In Hong Kong's heat, a warm beer or heavy cocktail just won't cut it. What we really need is something light and refreshing that can get us through the long summer days.
So, here are the most scintillating cocktails for the rest of this summer at five of Hong Kong's most trendy bars.
Summer coolers at mamoz
Having only been open for a year now, mamoz have introduced a completely new bar snack and summer cocktails menu. The hamachi and tapenade toast (HK$108) and short rib tempura (HK$118) are simply delicious.
As for the drink the TearRock cocktail (HK$145) looks as good as it tastes. Kept cool in a glowing tear-shaped ice sculpture, order one fast as it is limited and only available on the weekends. In it is a special blend of Hendricks gin, St. Germain (elderflower liqueur), apple juice, lemon, passionfruit syrup, peach bitters, mint and basil.
The drinks menu also features a tasting graph on the back, so you can pick according to how sweet, rich, sour and fresh you would like your cocktail.
mamoz, 28/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, +852 2890 3182, www.mamoz.hk
Six new ways to drink gin at Ozone
Gin and tonic is a classic summer staple invented by British officers in India in the 19th century. Instead of the usual gin, tonic and lime, Ozone's bar manager Pietro Didio has created six new gin and tonic cocktails with a twist.
All priced at HK$140 (plus 10 percent service charge) you get a choice between two special tonics from Britain and Japan. Our favourite is the Not Too Gineric made from tonic, Bombay Sapphire gin, pomelo peel and thyme which gives it a light yet reinvogirating kick of flavour.
Ozone, 118/F, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2263 2100, www.ritzcarlton.com
New ABSOLUT Elyx vodka at Quinary
ABSOLUT are gearing up to launch their new high-end premium vodka ABSOLUT Elyx which is handcrafted in small volumes to ensure each bottle's quality and flavour.
For the next three months until its release to the general public in October, pioneered by Quinary, ABSOLUT Elyx will be exclusively available at 12 of Hong Kong's top bars and restaurants.
Quinary's top HK mixologist, Antonio Lai, has created four new Elyx drinks that showcase its silky smooth texture. We can't get enough of the cooling Elxy Refresher (HK$128) that could give a well-loved pitcher of Pimms a run for its money. The drink is a combination of elderflower syrup, lime juice, cucumber, soda water and of course, ABSOLUT Elyx.
Quinary, LG/F, Felicity Building, 56-58 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2851 3223, www.quinary.hk
Jo Malone-inspired cocktails at Café Gray Deluxe
While fragrances and cocktails aren't the most obvious pairing, we do tend to opt for lighter and more fruitier options when picking our go-to drinks and perfumes for the summer.
Café Grey Deluxe and Jo Malone will be holding six cocktail and fragrance appreciation workshops every Thursday and Saturday from 19 July to 11 August 2012.
Pay close attention to how chef sommelier Yvonne Cheung whips up an Elderflower Collins using Tanqueray gin, elderflower, grapes, lime, apple and sprite for a lighter sangria-esque alternative.
For HK$650 per person, you get a HK$100 Café Gray Deluxe and a HK$300 Jo Malone gift card.
Jo Malone, 1/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, +852 2918 4865, www.jomalone.com
Belvedere multisensory cocktails at Felix
From now until 30 September 2012, Felix will be offering six Belvedere multisensory cocktails created by Belvedere's global brand ambassador Alison Dedianko and Felix's sommelier Leo Au.
The Black Raspberry Royal (HK$158) made from Belvedere black raspberry, pineapple juice, black raspberry liqueur, sparkling wine, algin mixers and fraise syrup is a welcome reinvention of an otherwise standard Kir.
All prices are subject to 10 percent service charge.
Felix, 28/F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Kowloon, +852 2696 6778, www.peninsula.com
