Hong Kong’s best martini bars, from Argo at Four Seasons to Darkside at Rosewood Hotel – and why James Bond was wrong about his favourite cocktail
- We talk martinis with John Nugent of Kyle & Bain, Axel Gonzalez of Terrible Baby, Lorenzo Antinori of Four Seasons, and Arkadiusz Rybak at the Rosewood Hotel Hong Kong
- The Vesper cocktail was invented by Ian Fleming, famed for his character James Bond, a noted martini devotee – even if mixologists today debate the veracity of 007’s catchphrase
Trends in cocktails may come and go, but a select few go on to become classics that never go out of vogue. Perhaps the most enduring cocktail of all is the martini, with a history dating back to the late 1800s.
Over the decades, it has continued to evolve, adapted to suit the mixology trends of the time. We spoke to four local experts to learn their takes on this classic drink.
Our martini is neither shaken nor stirred, but layered
“The martini has never gone out of style, it is one of the most classic cocktails ever,” says John Nugent, beverage director of Leading Nations.
“In our case, we are trying to show the martini in its most original form – stirred over hand-cut ice, using quality gins and vodkas, and infused or rectified vermouth – while at the same time showcasing different flavour elements that will give an extra soignee signature,” adds Nugent, who is also the head mixologist at the recently opened Kyle & Bain, Hong Kong’s first speciality American martini bar.
“Martinis never stopped being popular. They have been in bars since vermouth was created and will always be there,” says Axel Gonzalez, bar manager of Terrible Baby at Eaton HK.
Meanwhile Lorenzo Antinori calls martini “the king of cocktails”. He should know – as the beverage ambassador for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Asia-Pacific, beverage manager of Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and the creative mind behind the cocktail programme at the brand’s new opening Argo. “It has always been a staple in the bar world, but I like how modern-day bartenders and consumers are open to new twists on the classic serves, opening the door to new flavours and experiences,” he says.
One of Nugent’s favourites, from an extensive list, is Kyle & Bain’s house K&B Martini. “We are trying to offer very layered cocktails, with two to three flavour elements. With the house martini we combine Plymouth Gin, Dolin Blanc, Mancino Secco and cider vinegar from Normandy, and freeze overnight. It is poured table-side and finished with Amalfi lemon zest,” he explains.
When developing the Argo Martini, Antinori went as far as to create an Argo gin with Never Never Distilling Co., which he says is constantly pushing spirit-making boundaries. The Argo martini contains two elements only: the gin and seasonal hydrosols.
“Hydrosol is a flavoured distilled water-based solution, which we make in-house, using a rotary evaporator. We wanted guests to be able to choose their preferred flavour profile to add,” explains Antinori.