Mixing It Up
Club mixologist Nathan Baggs crafts three summer refreshers.
From hip New York lounges to Hong Kong harborside bars, cocktails are back and booming.
This cocktail culture renaissance has seen bartenders experiment with old classics like the martini, manhattan or mojito and mixologists age their own botanicals for exciting house-crafted concoctions.
Amid this renewed interest in drinks made with quality and innovative ingredients, Nathan Baggs, the Club’s beverage director, oversees the lineup of crafted libations available at the Club’s various outlets.
“More and more, I think younger generations are realizing that things made with passion, patience and integrity are worth the investment,” he says. “There’s no substitute for using only the finest ingredients that complement one another in each creation.”
With Japan’s summer in full swing, Baggs offers his recommended sippers for both cocktail connoisseurs and mixed drink neophytes.
Hibiscus Tea Cooler
House-brewed hibiscus tea cordial (45ml), lemon juice (30ml), filtered water (115ml)
“High in vitamin C, with a nice acidity that is balanced by the unrefined brown sugar. Stirred and served in a chilled highball glass, this drink’s alcohol-free, cranberry-like flavors are superbly refreshing. Ideal for washing away Tokyo’s notorious summer mugginess.”
All dining outlets | ¥500
Sapphire Martini
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin (90ml), Butterfly Pea Tea cordial (45ml), Dolin de Chambery Blanc Vermouth (15ml)
“Your fellow drinkers are going to ask you, ‘What’s that beautiful libation you’re drinking?’ This is a serious martini with high visual impact that also happens to be packed with health benefits, thanks to the blueberry-hued, caffeine-free pea tea. An all-round winner to reduce guilt and start a conversation.”
CHOP Bar | ¥1,730
Porchside Punch
Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (90ml), fresh-squeezed lemon juice (30ml), muddled cucumber, Japanese chili cordial (30ml)
“High-octane but refreshingly cool, with a little Japanese togarashi chili pepper spice on the finish, this is a perfectly balanced summertime bourbon drink. Shaken vigorously with ice, strained and filtered into an ice-filled glass.”
CHOP Bar | ¥1,730
Words: Nick Jones
Image: Enrique Balducci