Plaza Premium Group's Intervals airport bar spotlights world's best bartenders
Head Bartender Jon Lee, Penrose, Kuala Lumpur
Intervals, a cocktail bar concept by Plaza Premium Group (PPG), is launching a new cocktail series of virtual bar takeovers called “Cocktail Globetrotting.”
Intervals was introduced last year during PPG’s 25-year anniversary. Located at the top of the skybridge of Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), the concept was curated to bring an innovative experience to the airport and reinforces PPG's mission to make travel better.
The new “Cocktail Globetrotting” series features an award-winning agenda of celebrated bartenders, spotlighting notable bars, bartenders and their signature creations from around the world. Travellers are invited to take in a fully immersive experience of a traditional bar guest shift with monthly rotating cocktails prepared on-site, accompanied by a “live” video from respective bartenders at different locations. Through the video, they share inspirations behind their concoctions, along with top travel recommendations within their home cities. This initiative aims to reinvent airport transits with a beverage adventure before boarding.
“The airport is a destination where every journey begins. For us, it is important to keep innovating and instilling creativity into what we do, offering unique and engaging experience for travelers. At PPG, we place a strong emphasis on culture, connections to the destinations, while providing a platform to showcase talents. We also create experiences based on travelers’ needs and travel triggers. Bar-hopping is a popular activity among tourists looking to explore a city's nightlife and culture, with the Cocktail Globetrotting campaign, you don't necessarily have to travel all the way to specific cities to visit their renowned bars. We bring their famous cocktails to you,” said Mei Mei Song, Plaza Premium Group’s Director of Global Brands and Transformation and Co-creator of Intervals.
Andrew Ho from Guangzhou’s Hope & Sesame
Kicking off the campaign on August 15 is virtual guest bartender Andrew Ho from Guangzhou’s Hope & Sesame, ranked 14 out of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024. Andrew will be serving up the signature ANGO, a twist on the classic Trinidad Sour. Made with aged rum Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 Year as its base, the cocktail is reminiscent of the traditional Cantonese dish of stewed pig’s trotter in ginger and sweetened vinegar, combined with Angostura bitters, a sugar syrup distilled from concentrated Italian balsamic vinegar, lime juice and beetroot juice for a refreshing mix of sweet-meets-sour.
Minakshi Singh from Delhi’s Sidecar
In September, Minakshi Singh from Delhi’s Sidecar —ranked 26 on World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 — will serve Gondhoraj, an aromatic crowd favourite dedicated to the Bengali lime made with a Tanqueray base, a Sidecar-special gondhoraj mix and tonic water. The month of October will see creations from one of Singapore’s finest bars. Bar Manager Diveysh Ramesh from Singapore’s Mandala Club shakes up the Oo-Meshu Fizz, which brings forward the natural flavours of umeshu with milk, oolong and Azumaichi Honkaku Umeshu Nautrale.
From further beyond the region is Mexico’s Rayo, ranked 17 on North America’s 50 Best Bars, which explores the expansive world of local Mexican spirits. Co-founders Alvaro Garcia and Tito Pin-Perez serve up a spirit-heavy sampler with Number 1 in November, an alternative take on the Old Fashioned with seven Misterios Mezcal Espadín mezcal, Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum 15 Years, Amaro Averna and a savoury burst of beef, bacon, vegetable lacto ferment, beer and cilantro.
In December, Tokyo Confidential founder and erstwhile Hong Kong-er Holly Graham will serve up some sips. Created by Holly and Head Bartender Waka Murata, the Tokyo based team present a boozy take on a beloved Hong Kong street snack. The Cheung Fun Old Fashioned is the perfect balance of sweet and savoury with peanut- and sesame-infused bourbon, orange and Angostura bitters, finished with a dash of soy caramel.
In 2025, Kuala Lumpur’s Penrose, currently ranked eighth on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024, will showcase the Penrose Gibson by founder and Head Bartender Jon Lee, which is an enduring signature with a homemade leek brine recipe paired with gin, Sake Junmai, Tio Pepe and a dash of Naked Malt Scotch Whisky.
From Macau, Davide Boncimino of Mandarin Oriental’s Vida Rica presents the Ginger Snaps in February. A heady cocktail of Roku gin, Bianco Vermouth and elderflower liqueur, it’s brightened by a splash of guava juice and lemon juice before a kick of heat from fresh-pressed ginger juice and ginger beer.
The global cocktail tour concludes in March 2025, Ronnaporn K., co-founder of Bangkok’s Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar, currently ranked 18 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023, transports travellers to Bangkok with the refreshing Kaffir Lime drink. Prepared with different variations of the zesty fruit, it features kaffir lime leaves-infused vermouth and kaffir lime agave cordial with Fernet Branca and tonic water.
Food pairings have been created to complement each of these signature cocktails, maximizing the airport dining experience. Travellers will also receive a pocket-sized travel guide to the city of their respective cocktail order filled with recommendations of the best spots to visit, tips on local drinking culture, and favourite watering holes from industry professionals. Each edition will later be compiled into a single book to create the Ultimate Intervals Guide, the press release said.
The Intervals “Cocktail Globetrotting” event is an eight-month-long series that will run from August to March 2025, launching on August 15 and rotating on the 15 of the month until the end of the campaign.
