From ice diamonds to homemade green tea bitters, these are the secrets to a killer cocktail at the Japanese institution taking residence at MO Bar this autumn

 

Videography by Tyrone Wu

For a bartender who doesn’t drink, Bar High Five’s Hidetsugo Ueno has managed to strike, over and over again, the necessary balance of flavour in his many cocktail creations—a tactic that has won his Ginza bar a score of dedicated regulars and international acclaim. Landing in September, the Hong Kong pop-up of Ueno’s iconic bar at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar has seen its fair share of thirsty fans, and we took some time with the master mixologist to discover the secrets behind two of his signature cocktails.

Watch the video above to see Ueno preparing two drinks: Ceremony and Fruit Tea, the former paired with his signature hand-carved ‘ice diamond’.

MORE: How to Get a Seat at Bar High Five

Bar High Five Hong Kong is running until October 31 at The Shell at MO Bar, Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2132 0077