Coinciding with the launch of new masterclasses, the DarkSide bar at Rosewood Hong Kong has launched a new Forgotten Classics cocktail menu for your drinking pleasure.
Anyone who knows his martini from his manhattan will know how hand-in-hand cocktail culture is with history. Tracing the origins of classic cocktails is a passion of many bartenders, and in doing so they can identify each drink’s evolution, adding their own pages to the history books with each new innovation.
READ: Hue Dining Launches Classic Cocktail Trolley
Launching in tandem with the bar’s new cocktail masterclasses, DarkSide at the Rosewood Hong Kong launches a new Forgotten Classics cocktail menu that whisks guests back in time with traditional flavours and techniques while adding an elegant touch of modernity.
Among the 12 new classic cocktails, highlights include the Martini vs Vesper, a marriage of the timeless martini recipe with its more modern rendition, the Vesper. The result is a smooth and approachable libation thanks to the addition of Mancino Vermouth Secco and Mancino Vermouth Bianco, which add a botanical complexity, as well as peach bitters and Japanese wakamomo candied green peaches, which infuses a touch of fruitiness.
READ: Jimmy Carroll on Marlin Attacks & Rowing the Atlantic
While there are many stories about how the Gibson came to be, the most popular is the one where San Francisco businessman Walter Gibson supposedly slipped an onion into his drink, believing it prevented colds. The DarkSide’s rendition of the Gibson features Riesling wine, Mancino Vermouth Secco, Mancino Vermouth Bianco, Tio Pepe Sherry, and pure Onion Essence for a modern take on the Mad Men classic.
Other historic renditions include the Diablo, a play on the El Diable cocktail first mentioned in Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink, with Ocho Blanco tequila, crème de cassis, lime, and ginger beer; and the Cardinale, a modern take on the classic La Dolce Vita, named for the German cardinal who first ordered it and coloured the same as a cardinal’s vivid red cassock, made with Widges gin, Campari, Riesling, Mancino vermouth secco, and a citrus twist.
READ: All Aboard the Tequila Train
If you’re an avid cocktail fan you might like to try Rosewood Director of Bars Arkadiusz Rybak’s new masterclass. The 90-minute classes (HK$1,388pp) are available from Thursdays – Sundays between 2 pm – 4.30 pm and include the construction of three cocktails, which are paired with a charcuterie and cheese board.
For more Wining & Dining inspiration click here.
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? FOLLOW ALPHA MEN ASIA ON FACEBOOK, OR INSTAGRAM AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HONG KONG-CENTRIC NEWSLETTER HERE