Four bars in the top 10 Best Bars list of Asia and nine bars in the top 50 makes Hong Kong one of the flagbearers, alongside Singapore, of the Asian cocktail scene.

My first visit to Hong Kong led to me a bar crawl spanning five cocktail bars in one night. Objective: What does it take to be on the top? Here are the learnings I brought back.

Taste is paramount – the cocktails were delicious! Well, I went to only two bars in the top 50 list. The other three had their own proposition; but the cocktails were tasty at all places.

As a professional I loved the balance and the depth of flavours. However, as a consumer, one may have their own preference and hence the importance of having a list with something for most.

It is not about using a centrifuge or a rotovap; but it is about getting the flavour and the combination right. One of the bars had no food at all – yet the place was packed. Cocktails can stand on their own!

What led to the flavours come together in a drink? What connection does the name have with the drink? Where does the gin come from? What is the ethos of the place?  What does the bar stand for?

So many questions and all a part of the grand story. Every place needs a story, the story that states the purpose, the story that makes you go back in time, the story that teleports you to a region, the story that is worth remembering.

Lastly, not everything needs to have a story – so please do not make it up, keep it authentic!

The cocktails came to life because of the people. They came, they explained, they discussed ingredients, they narrated stories, they directed you to their competitors, they ensured they created the vibe that drew people for the experience. Hire passionate people and train them well to align with the vision!

• The Thirsty Shaker is a bar with a view, a view of the busy and lively alleys of Soho and the skyscrapers that surround it. The menu brings back sharing “Punches”, and the atmosphere is laid back for a quick post-work drink as much as it is for long sheesha and cocktail evenings.
• I love fruit-based spirits, and The Orchard caught my eye as Hong Kong’s first cocktail bar to use only fruit spirits, from Calvados to eau-de-Vie to Armagnac, they had it all. Again, a small place by Indian standards, this no-food joint packed a punch with its drinks and people.
• The white-tiled bar at Penicillin – I love to call it the dispensary with apothecary style bottles lining the walls! – impressed the Indian in me with chakna, unlike other places on the list. In the flip side, it was the only place that did not serve you water; nut the cocktails delivered an excellent experience.
• The Savoury Project is run by the same people as the Coa (erstwhile #1 and current #4). I had this bar on my list to experience “savoury” as the word of mouth and the name suggested. The place was busy, and we stood by the bar to witness how beautiful the bar design was. The service was on point and each cocktail showcased a savoury theme weaved into cocktail. Please note that not all cocktails are savoury in profile; they are balanced with some sweet element.

• 001 is Hong Kong’s first speakeasy bar. We had to walk a few thousand steps during a 30-minute search to earn a seat inside. Loved the décor, the service, the cocktails and the grilled cheese. Even if one asks me for directions, I will not be able to tell. Just hoping that I find the place myself the next time. We found a lot of people looking for the place and it was their third time!

• Bar Leone, the last bar on my list, turned us down because we were late (thanks the 001 search)!! The placed was packed with people enjoying their last drink of the evening.

The culture of the place has a profound influence on the bar scene and Hong Kong as a key financial hub with immense ease of doing business with a culture of drinking that comes from mainland China and its colonial past.

It is way ahead of the curve in the cocktails. The customer is learned and willing to experiment and this only leads to bartenders pushing the envelope.

As a professional in India and knowing the Indian bartending prowess at the top end, I clearly see scope of more Indian bars taking over bars in Hong Kong and sharing the India story.