Cover The Gin Kumquat Parfait at Ping Pong 129. (Courtesy: Miyazaki Prefecture Hong Kong)

Six cocktail bars are debuting seasonal drinks that revolve around the distinct zest of the Tama Tama kumquat

Chinese New Year is traditionally a high point in the year for the humble kumquat, with the ornamental Hong Kong varietal found in lobbies and storefronts all over the city to herald the coming of the festival. Hongkongers are less acquainted, perhaps, with the edible variety, of which the Tama Tama brand from Japan's Miyazaki prefecture is a prime example. 

Prized for its high vitamin A and C content and rich with fiber and antioxidants, the Tama Tama kumquat is the result of a labour-intensive process. After 210 days of ripening, the fruits are hand-picked once they meet certain requirements in size and sweetness. They can then be made into everything from tea and candied kumquats to jam and nectar.

Having inspired an afternoon tea menu last month at Four Seasons Hong Kong, the Tama Tama kumquat continues its run this February in the world of mixology. The six cocktail bars working this golden citrus into their drinks are Quinary, Ping Pong 129, Tell Camellia, Penicillin, The Pontiac and The Wise King.

Read more: Where To Get A Drink In Hong Kong While Bars Are Closed

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Above The Planktons at Penicillin. (Courtesy: Miyazaki Prefecture Hong Kong)
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Above Some of the ingredients in Quinary's Wild Spirit, Gold Heart. (Courtesy: Miyazaki Prefecture Hong Kong)

The diverse ways in which these bars have tackled the kumquat are testament to the fruit's versatility. At longstanding experimental bar Quinary, Antonio Lai's Wild Spirit, Gold Heart riffs on the floral and spice-rich qualities of Tanqueray Malacca gin with house kumquat cordial, freeze-dried kumquat juice, genmaicha and bitters for a piquant beverage. Meanwhile, Ping Pong 129's Juan Martínez Gregorio debuts a trio of kumquat cocktails: the Miyazaki Gin Tonic (Dry Gin 19 Flors, 1724 Tonic, whole kumquats), the Gin Kumquat Parfait (Master's London Dry Gin, Aperol, kumquat syrup, egg white foam), and the Kumquat Sour (Gin Xoriguer, kumquat syrup, lime juice).

At tea-forward Tell Camellia, bartenders Sandeep Hathiramani and Gagan Gurung have created a Chinese New Year-inspired interpretation of the Manhattan with bourbon, rosso vermouth, kumquats, honey and oolong tea; while at Penicillin, Agung Prabowo's Planktons uses N.I.P. Gin fermented with Tama Tama yoghurt, salted coconut and kumquat peel, then stirred with apple-plankton powder to give it a head-turning green shade.

Make a visit to these six bars for a taste of the limited-edition Tama Tama kumquat cocktails, available until 28 February.