Three Holiday Cocktail Recipes from Hong Kong's Best Bars

Dec 20, 2025

Christmas is only days away, which means we are officially clocking out for the year! It's time for feasting and revelry with our nearest and dearest friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. As the weather cools, we are craving festive ingredients and lively atmospheres, whether at home or in one of our favorite local spots. It wouldn't be the blur of late December without a few good drinks, so we asked three of Hong Kong's most in-demand establishments for their most merry concoctions, and they did not disappoint. Check out these three coveted recipes, each sure to up your entertaining game, from Montana, ALWAYS JOY, and Lobster Bar. What more could you ask for this holiday season?

Montana

Crema De Vie

Although Montana is a collaboration between Lorenzo Antinori of Bar Leone (Asia's Best Bar for the second year running) and Simone Caporale from SIPS in Barcelona, its not simply Leone with a twist. This boîte transports the drinker to 1970s Miami, via equal parts neighborhood spot, glam pre-dinner stop, and classic-meets-kitschy nightcap. Think daiquiris, Piña Coladas, and rum & cokes. This holiday, the team is sharing their spin on a creamy Christmas Cuban eggnog. Meaning “Cream of Life”, the Creama de Vie will get your party going this season.

• 2 large eggs
• 65 g granulated sugar
• 240 ml vanilla cream
(or 240 ml heavy cream + 2.5 ml / ½ tsp vanilla extract)
• 120 ml whole milk
• 180 ml white rum
• 0.5 g ground nutmeg (about ¼ tsp), plus extra for garnish
• Pinch of salt

Separate the eggs. Place yolks in one bowl and whites in another. Whisk yolks & sugar. Add sugar and salt to the yolks. Whisk until pale, thick, and creamy. Add dairy. Slowly whisk in the vanilla cream and milk until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and reaches 71 °C (do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg. Let cool for 10–15 minutes. Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the cooled custard. Stir in the white rum until fully blended. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold with freshly grated nutmeg. Makes 2-3 glasses.

Montana, Shop A, G/F, 108 Hollywood Rd, Central, Hong Kong, vamos@montanabarhk.com (no reservations!)

Montant bar interior with stools, drinks, and decor in a colorful setting

Montana

Always Joy

Mulled Wine Sour

A seasonal Japanese diner, ALWAYS JOY is, well, always a joy. Its ever-changing menu makes for an exciting addition to Wing Lok street, a few doors down from its sister restaurant Yardbird. The drinks are just as memorable as the food, and they flow in copious amounts on any given evening. The Mulled Wine Sour will be on the ALWAY JOY menu throughout December, but the team has shared the recipe with us, enabling you to make this festive concoction at home, too.

45ml Mars 3&7 Whiskey
15 ml HABUSH Awamori
20 ml Mulled wine syrup (recipe below)
15 ml lemon juice
30 ml egg white

Combine the Mars 3&7 Whiskey, HABUSH Awamori, mulled wine syrup, lemon juice, and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Seal the shaker and shake vigorously without ice for 15 seconds. This emulsifies the egg white and creates a rich foam. Open the shaker, add a generous amount of ice, and shake again vigorously until well-chilled. Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe for a smooth texture. Garnish with grated orange peel.

Mulled Wine Syrup

500g light brown sugar
2 oranges sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
9 cardamom pods, lightly bashed
650ml red wine

Combine the red wine, sugar, oranges, and spices in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely. Once cool, cover and refrigerate overnight to intensify the flavor. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug, pressing on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard the leftover spices and fruit. Funnel the syrup into a bottle and seal it tightly.

ALWAYS JOY, Shop No. 1, G/F, Nam Wo Hong Building, 148 Wing Lok St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, +852 2110 0148

ALWAYS JOY

Lobster Bar

Cranberry Gin Winter Negroni

Lobster Bar is always a good idea. Number 3 on Asia's 50 Best Bars List, this Island Shangri-La stalwart is equally suited for a surf 'n turf dinner as it is a live jazz-infused tipple. The Shangri-La does Christmas to the max, so you'd be hard-pressed to find a more festive spot. Take the magic home with you via this radiantly red holiday cocktail recipe.

25mls of Cranberry-Infused Gin (50 g dried cranberrie s+ 500 ml London Dry Gin, sous-vide at 55°C / 131°F for 1 hour)
20 mls of Black Plum–Infused Campari (20 g fresh or frozen black plum pieces + 400 ml Campari, sous-vide at 59°C / 138°F for 2 hours
25 mls Spiced Sweet Vermouth (10 g cinnamon sticks + 5 g whole cloves + 300 ml sweet vermouth, cold infusion for 2 hours)

Pre-chill a rocks glass. Combine all three infused ingredients (cranberry gin, black plum Campari, spiced sweet vermouth) in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir smoothly for about 30 seconds until properly chilled and diluted. Strain into the pre-chilled rocks glass over a large clear ice cube (or fresh ice). Garnish with a lightly charred cinnamon stick and a few fresh cranberries on a pick.

Lobster Bar, Island Shangri-La, Level 6, Pacific Place, Supreme Ct Rd, Central, +852 2820 8560