March showed that Asia’s drinks trade can work hard, but play hard too. From Mirebau’s rosé training and Dreissigacker’s multi-market Asia tour, to Asia’s 50 Best Week and Whisky Hammer first foray into Hong Kong, producers balanced celebration and education across the continent.Â
Mirabeau trains Hong Kong’s Feather & Bone teams on roséÂ
Nimbility’s founding partner, Francesca Martin, and spirits director, Manuel Arce, led a thorough training programme for the teams at Feather & Bone – the premium butcher, grocer and deli concept spanning 10 Hong Kong locations, supporting the launch of Maison Mirabeau in all of the group accounts. Sessions spanned key brand pillars, rosé wine and rosé gin education, as well as Mirabeau’s South of France-inspired portfolio. Staff were shown how to present each wine across retail and on-trade settings, and how to tailor recommendations to different consumer occasions. The rollout also introduced a full calendar of activations, including in-store displays, by-the-glass listings, bespoke cocktails and the ‘Endless Lunch’ series, launching in May at Ruam.
Dreissigacker tours across Asia
Famed German winemaker, Jochen Dreissigacker, embarked on a multi-market Asia tour, beginning in China with a series of trade and consumer activations across Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Highlights included sommelier training workshops, masterclasses, trade tastings and a livestream session driving strong engagement and sell-through. The programme also featured a private consumer dinner in Hong Kong targeting HNW collectors. Following this, Dreissigacker embarked on a second leg of the tour across Thailand, Hong Kong and South Korea, focused on route-to-market development, totalling more than 10 importer meetings across the region.
Bar Fabric at Asia’a 50 Best Week in Hong Kong
During Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants week in Hong Kong, METABEV Hong Kong partnered with Bar Fabric to bring its BAR FABRIC Studio to the city for the first time, hosting a community-driven takeover at Red Sugar, Kerry Hotel. The evening brought together leading bars from across Asia, including Vesper (Bangkok), The Aubrey and DIO Café Bar (Hong Kong), with visiting bartenders shaking cocktails throughout the night, alongside a live DJ, interactive gashapon experience, and dedicated photo moments. Presented with Woodford Reserve, the official American Whiskey sponsor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the event celebrated connection across the regional bar community, closing out a week of guest shifts and industry gatherings in Hong Kong.
Guest shifts during Asia’s 50 Best Week in Hong Kong
During Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants week, METABEV Hong Kong hosted a series of guest shifts across Hong Kong, bringing together leading bars from Seoul and Shenzhen with local venues. The programme featured appearances by Antidote (Seoul) at DIO Café Bar, Bar Cham (Seoul) at The Peninsula Hong Kong, Cobbler (Seoul) at Bar Buonasera, Bar Sookhee (Seoul) at Red Sugar, MO Bar Shenzhen at Peridot, and Ace Four Club (Seoul) at AOAO, with visiting bartenders taking over bars throughout the week. Presented with Woodford Reserve, the official American Whiskey sponsor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, the guest shifts formed part of a wider programme of industry events, highlighting Hong Kong as a key meeting point for Asia’s bar community.
Whisky Hammer launches in Hong Kong
Aberdeenshire-based online whisky auctioneer, Whisky Hammer, launched an operational hub in Hong Kong – marking its first foray into Asia. This is its second new international base in under a year. The new site has been established in partnership with Hong Kong-based storage provider 13 Degrees Wine Cellar, which provides climate-controlled storage in Hong Kong.
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