The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong launches new cocktail menu

The new menu invites guests to explore elegance, complexity, and quiet experimentation through the lens of Japanese philosophy. Inspired by shibumi, a concept that represents effortless beauty and depth beneath simplicity, the menu is built on the idea that what appears minimal at first often reveals the most meaning over time. “Shibumi captures everything I love about cocktails,” says Bussi. “It’s not about what’s loud or showy, it’s about what reveals itself slowly. Every detail, every flavour, is considered and deliberate, but nothing is overworked.”

Elegant drinks focus on clarity and precision. They are light, clean, and quietly expressive, often with floral or crisp profiles. Garnishes are minimal and glassware remains classic, allowing each element to speak for itself. They often feature floral and crisp notes and highlight versatile base spirits like shochu. Examples include Hanakotoba, a delicate low ABV Martini like a fortified bamboo with Daiyame Imo shochu, Nikka Coffee Gin, sakura and jasmine, Yūga, a graceful vodka sour with Hassaku Rocks, strawberry and tarragon.

Refined builds on the clarity of Elegant but introduces more layers and unexpected ingredients. These cocktails explore new depths of flavour, combining elements like nori, miso, brown butter, or pistachio. Glassware becomes more stylised, and the drinks are designed to reward a little curiosity. Highlights include Start Here, a tequila-based cocktail featuring a seasonal fruit shrub and dill; Chinmoku, a clarified milk punch with sake, green apple and nori; Seijaku Spritz is another low ABV cocktail with Mancino Bianco Ambrato Vermouth, Blanc de Blancs, Mango and brown butter.

Imperfect embraces contrast, texture, and asymmetry. Inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, these cocktails lean into surprising combinations and unconventional forms. Ingredients such as leftover wagyu oil, leftover soy sauce, tomato vine, and burdock root are used to create drinks that challenge expectations in thoughtful ways. Glassware is intentionally irregular, and presentation becomes part of the story. Wa-Bi-Sa Negroni reimagines the Negroni format with banana, wasabi and cachaça. Kage No reinvents the espresso martini using dandelion, burdock root and coffee husk instead of coffee. Fukinsei combines olive, citrus and brown butter in an off-balance, vibrant style.