An Italian Tradition in the Heart of Hong Kong

Hong Kong bar supremo Giancarlo Mancino’s small batch vermouth is gaining favour across the city and throughout Asia.

Mancino Vermouth Secco, Bianco Ambrato, and Rosso Amaranto

As Hong Kong’s bar culture continues to grow and become increasingly sophisticated and requiring of ever-higher quality components, one of the city’s finest bartenders has taken matters into his own hands and has created a range of vermouths that satisfies his desire for a vermouth of quality in the city.

Feeling that the vermouth market – particularly in this far-flung outpost – lacked a “depth of charisma,” such as it exhibited in the early part of the last century, eponymous founder Giancarlo Mancino wanted a “vermouth that could be savoured as a solo experience and not only for mixing in cocktails such as the Negroni or Manhattan.”

Mancino, who runs a bar consultancy in Hong Kong and until recently was best known for his association with the bar of 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA, the city’s three-Michelin star Italian restaurant helmed by chef Umberto Bombana, is today busy with his latest project, creating a bar for new Italian fine-dining concept il Milione.

Keeping in tradition of the old time recipe masters, Mancino set out to echo the complex formulas of yesteryear, providing his own twist by using three definitive selections from 40 types of botanicals to infuse with an Italian wine, Trebbiano di Romagna. The steeping process began over two years ago in a small family run establishment in Piemonte.

There are three versions available – a secco, infused with 19 botanicals, a bianco ambrato, infused with 38 botanicals and a rosso amaranto, infused with 38 botanicals. All utilise a Trebbiano di Romagna wine base.

The vermouths were released late last year and has been finding favour across the region, with high-end bars and selected retailers in Hong Kong, the Philippines, China and further afield.