Johnnie Walker launches online tutorials by celebrated bartenders

With social distancing in force, Johnnie Walker has invited five celebrated Hong Kong bartenders to share their original recipes and tips for cocktail making at home.

In the simplest forms, whisky highballs are a mixture of whisky, sparkling water, mixer, ice and garnish. Easy to make and drink, various whisky characteristics in the highball can be highlighted by adding different garnishes and mixers.

Johnnie Walker Black Label, as one of the staples in bars, invites five seasoned bartenders in Hong Kong to give their tips on creating the simple cocktail with a twist.

Shelley Tai, the winner of the 2019 World Class Hong Kong and Macau Bartending Competition, shares a concoction made by honey syrup, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and soda water. Prepared by either shaking or stirring, the intricate touch is adding two pieces of salted plum to impart an Asian flair. The sour saltiness of the plum can further boost the fruitiness of the whisky.

Yvonne Chan, former head bartender of The Old Man Hong Kong, magnifies the flavour of all ingredients with her secret of adding salt and pepper to the highball. Her recipe also comprises whisky, lemon juice, apple juice and ginger beer and is packed with fruity and spicy notes.

Fans of robust smokiness should try a trick from Henry Ho of Bar 001. Add soda water to the well-mixed ingredients of whisky, passion fruit, kumquat and yuzu jam. The final step of a sprinkling of pink pepper can further intensify the smoky aroma of the whisky.

For further details, see the brand website.The full recipes will be uploaded by the end of the month.