Ensure you’re always as prepared as an of-age boy scout with these home bar essentials, which will ensure you’re always the host with the most.
The warm weather of a Hong Kong summer is upon us and that means long lazy afternoons at the beach, evenings dining alfresco, rooftop barbeques, and of course, junkathons. However, summer is also the season that you’re most likely to entertain at home, and to do that effectively you might need a few additions to your den. Show your style and class this summer with a well-prepared home bar that caters to every palate – after all, you never know when you might be called on to…entertain.
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Matte Black Parisian Cocktail Set
A decent cocktail set not only elevates your home bar from a shelf next to the telly to something a man can mix at, but can also prove a great conversation starter, and useful when you’re working on your mixology. Set in very stylish matte black, this nine-piece set from VonShef features a stainless steel muddler, a twisted double-ended bar spoon, a hawthorn shaker, two pourers, and a double-ended jigger. There’s even a recipe card so you can get cracking right away.
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Kamm & Sons British Aperitif
The perfect addition to any summer line up, Kamm & Sons British Aperitif is a fresh, citrusy drop from the Old Country that lends itself beautifully to cocktails or over ice with a dash of good tonic water or soda. With a bittersweet flavor profile and hints of spice and berries – there are 45 botanicals in this savvy elixir including manuka honey, elderflower, hibiscus, and goji berries – this is an essential addition if you plan to entertain the opposite sex this summer.
Try Kamm & Sons topped with champagne; with fresh summer fruit and soda water; or with a splash of Fever-Tree Sicilian Lemon and plenty of ice. Kamm & Sons also do a new Ginseng Spirit if you’re feeling a little adventurous at the wet bar.
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Sveres
Ask any bartender and they’ll tell you that ice is probably the most crucial component to a good cocktail and at home that can sometimes be tricky. Turn to a simplistic solution with Sveres, a new addition to the lineup at The Original Whisky Ball.
Sequel to the original ice ball maker the company introduced in 2009, Sveres is a tray of elastic silicone rubber spheres that create perfectly round ice balls that will dazzle your company and ensure your drinks stay chilled, with just the right amount of dilution. Fill with bottled water and throw in the freezer for the next time you’re sampling good quality spirits.
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Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin
Even if you’re not a gin guy yourself, there’s always one in the room and you can be sure those palates like to experiment with new things. Perfect for tall summer cocktails, the Bloody Shiraz Gin from acclaimed Australian gin masters Four Pillars has a beautiful deep purple hue and the perfect balance of sweet fruit and ginny goodness. Add soda and lots of ice, use it as the base for punch, or spike a boring sangria to get the party started.
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2-in-1 Citrus Juicer
If you don’t happen to keep citrus in the fridge, you might want to get yourself a simple hand juicer, just to keep the mess at a minimum while adding a little ritual to your next tom collins. The 2-in-1 juicer from OXO features two different reamers (get your head out of the gutter) for small and large fruit, and a collection jug that keeps the juice in and the mess out.
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Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin
Gin is in vogue this summer in a big way; the spirit’s complexity means it’s an essential cocktail ingredient under the summer sun, and for a bold, cheeky new drop, Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin offers all the essential fragrance and spice to long, cold cocktails.
Named for a legendary kingdom under the reign of King Solomon, this gin takes its cues from the traditional Spice Route and is crafted with a selection of exotic hand-picked botanicals, including spicy cubeb berries from Indonesia, black pepper from India and coriander from Morocco. Made in the traditional London Dry style, at the oldest distillery in England, this gin brings a citrus punch to any concoction, followed up by earthy notes, a touch of sweetness, and a long lingering finish.
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Angostura Bitters
You’ve probably seen this medicinal-looking bottle before – it’s a true cocktail veteran but for good reason. So many classic cocktails – from Old Fashioneds to Manhattans – require a few drops of this timeless Caribbean bitters to help balance the flavour profile and once you get into the hang of using it, you’ll find new uses every time you pick it up.
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Mr. Fitzpatrick’s English Elderflower & Bramley Apple Cordial
If you’re feeling lazy but you like to look like you know what you’re doing, try adding virtually any base spirit to a slug of Mr. Fitzpatrick’s English Elderflower & Bramley Apple Cordial. This sweet yet refreshing cordial is a fantastic building block for DYI cocktails and lends itself well to aged spirits thanks to its bold English apple flavour, as well as white spirits thanks to hints of silky elderflower. Ice, garnish, bang.
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Soho Wines
Glassware is also another essential; you can make your femme du jour the best Hemingway Daiquiri this side of Havana but if you serve it to her in a pint glass she might get the wrong idea. Fortunately, Soho Wines has a full range of cocktail glassware, from durable rocks glasses, ideal for end-of-the-night roadies with the wingmen, through to champagne flutes and martini glasses – because let’s face it, any drink looks fancy in one of those.
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Le Creuset
There is nothing worse than getting home, all set to shake up a storm, only to find you can’t even open some of the bottles. A Waiters Friend is an essential tool to have on hand; it’s ideal for last-minute garnishing, it opens wine and beer bottles and looks stylish in the process. Le Creuset has some stylish Waiters Friends as well as more conventional wine bottle openers that make great housewarming gifts.
Drinkspiration
Finally, seek inspiration online or in print. There are tons of great cocktail apps online, including Absolut’s Drinkspiration, which is a dead easy guide to simple mixology. But for true padawans of the cocktail culture, reach for the cocktail bible, The Bartender’s Guide: How to Mix Drinks: A Bon Vivant’s Companion, by Jerry Thomas. This timeless tome talks about the history of cocktails and gives budding bartenders the building blocks to build their own drinks.
Because being prepared is half the battle.
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