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July is an exhilarating month for the bar industry with the highly anticipated ‘Asia 50 Best Bars’ ceremony taking place in Hong Kong for the first time ever on July 18th. With it comes a host of esteemed mixologists and innovators in the F&B scene hosting an abundance of new consumer experiences across the city. Hong Kong summer signals the boating season with new junk F&B packages and charters and alfresco dining and music down at the harbour front for SummerFest.
Asia 50 Best Bars’ ceremony taking place in Hong Kong for the first time. Stay tuned!
We embrace the summer season with new junk F&B packages, charters and alfresco dining.
JULY 2023
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New drinks menus and cocktails this July
Hong Kong boating season returns with new F&B packages and experiences
Diageo World Class Competition or Hong Kong and Macau has crowned a new winner for 2023 Bartender Birstacla Wong of The Green Door emerged victorious with her creative cocktails made using liquid nitrogen and served from Chinese teapots.
Hong Kong’s Artifact Bar is the city’s latest cocktail haven
TRENDING
F&B
Plantation Tea Bar launches cocktails with Antonio Lai
INNOVATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS
Celebrity Chef Mauro Colagreco to open his concept in Hong Kong
The evolution of the Asian bar scene
1st & Beaudry
æra
Perla
American |Wong Chuk Hang
Nordic Fusion | Wan Chai
Italian | Tsim Sha Tsui
Posso
Aroma Wine Bistro
Vie Won Won
Italian | Sheung Wan
Nordic | Causeway Bay
Fusion | Shek Tong Tsui
Bartender and Entrepreneur Co-Founder Savoury Project | Co-Founder COA Jay Khan
With COA now opened for almost six years, we have various ways of introducing agave spirits. One that is very effective is that we educate our guests via a charity tasting called “Mezcal Mission” . It’s a bi-weekly agave spirit class divided into level 1 (for beginners) and level 2 (advanced). 100% proceed from this go to local charity’s we partner with. It’s a win win for all of us. In terms of how appreciation for spirits such as Tequila … Hong Kong consumers love whisky . Hence they are quite intrigued by the smoke from mezcal. They can relate it to peated whiskies. We’ve seen a surge in Mezcal drinkers . Tequila is a product of terroir. It’s a unique spirit whose raw ingredients can take up to a decade to fully ripen. Tequila is also intrinsically important to Mexican culture and heritage. For cocktails, the complexity of Tequila goes really well with citrus fruits in my opinion. Hence the margarita being so popular. Tequila for me in three words is ‘Labour of Love’ ! Tequila are not purely for cocktails. There are a many tequilas out there that are for sipping only. Some meticulously distilled tequilas develop the subtleties and nuances which can sometimes be lost in a cocktail if not mixed properly. It comes down to the bartenders knowledge and skills to choose the right one for mixing and for sipping. Personally I’m not a big fan of pairing spirits with food . However there are some interesting pairing I can suggest. Blanco tequila with fish tacos, or any citrus based dish with protein. Reposado tequila with chocolates…Añejo tequila with dark chocolate or steak. When it comes to the on/off trade market for Tequila the on trade is stronger for sure but I see a lot of consumers now mixing their own drinks at their home bars to impress their friends….We’ve got our regulars asking us for our margarita recipe - we happily share it with them. My favourite go to’s are Paloma and a Margarita anytime. For tequila I prefer a well made blanco and reposado. Reposado probably a little more as they give a nice balance of agave and oak which adds enough complexity without overshadowing the fresh agave flavour.
“ Tequila is a product of terroir. It’s a unique spirit whose raw ingredients can take up to a decade to fully ripen.
DISCOVER MORE
Krug X Lemon: a gastronomic journey by 16 chefs in Hong Kong
On the shift: bartender guest shifts to catch in Hong Kong
TimeOut
TimeOut
Beckaly Franks wins Bartenders’ Bartender Award in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023
Rosewood Hong Kong’s ‘A Sense of Taste’ bar-hopping experience
Drinks International
TimeOut
Naked Malt in partnership with Asia’s 50 Best Bars presents unforgettable drink events this July
The best happy hour deals in Hong Kong this month
Lifestyle Asia
TimeOut
Ardbeg Heavy Vapours Wee Beastie promotion
A complete wine and seafood pairing guide
Watson’s Wine
Wai Shing
Moët & Chandon Specially Yours
Watson’s Hour: California Wine Series
HK Liquor Store
Watson’s Wine
2002 Magic Champagne Vintage tasting
The Pale promotion
HKTV Mall
Etc Wine Shops
MACAU NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
First RR1 Signature Event in Asia set to premiere in Macau at MGM Cotai
DFS Group’s Masters of Wine & Spirits returns to Macau
Interwine Macao 2023
Why Macau is the hottest new travel destination
Watch for an exclusive preview of RR1 Culinary Masters, held in Asia for the first time ever. The greatest chefs in the world are gathering at MGM Cotai in Macau to showcase the future of gastronomy, the finest meals the world has to offer, and a fusion of food, culture, and creativity.
DFS Group is presenting its 11th annual Masters of Wines and Spirits (MOWS) exhibition at T Galleria by DFS, Macau, City of Dreams this month.
Interwine Macao Expo The Parisian Macao 4th-6th Sept, 2023
From its slew of activities to the array of must-see landmarks, there’s more to this bustling city than meets the eye.
The Glenlivet
The Glenlivet
Laurent Perrier
The Glenlivet X Omakase
Crazy Laurent Perrier “La Cuvée” Brut NV Offer
The Glenlivet immersive dining experience
The Glenlivet relaunches its 21 & 25-Year-Old Whiskies Sample Room Collection, alongside its immersive dining pairing with Japanese omakase at Wako Sake Labo.
Whisky pairing with omasake at WAKO SAKE LABO Izakaya
Laurent-Perrier’s Cuvee Brut comprises more than 50% Chardonnay, 30 to 35% Pinot Noir and 10 to 15% Pinot Meunier, to which 15 to 30% reserve wines are added.
House of Suntory
Various brands
Sainte Marguerite
Sainte Marguerite launches in Hong Kong
House of Suntory 100 Years anniversary
Dine Like The Stars! Famous drinks brands owned by celebrities
This refreshing and complex rosé wine from Provence is now available in the city.
After 100 Years of Japanese Whisky, what’s next for the House of Suntory?
There has been a growing trend of celebrities launching their own liquor brands in recent years, some of the biggest names in the world of entertainment find it an easy way to cash in on their popularity.
Mark your calendar for: National Tequila Day July 24th
TEQUILA 101 Types of Tequila
TEQUILA FACTS Tequila has an appellation of origin.
MARKET OBSERVATIONS
Whilst Tequila makes up a small share of spirits consumption is rising, especially within the premium ranges.
Like champagne, cognac, and some fine wines, tequila can only be produced in five regions in Mexico—Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Jalisco, though far and away the largest producer is Jalisco. It must be made from the blue agave plant. To be classified as tequila, a spirit must be at least 51% derived from blue agave with the rest made up from another neutral spirit. Only the agave heart is used to make tequila. Known as the piñas, are cut out, cooked, ground down, and fermented to make tequila. People have been enjoying tequila for a LONG time. Tequila’s predecessor, called “pulque,” was imbibed as early as 150 B.C. As with wine, terroir can influence the taste of tequila. The type of soil agave is grown in has a large impact on the flavor of tequila. Broadly speaking, tequilas from the Highlands (Los Altos) often have grassier and sometimes sweeter flavour profiles, while those from the Lowland (El Valle) can have an earthier, more mineral quality. There are five official classifications of tequila. Blanco (also known as Silver tequila) and Joven (aka Gold) are the youngest varieties.
Blanco - Bottled immediately following distillation, some are aged for a short period of time. Reposado - Tequila aged between 2-12 months in oak barrels. Joven - A mixture of Blanco and Reposado tequilas. Añejo - Tequilas aged between 1-3 years in oak barrels. Extra Añejo is aged 3 years or more. Mixto - Tequila containing less than 100% blue agave, usually mixed with sugars or other spirits.
Leading brands in the category in Hong Kong
Top Performing Agave-Based spirits in Hong Kong
Brand
Owner
Brand
Cuervo Joven de Lo’s Dorados Potter’s Olmeca El Jimador
Potter’s Joven de los Dorados Ocho
Proximo La Cofradia Andrew Peller Pernod Ricard Brown-Forman
Source: IWSR Drinks Market Analysis 2023
10 of the most decadent tequilas in the world
10 mind-blowing facts about tequila
INTEL INSIGHTS
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July 8th
World Gin Day
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October 26th
July 29th-30th
Until July 23rd
July 11th
World Mojito Day
World’s Leading Wines Hong Kong 2023
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SummerFest 2023
The NextWave
July 24th
National Tequila Day
October 26th-29th
For five weekends from July 8th
Until January 14th, 2024
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival
The Harbour Chill Carnival
teamLab Future Park
Jay Khan @jaykhan313
Birstacla
Ajit Gurung
@birstacla
@ajitgurung_
Bartender and Entrepreneur Co-Founder Savoury Project Co-Founder COA
World Class2023 Hong Kong & Macau Champion
Co-Founder The Savoury Project
Please note events/news are subject to change during these unpredictable times. This newsletter is produced for MHD HK internal consumption only. All images are copyrighted and not for use.
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