an award-winning gin that is well-balanced and complex, mirroring the harmony of flavors in Cantonese cuisine.
A core value of the Two Moons brand is storytelling, and Signature Dry Gin shares the distillery’s exciting origin story. It is also a tribute to the can-do spirit of Hong Kong’s culture and people. “Everyone is so driven here,” says Yuen. “We’re both born and raised in Hong Kong, and it’s been instilled in us too. That’s what’s enabled us to overcome those grueling years to get the license and stabilize our footing in Hong Kong amid Covid and to do everything in our power to pursue what we love.”
When the pandemic struck in 2020 and severe restrictions were imposed on restaurants and bars, Yuen and Chang collaborated with mixologist Antonio Lai of Quinary and Room 309 to release a limitededition gin inspired by a culturally significant herbal healing drink. Featuring chrysanthemum, frangipani, self heal, honeysuckle, and silk cotton flower, Five Flowers Tea Gin succeeded in bringing comfort and relief during turbulent times, with all 309 bottles sold within a day.
Two years later, Two Moons rereleased Five Flowers Tea Gin as part of their permanent range. The story behind the gin has evolved to pay tribute to the legacy of Hong Kong herbal tea shops, the once-bustling community hubs that have slowly disappeared due to changes in behavior and lifestyles. “We don’t have the power to make people visit the herbal shops more,” says Yuen, “but what we can do is reinterpret the traditional drink in a modern format so that years from now, people can still savor and appreciate the cultural significance they once had in Hong Kong.”
As Two Moons approaches its fifth anniversary, Yuen and Chang are already experimenting with new flavors. “We haven’t locked in on anything concrete yet,” says Chang. “But we can guarantee it will be something completely different from what we have now, and there will be a message or important meaning behind it.”
Stig Bareksten talks to Lucy Morgan about Bareksten Botanical Gin, his extraordinary product that has won more than fifty international awards for its exceptional purity and nuanced flavor. § Bareksten琴酒凭着高纯度和细腻风 味囊括五十多项国际大奖，创作者Stig Bareksten与TK畅谈这款无与伦比的琴 酒，如何将酿酒精神与灵性相互结合。
What’s the story behind the name Bareksten?
It’s my family name and is rumored to have its roots among the gods venerated by the Vikings in ancient times. I wanted to create the best gin in the world, and I was so proud of the results I got after five years of development of the final recipe that I decided to put my name on the bottle.
Can you describe the flavor profile of Bareksten? What ingredients are used and how do they contribute to the gin’s distinct character?
Bareksten Botanical Gin is structured as a classic London dry gin, incorporating some of the most iconic Scandinavian botanicals that enrich its bouquet and taste with all the nuances of my homeland flora. It contains a total of twenty-six botanicals, nineteen of them local to Scandinavia, including juniper, angelica, lingonberries, blueberries, and other local wonders. The result is a classic gin covering the whole spectrum of flavor compounds that come from the juniper berry – bitter, pine and green, fruity, spicy, citric, and floral. It has a pleasant long-lasting aftertaste.
Can you walk us through Bareksten’s distillation process?
We produce our gin, from raw ingredients to final product, in our distillery in Bergen, Norway. First we distill potato spirit, which not only is very sustainable but also provides a velvety rich alcohol to work with. The potato spirit is then lowered in alcohol by volume with the addition of soft Norwegian waters. Most of our botanicals are added and left to macerate for around a day in a process known as “low steeping.” More botanicals, including flowers, mint, and rhubarb go into the so-called “vapor basket” located in the head of the still to add a subtle taste.
This “one shot” distillation is done in a small six-hundred-liter copper pot still. It’s a long distillation with meticulous control on temperature during the process. Distilling for a prolonged period of time in small stills gives the liquid a big exposure to the copper, and a lot of reflux – that’s when the liquid that goes up with vapor falls back into the still – resulting in an extremely rich and velvety texture.
How did you become a gin maker and what inspired you to create your own brand?
I grew up in the woods and still live surrounded by silent trees and all the dramatic flora of Norway. I developed a rich knowledge of the many different ingredients that nature can provide. Later I became a bartender, and I learned all about spirits and how they are produced. It was a natural transition from my early days as a bartender and a man of nature to becoming a distiller. The journey couldn’t end differently for me; the path was quite clear.
I wanted to become a passionate, talented distiller. And I wanted my creation to represent both myself and Scandinavia with its dark, dramatic, romantic black bottle. The simplicity and elegance of its design brings worldwide recognition to our bottle, filled with a rich, luxurious spirit.
WHEN THE PRESTIGIOUS Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 awards ceremony was hosted in Hong Kong in mid-July, Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou impressively achieved the rank of No. 14 on the list, the sixth time in a row that it has made the coveted cut. But something was thrillingly different this year: when the fifteen winners of the Destination Awards were announced, Hope & Sesame was crowned The Best Bar in Mainland China 2024.
Hope & Sesame opened in March 2016 as the first “hidden” bar in the sprawling southern Chinese metropolis, tucked away down an alley in the quaint neighborhood of Dongshankou in the heart of old Guangzhou. In the eight years since then, its reputation as a testing ground for cocktail innovation has steadily grown, and its creativity has not only shone a spotlight on Guangzhou’s vibrant cocktail scene but has also heralded a new era for the craft cocktail movement across the country.
自 2014 年起，内地的摩登鸡尾酒时代来 临，国际知名调酒师陆续在北京、上海展店， 世界聚焦内地鸡尾酒市场。同期开展新店的 庙前冰室创始人 Andrew Ho 与 Bastien Ciocca 决定在鸡尾酒文化相对传统的广州落脚，并大
「酒」向世界
RISING HOPE
After five consecutive years on the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Guangzhou’s cocktail innovator Hope & Sesame has emerged as The Best Bar in Mainland China 2024.
Mainland China’s modern cocktail renaissance began around 2014 as internationally renowned bartenders set up shop in Beijing and Shanghai and captured the world’s attention. But Hope & Sesame’s founders, Andrew Ho and Bastien Ciocca, chose a different path. Rather than join the fray in the more prominent cocktail hubs, they settled in the relatively traditional market of Guangzhou and boldly began experimenting with unusual flavor combinations and distillation methods. “Being outside the glare of the public eye, we had more space to firmly establish our business foundations and explore new possibilities,” says Ho. Their contrarian mindset and laser focus set the bar apart in the conservative southern cocktail landscape.
The bar’s phenomenal success is rooted in the duo’s “reverse thinking” approach, which begins by imagining the opposite of what one expects or wants to achieve and then working backward to explore causes, consequences, and alternatives. Hope & Sesame’s
Hope & Sesame provides opportunities for promising young bartenders. 庙前积极为新锐调酒师提供机会。
achievements and continuing progress are also built on a belief in actively sharing experiences, hosting guest bartender exchanges, and creating meaningful opportunities.
The guest bartending trend has emerged in recent years as a powerful way to forge connections and foster cultural exchange, and Hope & Sesame has played its part in bringing China to the world. By inviting international bartenders to experience the food and drink paradise of Guangzhou, Ho and Ciocca have helped to make the city’s rich culinary heritage known to the global cocktail community.
The bar’s influence has radiated as the brand has expanded to five directly affiliated establishments, including bars in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as to the Miaoquan Sanyou and DSK Cocktail Club concepts. And its consulting projects have spanned Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
Hope & Sesame’s growth and evolution and its recent accolades are validation of their philosophy that, in Ho’s words, “one person may go very far, but the concerted efforts of a group go even further.”
From the outset, the bar has actively invited industry experts to hold master classes and has generously shared its own successful experiences. And by seeking out overseas exchange opportunities for promising young bartenders, it has seen its influence spread far beyond its Guangzhou roots.
The signpost reading “Miaoquan West Street” that has greeted countless cocktail enthusiasts from around the world and guided them to Hope & Sesame has also witnessed the transformation of this once obscure alley into a thriving global cocktail destination.
Madrid’s Salmon Guru is anything but a conventional cocktail bar.
Diego Cabrera
← Salmon Guru Dubai, opened two years ago, takes after the Madrid original.
两年前开业的Salmon Guru Dubai参考马德里店的风格。
↑ Salmon Guru’s second zone is a phantasmagoria of imagery, light, and color.
Salmon Guru的其中一个区域是想象力、灯光和颜色的狂想曲。
“THE SALMON IS BORN and develops downstream but comes back upstream to renew itself by overcoming adversity,” remarks Diego Cabrera, founder and creative director of Salmon Guru, of the creature that inspired not only the name of his bar but also his entire approach to the cocktail industry. “At Salmon Guru, our imagination runs wild. We continually seek to create environments that take our clients to unique and fascinating worlds.”
Cabrera has an impressive portfolio. In addition to Salmon Guru, quite an extraordinary bar with three different zones, he operates Viva Madrid, an eccentric tavern and cocktail bar; Guru Lab, which he describes as a laboratory where you eat and drink; and Dragon Experience Factory, a production center that is not open to the public but offers consultancy, an ice room, and events. All these properties are in Madrid. Two years ago, Cabrera opened Salmon Guru Dubai, and he plans to open Salmon Guru Milano in 2025.
「鲑鱼于下游诞生成长，但是它们会克服艰难险 阻，回到上游，得到重生。」Salmon Guru 的创 办人兼创意总监 Diego Cabrera 如此描述启发他 酒吧名称的鲑鱼，更说明这鱼类如何影响他经营 调酒事业的理念。他说：「在 Salmon Guru，我 们野性的想象力如实释放，期望创造独特精彩的 酒吧体验。」
BY LUCY MORGAN
Currently ranked number 16 by The World’s 50 Best Bars, Salmon Guru was recognized on the prestigious list for its imagination and charm. It’s also a past winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award.
Understanding the importance of constant evolution and innovation, Cabrera decided to give the bar a complete overhaul in May 2023. “I pressed the reset button,” he says, “which means taking Salmon Guru to the extreme to be more impactful.”
Antique tiles greet guests at the door, creating a link with the
Diego 拥有令人深刻的履历。除 了在三个不同地区开设出色的 Salmon Guru 酒吧，他也经营奇美小酒馆 Viva Madrid，以及被他形容为开放餐饮实验室的 Guru Lab ；此外，他还有一个不对公众开放的制作基地 Dragon Experience Factory，提供咨询、低温室 和活动策划服务 —— 以上这些场所都设立于马德 里。两年前，他在杜拜开设 Salmon Guru Dubai， 并计划 2025 年于米兰开设 Salmon Guru Milano。 Salmon Guru 目前在「世界 50 最佳酒吧」 排名第 16 位，以丰富的想像力和魅力闻名，酒 吧曾荣获 Michter’s 款待艺术奖，是对其宾至如 归的服务品质的一大肯定。
Diego 深知追求创新和持续进步的重要性， 因此在 2023 年 5 月决定改造酒吧。他说：「我按 下了重置键。重置意味着将 Salmon Guru 推向极 致，产生更大的冲击力。」
↑ Guru Lab is Cabrera’s eating and drinking laboratory. Guru Lab是一个餐饮实验室。
nearby tavern Viva Madrid. Inside, an unusual-looking bar with no bottles on display is covered with zinc “scales” recalling those of a salmon. To help break down boundaries between mixologist and visitor, the height of the bar is lower than most.
“As soon as you enter the first room,” says Cabrera, “it feels like you’re submerged underwater with a sense of depth, fantasy, and freshness. We have a water effect on the ceiling, because you’re in the habitat of the salmon, who works against the current.”
The next room, separated by a fuchsia car-wash column and porthole, is dedicated to neon and illustration, its walls decorated like the pages of a comic book. The bar’s final area is embellished with old drawings and luminescent bottles containing snakes. “It’s like an American diner set in Japan,” says Cabrera. “This has become the most coveted corner.”
The dream world continues with a quirky cocktail list divided into several categories: Fruity, Refreshing, Sweet and Sour, Strong, Untouchable, For Drivers (nonalcoholic), and What The Fuck? While most of these are self-explanatory, the Untouchable cocktails are reimagined classics that play a part in the bar’s history. What The Fuck? – much as the phrase implies – includes drinks that stray into crazy, with risky flavor combinations designed to shock and delight. “One of them, Panthera Jackson, is inspired by a dish the guys tasted during a trip to Malaysia,” says Cabrera. “A spiced mango appetizer that has been transformed into an umami cocktail with pisco, mango, coconut milk, and fish sauce.”
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Quirky tavern and cocktail bar Viva Madrid 奇美小酒馆Viva Madrid
奇幻的氛围延续到了非凡的鸡尾酒单上，主要分 为以下类别：水果味、清爽味、甜酸味、烈酒味、「难 以触及（Untouchable）」、「司机专属（无酒精）」和 「搞什么鬼？（What the Fuck?）」。大多数的类别不言 自明，至于「难以触及」包括了重新诠释的经典调酒， 这些经典在酒吧历史中扮演了重要角色；「搞什么鬼？」 则顾名思义，就是一些「疯狂」的鸡尾酒，以大胆的 风味组合震撼和取悦宾客。Diego 说：「其中一款名叫 Panthera Jackson 的调酒，其灵感来自于团队在马来
“Enjoy the moment, because you never know when an animal as capricious as the salmon might change direction.
我们希望所有宾客都能享受当下，因为你永远不会知道 如海鱼一般反覆无常的我们，何时会改变方向。”
Diego Cabrera
The water theme continues with one of the Untouchable cocktails, Ultramarino, which is mixed in a clay amphora before being submerged in seawater, a process that helps it acquire some salinity through osmosis. Inspired by the depths of the sea, it is served with a parmesan cracker for further umami.
“The idea,” says Cabrera, “was born when we were investigating Roman amphorae where garum [fermented fish sauce] was aged. We need to provide drinks to both the educated palate that has accompanied us over the years and the new one. Enjoy the moment, because you never know when an animal as capricious as the salmon might change direction.”
Maximilien Provis tells TK how Park Hyatt Seoul balances innovation and consistency to deliver exciting dining and drinking options.
“THIS IS AN ICONIC PROPERTY, but after Covid, there was a demand for new experiences, and we have been embracing that,” says Maximilien Provis, F&B Director of Park Hyatt Seoul. “Just having a quality product and top-notch presentation isn’t enough. We need to be pioneers, to create something edgy.”
On the hotel’s topmost floor, the twenty-fourth, The Lounge offers panoramic vistas from its glass-walled dining room as guests are treated to upscale and innovative Korean cuisine that appeals equally to local and foreign visitors. While respecting Korean culinary traditions, dishes are plated with imagination and finesse for a modern fine-dining feel. To further connect the restaurant to the country’s dynamic capital city viewed from its windows, selected Korean liquors and teas are available for pairing.
For those seeking Western comfort food, flagship restaurant Cornerstone has its heart in rural Italy, offering diners a taste of homestyle cooking in relaxed surroundings with a wine list two hundred and fifty labels strong.
In contrast, there’s an avant-garde edge to The Timber House, the hotel’s innovative bar with striking décor inspired by traditional Korean design motifs. But rather than simply serving a series of cocktails with Korean characteristics, the bar is a place where vinyl meets izakaya Guests can enjoy authentic Japanese ramen, donburi, and yakimono accompanied by classic tunes played live by DJs as they sip Koreaninspired cocktails, including a range made with super-premium spirits.
“The bar scene has developed immensely over the last five years,” says Provis, “and we’re just at the beginning. Innovation is what Korea stands for. We do chef collaborations and are planning some bar takeovers too. It’s the next step in our quest for continuous improvement. We want guests to come and experience The Timber House – it has such great energy.”
The Lounge 位于酒店最高层的二十四楼， 在这里，贵宾一边被美景环绕，一边品尝本地与 外国旅客都会喜爱的创新韩式料理。这些料理兼 具了传统韩式料理精神，以及现代精致料理风格 与创意。此外，配搭餐点的精选韩国 酒品及茶品，让宾客更能沉浸在市景 的绚丽变化之中。
与 Cornerstone 形成强烈对比的，是前卫时 尚的 The Timber House 。这间创新酒吧的室内 设计结合了传统韩国设计元素，令人印象深刻。 这里不只供应一系列韩国特色调酒，更是一处结 合黑胶唱片与日式居酒屋的多元文化场所。宾客 可以一边品尝正统日式拉面、丼饭和烧烤，一边 享受 DJ 现场表演，同时品饮顶级烈酒制作的鸡 尾酒。
Maximilien 说：「酒吧文化在过去五年间已 有进步，但这只是个开始，因为创新正是韩国 的代名词。为了与时俱进，我们会与名厨合作， 未来也规划邀请客座调酒师。我们希望每一位 宾客都能来体验 The Timber House 充满活力的 氛围。」
THE NARRATIVE of Bollinger’s 2015 vintage begins with an outstanding growing season marked by a mild, wet winter that transitioned into a balmy spring and culminated in a hot, dry, sun-filled summer. The vineyards’ chalky soil was saturated by winter rains and blessed by timely August showers, tempering any potential water stress. By the time the harvest commenced on the fourth of September, the days were warm and sunny, the nights were cool, and the grapes were in prime condition – healthy, compact bunches with high acidity and optimal ripeness.
of sun and soil 阳光与大地
Champagne Bollinger releases two cuvées that express the concentration, texture, and generosity of an exceptional vintage.
“The appearance of the grapes and the weather in 2015 clearly pointed to a very promising vintage,” says Bollinger Cellar Master Denis Bunner. “And so we harvested, we made the wine, and then we waited seven long years. It was out of our hands. We relinquished our control, and today we give in to discovery. What a thrill! The taste is well-rooted, earthy, powerful, and concentrated. You can taste the sunshine, enhanced by the wood.”
Bollinger La Grande Année 2015, with its golden yellow undertones, is a testament to the house’s winemaking prowess. On the nose, it unfolds with inviting notes of stone fruits and Mirabelle plum accented by a hint of honey. This complex bouquet is enriched with dark berries and nuances of almond, mango, vanilla, and a delicate woody aroma. On the palate, the wine is lush and rich, with flavors of Mirabelle plum jam followed by a blend of chocolate and citrus.
Offering a different yet equally captivating profile is Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2015. With delicate pink undertones, it presents a nose rich in strawberry juice, mandarin, and rhubarb. The wine is layered and complex, its silky prelude leading to juicy notes of stone fruits and climaxing in a vibrant finish with hints of blood orange.
Bollinger La Grande Année 2015 带有金黄 底色，证明酒庄的酿酒实力不容小觑。葡萄酒 散发着诱人的核果及黄香李香气，并伴有一丝 蜂蜜的味道。复杂的香气中还掺着深色浆果和 杏仁、芒果、香草的细微气味，以及细腻木香。 入口之后，酒香浓郁，黄香李果酱的味道与巧 克力和柑橘的味道交织融合。
Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2015 是 一款与众不同且相当迷人的葡萄酒。这款酒带 有细腻的粉红色调，散发着草莓果汁、柑橘及 大黄的香气。这款酒层次丰富、口感丰润，丝 滑的前调引出浓郁的核果香味，在充满活力的 余韵中达到高潮，并且伴有血橙芳香。
蔓向未来
growing the future
Wine Institute takes the lead in advancing sustainable practices throughout California’s vast wine industry.
“I’M SO PLEASED to be in Hong Kong for Vinexpo Asia,” says Honore Comfort, Vice President of International Marketing at Wine Institute. “Hong Kong is one of the most sophisticated wine markets, which is why we are here.”
As an association of about a thousand California wineries and affiliated businesses, Wine Institute initiates state, federal, and international policy to promote the responsible production, consumption, and enjoyment of wine. It also works to enhance California’s economic and environmental health through its leadership in sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices.
“California is so fortunate to have such remarkable resources,” says Comfort, “but there are also pressures that are part of our ecosystem, such as water scarcity and wildfires. There are things that we can help manage and prevent that are tied to sustainable practices, from protecting our ancient vines to soil health to investing in our vineyards for the long term. But protecting the people who work in and live around the wine industry is the most important of all.”
This summer’s California Wine Month in Hong Kong spotlights sustainability. More than one hundred thirty promotions and offers invite wine lovers to discover California wines, including an array of certified sustainable ones. www.cawinemonthhk.com
According to Comfort, these ideas started as California’s wine grape growers and vintners got together and recognized that they needed to work toward a collective goal of leaving planet Earth better than they found it. By using viticulture to lead the way, they would help protect California so that future generations could keep making wines that are as alive as the place they’re from.
“For them to align and develop the California sustainable wine growing program and the certification program was pretty innovative,” says Comfort. Achieving the Code of Sustainable Wine Growing for California certification requires that producers adhere to more than one hundred fifty practices set out in a thick tome that is now in its fourth edition.
Once certified, growers can expect spot checks to ensure that certification requirements remain intact.
“One of the fundamental tenets of sustainability,” says Comfort, “is the notion of continuous improvement – that our work is never done and can always be better.”
Guests at Soneva Jani embark, in barefoot luxury, on an enchanting Maldives journey.
IF EMBRACING LIBERATION is the ultimate measure of luxury, then Soneva Jani resort registers off the scale. The resort’s “barefoot guardians,” endearingly adorned in flowing white linen and beaming with genuine warmth, welcome visitors to a serene retreat where the frenetic hustle of everyday life fades away and where they can fully immerse in a transformative wellness adventure. In harmony with Soneva Jani’s cherished “No News, No Shoes” philosophy, guests receive a gentle invitation to
BY ELAINE WONG
如果拥抱自由是奢华的极致标准，索尼娃贾尼可 说已超越极限。宾客一踏入这个静谧的度假胜地， 迎面而来的便是亲切的「赤脚私人管 家」，他们身穿飘逸的白色亚麻衫，以 最真挚温暖的笑容欢迎贵宾。来到这 里的那一刻起，宾客便远离了日常的 喧嚣。索尼娃贾尼奉行「没有新闻，脱下鞋履」（No News, No Shoes）的赤足理念，管家会温柔地询
Guests glimpse native sea turtles on guided diving excursions.
客人可参与潜水活动，与环礁原生海龟一同欣赏海洋美景。
The overwater observatory offers serious stargazing along with fine dining. 给合观星和美食的味觉之旅。
shed their footwear as a symbolic gesture of releasing the burdens of the outside world.
Among the myriad island resorts in the Maldives, Soneva Jani stands out as a genuine sanctuary for refreshing mind, body, and spirit amid the beauty of its natural surroundings and the lavishness of its accommodations.
Visitors to the grounds are immediately impressed by the resort’s unwavering dedication to sustainability and environmental preservation. The ethos is apparent in every detail, from the villas constructed with eco-friendly materials to the solar panels that quietly power the entire property. Soneva Jani also offers its own range of natural toiletries, including a plant-based after-sun lotion that is reef-safe and gentle on the most sensitive skin.
Adding magic to every moment at Soneva Jani is an array of one-ofa-kind recreational amenities, from the exclusive overwater private cinema to the observatory to the overwater dining platform.
The lush organic gardens that supply the on-site restaurants further underscore Soneva Jani’s commitment to nurturing the natural beauty of the Maldives and ensuring that its splendor remains untouched for generations to come. Visitors are invited to indulge in a guilt-free paradise.
At So Wild, guests dine barefoot on the same soil in which 90 percent of the menu’s ingredients are cultivated. The nourishing plantbased menu is meticulously crafted by visionary raw food chef Diana Von
在 So Wild 餐厅，客人赤脚踏在土地上用 餐，而菜单上 90% 的食材都源自于同一片土 地。生食厨师 Diana Von Cranach 为宾客精心
从水上餐厅眺望一望无际的蓝色海洋。
Soneva Jani’s overwater dining platform hovers above an endless blue sea.
plant-based menu
的蔬食菜单由主厨
餐厅的食材由郁郁葱葱的有机花园供应。
Cranach, whose innovative approach reimagines forgotten traditional recipes from the Indonesian Spice Islands and Southeast Asia.
Chef Von Cranach’s culinary prowess, drawing on five decades of expertise in plant-focused cuisine, shines through in a menu that transcends mere sustenance. It offers a sensorial experience composed like a symphony with healing herbs and precious botanicals – from sea purslane to rosary pea leaves – that grace the palate with each delectable bite.
Another unique dining event is the So Starstruck Astronomy Dinner, presented under a night sky of celestial beauty, dazzling with a multitude of stars. The menu is a culinary delight, each dish a work of art crafted with locally sourced seafood and sustainable ingredients. While indulging in the exquisite flavors, guests are guided by an astronomer who shares his knowledge of the heavens, pointing out constellations and offering fascinating insights into the universe. The blend of fine dining and stargazing evokes a sense of awe that makes for a truly unforgettable occasion.
Adding magic to every moment at Soneva Jani is an array of oneof-a-kind recreational amenities, from the exclusive overwater private cinema to the observatory to the overwater dining platform. And whether it’s taking a sunset cruise surrounded by dozens of dolphins, indulging in a starlit gourmet dinner, or unwinding with a rejuvenating spa treatment, the possibilities for relaxation and adventure are endless.
Calle de Echegaray, 21, Centro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Sun-Thur: 16:00-02:00
Fri-Sat: 16:00-2:30
q +34 910 00 61 85
St. Regis Bar 澳门瑞吉酒吧
5 Bar & Lounge
2/F, The St. Regis Macao, The Londoner Macao, Estrada do Istmo, s/n, Cotai, Macao
澳门路氹连贯公路澳门伦敦人澳门瑞吉酒 店二楼
12:00-01:00
q +853 8113 1300
A Smart casual
Vida Rica Bar 御苑酒廊
5 Bar
2/F, Mandarin Oriental, Macau, No. 945, Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Macau
澳门孙逸仙大马路945号澳门文华东方酒
店二楼
Sun-Thur: 18:00-00:00
Fri-Sat: 18:00-01:00
q +853 8805 8928
Andō
5 Innovative Asian 1/F, Somptueux Central 52, Wellington Street, Central Hong Kong
香港中环威灵顿街52号Somptueux Central 一楼
Lunch: 12:00-15:30; Dinner: 18:30-22:30
Closed on Sundays q +852 9161 8697
Caprice
5 French
6/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
香港中环金融街8号香港四季酒店六楼
Lunch: 12:00-14:00
Dinner: 18:30-20:30
Closed on Mondays q +852 3196 8880
A Smart casual
MONO
5 Latin American 5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong 香港中环安兰街18号五楼
Lunch: 12:00-15:00
Dinner: 18:30-23:00
Closed on Mondays and Sundays q +852 9726 9301
Restaurant Petrus 珀翠餐厅
5 French 56/F, Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central, Hong Kong
香港中环法院道太古广场港岛香格 里拉五十六楼
Lunch: 12:00-14:30
Dinner: 18:30-23:00
q +852 2820 8590
A Smart casual
The Krug Room 库克厅
5 Western
1/F, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
香港中环干诺道中5号 香港文华东方酒店一楼
Tue-Fri: 18:30-22:00
q +852 2825 4014
VEA
5 Chinese x French
30/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
香港中环威灵顿街198号
The Wellington三十楼
Lunch: Sat: 13:00-15:30
Dinner: Mon-Sat: 18:00-22:00
q +852 2711 8639
EXPERIENCE THE HARMONY OF ARCTIC NATURE
This artisan gin captures and confines the essence of arctic nature in a bottle A peaceful misty morning when the delicate scents of dew-laced arctic bilberry shrubs and spruce needles embrace in perfect harmony We wanted to capture this moment and confine it in a bottle
Flavour profile: An aromatic combination of fragrant spruces and bilberry shrubs. Elegant notes of juniper, bilberries, coniferous forest and spices.
