HK’s Top 12 Diageo World Class cocktails

We round up the 12 creative and colourful cocktails from Hong Kong and Macau for this year’s Diageo World Class Bartender competition.

Open to all bartenders in Hong Kong and Macau, Diageo’s World Class Bartender 2016 competition asks all entrants to create imaginative cocktails using Bullet Rye or Bulleit Bourbon as the base spirit.

The theme this year is ‘Daytime Drinking’ so each of the following cocktails are designed to be drunk at various daytime jaunts – whether a long, lazy brunch, wedding or barbecue.

The winner from Hong Kong and Macau will go to the global final in Miami this September and also win an Australian ‘bar mentorship’ in July or August, involving three days at This Must Be the Place in Sydney and three days at the Black Pearl in Melbourne.

Take a look at this year’s 12 hopefuls…

Alexander Ko, The Ocean

Cocktail name: Frontier Cooler

Designed to be drunk at a summer barbecue, Ko’s Frontier Cooler uses Bulleit Rye as the base spirit and includes malted honey syrup, lemon juice, fresh ginseng soda, fresh strawberries and Angostura bitters.

“Ginseng is something many Westerners associate with winter but Koreans have it in summer more, such as in the logic-defying ‘ginseng chicken soup’ –  a hot steaming bowl of chicken, ginseng, dates, and rice which is eaten in the summer to induce sweating and therefore will cool you down,” said Ko.

“Frontier Cooler is tangy, fruity and refreshing and light and refreshing enough to be welcome on a hot summer’s day, but the complexity and earthy bitterness of the ginseng stops it from becoming too cloying.”

Alexandre Chatte, Paradis 

Cocktail name: Voie Romaine 

Inspired by the French Alpine countryside, Chatte’s Voie Romaine (Romaine Way) uses Bulleit Rye as the base spirit and also combines Alpes Infusion (a French herbal tisane), Savoie AOC honey syrup and French apple cider.

“For me this is the type of drink that is drunk once a year,” said Chatte.

“My whole family and I go back to France and stay at my grandparents’ chalet in Haute Savoie at the foot of the Mont Blanc.

“We would always go on very long and challenging hikes in the most beautiful and wild areas and halfway through the hike we would all gather to feast and drink.

“Most of the time an alcoholic cocktail like this would be served over that time for the adults and the same would be able to be served as a mocktail for the kids.”

Gagan Garung, Zuma

Cocktail name: Bulleit Punch

Ideal for lazy Hong Kong brunches, Garung’s Bulleit Punch cocktail infuses exotic Eastern and Western ingredients.

The fruity cocktail combines Bulleit Bourbon, Yuzu Shochu, Yuzu juice, ginger juice, orange juice, cinnamon syrup, peach puree, corn and vanilla syrup and various seasonal fruits of green apple, strawberry, orange and pomegranate.

James Barker, 208 Duecento Otto

Cocktail name: KombuChairman Mao

Barker’s playfully named KombuChairman Mao uses Bulleit Rye as its base spirit and is simply blended with lemon juice and Pu-erh Kombucha tea.

Barker said he created it as an antidote to Hong Kong’s lavish hours-long lunches.

“An alternative to tea after lunch, the Pu-erh tea aids digestion and the caffeine stimulates metabolism. The perfect pick-me-up after lunchtime dim sum!”

Jigmee Lama, MO Bar, Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Cocktail name: Happy Valley Tea

Lama’s Happy Valley Tea draws its influence not from Hong Kong’s own dear Happy Valley but the rather more exotic Happy Valley tea estate in Darjeeling.

Using Bulleit Bourbon infused with peach and plum, his Happy Valley Tea is also made with peach cordial and Darjeeling black tea.

“The idea of peach and plum comes from my grandfather who I grew up with in that beautiful part of the world as he loved drinking his tea with those fruits,” he said.

“Darjeeling tea being very light and subtle gives the drink its elegance and softness and the addition of peach cordial gives the drink its sweetness and the body it requires to complete the Happy Valley Tea.”

Loreen Hernandez, Pacha Macau

Cocktail name: Toast of Infinity

Hernandez’s exotic Toast of Infinity is simply made using Bulleit Rye as the base spirit and garnished with tropical flowers and fruits.

With elements from the seaside, Toast of Infinity is served in vintage wine glasses to invoke luxurious classic holidays by the sea.

Paul Chan, Flint Bar, JW Marriott 

Cocktail name: Lawrenceburg Cani-Cooler 

Chan’s Bulleit Rye whisky cocktail is a throwback to America’s long hot summers of the past using homemade sweetcorn jam, fresh blood orange juice and fresh Yuzu juice.

“The Lawrenceburg Cani-Cooler has inspiration from the Cooler cocktails which are refreshing, easy to drink and perfect to beat the summer heat,” said Chan.

“Also “it references the ‘Canicular Days’ (Dog Days) meaning the hot period between early July to early September which is when this drink is perfect for.

“Any occasions such as camping party, birthday party, picnic, pool side party, wedding party, family gathering, boat party and anyone can mix it without using bar equipment. It’s designed to be drunk in the wild!”

Pawel Mikusek, Lily & Bloom

Cocktail name: Silver Bulleit

Harking back to a traditional afternoon tea but with a significantly boozy twist, Mikusek’s Bulleit Rye concoction uses muddled kumquat, dried fruit compote, honey water and Silver White Needle Tea served neatly in vintage Porcelain – just like our grandmothers used to have.

Ryan Nightingale, Ham & Sherry

Cocktail name: Stone’s Throw

Nightingale’s Stone’s Throw is an affectionate nod to Hong Kong, his adopted city.

With a hearty mix of Bulleit Bourbon, Aperol, rhubarb-vanilla shrub, fresh mint and soda, Stone’s Throw can even be drunk on a hike, he said.

“Or as accompanying a hearty picnic or just a rewarding way to cool off.  We live in a city where the next great party is always a stone’s throw away, but we often forget to take advantage of the uniqueness and wilderness of Hong Kong.”

Timothy Ching, Bibo

Cocktail name: The Flower Carrier

Ching envisages his Bullet Rye creation to be drunk, very specifically, at a Teppanyak/Brazilian BBQ.

“The Flower Carrier is the vehicle to bring fine refreshing and crisp texture to a sunny, outdoor family gathering afternoon,” he said.

“With a bubbly bittersweet concept as the backbone, it can definitely be a great rehydrate before, during and after meals. Also it’s perfect for sharing in groups too!”

The Flower Carrier uses Bulleit Rye, Strega, pink grapefruit, Shiso leaves, Rosemary and Hibiscus flower syrup and Indian tonic water.

Toby Lo, Quinary

Cocktail name: Spring Storm

A refreshing blend of Bulleit Bourbon with blueberry shrub, lemon juice and Apple cider, Lo’s Spring Storm references spring sunshine with the intense early summer thunderstorms that sweep over Hong Kong at this time of year.

“So easy to make, anyone can enjoy this for any occasion. Since the cocktail is refreshing and not strong, anyone can enjoy it during the day at a beach party or at any time during the summer,” said Lo.

Wallace Lau, Topiary

Cocktail name: Southern Express

Lau’s exotic drink draws on tropical islands’ fruits and flowers to create a refreshing cocktail made with Bulleit Rye and pandan-coco syrup, fresh lime juice, coconut cream and pandan tincture.

“This is refreshing cocktail with a merge of Western and Southern influences,” said Lau. “It’s a perfect match of Bulleit Rye Whiskey, pandan, coconut and sourness. A drink that will bring you to the Southern Islands within one sip!”