Joseph Boroski's bespoke cocktails open doors to different worlds

Perching on the edge of my seat in Hong Kong’s new go-to bar, J. Boroski, I say:  “I want a drink inspired by Macau.”

The bar’s co-owner and “mixultant”, Joseph Boroski, whips together a cocktail which represents his experience and feelings towards the city. 

What is placed before me is Boroski’s spin on the classic Martinez, the precursor to the Martini.

“I am inspired by Macau’s heritage and history,” he says, as he explains that he chose a drink “rooted in classics” to represent the once-colonial city. His rendition of the Martinez is given a new twist with a touch of lavender, adding a “lively floral element”, and a burnt cinnamon stick for depth. The final creation is a decidedly subtle but complex, well-balanced drink.

For Boroski, this is what defines Macau – a city rooted in history which has since been transformed and has taken on a new life; a city defined by rich elegance and a “desire for the best”. 

My personalised cocktail is no special treatment at J. Boroski, where there is no standard drink menu. Instead, patrons are offered a cocktail concierge service, whereby they are asked whether they have a drink in mind, and if not, whether they would prefer something spirit-based, showcasing the spirit, or something more floral, where the spirit is complemented by freshly-made in-house cordials, juices and ingredients.

Such personalisation gives patrons the ultimate luxury: a drink tailored to their taste buds at that particular moment in time.  At an initial glance, this approach might be seen to appeal most to those with more sophisticated palettes, who can vocalise which spirits appeal most to them. But it is also very much an approach that appeals to those who wish to experiment, and to discover which flavour profiles sing to them.

Boroski and his team are often asked to create concoctions that are visual showstoppers. These drinks lie on the other end of the spectrum, and generally appeal to patrons who prefer to let their eyes and (especially in today’s age of Instagram and social media) cameras feast first on them.

At Jerry Maguire in Hong Kong, cocktails are created using dessert-making techniques. For example, their Alice in Wonderland drink features spun sugar, gold leaf and a handmade “JM” meringue mushroom.