6 Most Anticipated Cocktails from Hilton This Season

Whether on a relaxed lounge at home or in a dimmed bar, one of the best ways to unwind after a long day is with a cocktail in hand and feeling that sense of “aaah”. When it comes to pouring a drink, Hilton's 2022 global trends report found tequila continues to dominate the spirit industry in the U.S. and many other parts of the world, while in Southeast Asia, gin is the drink of choice. Meanwhile, the sober curiosity movement is picking up speed around the world, with low-to-no ABV cocktails and Cocktail Zero menus rising in popularity.

6 Most Anticipated Cocktails from Hilton This Season 
Monday Negroni from Hilton Goa Resort

“A perfectly crafted cocktail can add an extra spark to a hotel or dining experience. As our guests’ preferences have evolved, we’ve continued to cater to their needs by refining our food and beverage offerings globally,” said Alexandra Jaritz, senior vice president of brand management at Hilton, Asia Pacific. “This underscores Hilton’s commitment to delivering best-in-class food and beverage programming. Whether you’re enjoying a drink at one of our bars or in the comfort of your home, we hope this helps you set the scene for a memorable evening.”

Straight up, frozen, on the rocks or virgin, Hilton’s hotel bartenders and mixologists are eager to create concoctions that will have you sipping pretty. Below is just a sampling of some of the most anticipated cocktails available to you at Hilton Asia Pacific properties this season:

Monday Negroni from Hilton Goa Resort

Coco mixologist Rasikta Kamble of Hilton Goa Resort is seeing even the most avid cocktail connoisseurs taking a more leveled approach towards drinks appreciation – especially as zero-proof spirits offer the same levels of craft production without any compromise on taste. This summer, Kamble feels this modern Monday Negroni will be a popular request.

Ingredients:

2 oz (60 ml) Sakura Fresh Negroni

2 dashes Sakura Fresh Better than Bitters

Garnish: star anise

Directions:

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice and add Sakura Fresh Negroni and Better than Bitters.

Stir for 10 seconds.

2. Light the star anise with a cigar lighter and capture the smoke into the mixing glass

for a few seconds.

3. Fill an old fashioned glass with fresh ice and strain the stirred cocktail over.

4. Garnish with the torched star anise and serve.

Illusion from Waldorf Astoria Bangkok

Illusion from Waldorf Astoria Bangkok

In Thailand, mixologists at The Loft at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok suggest the Illusion for savoury summer sipping. Named for its duality, the Illusion is light in appearance but packs a real punch in flavour and strength, serving as the ideal refresher for the upcoming hotter months.

Ingredients:

45 ml Hendrick’s Gin

5 ml peach liqueur

10 ml Silpin Thai lemongrass syrup

20 ml clarified lime juice

90 ml house-made vanilla, ginger and Pandan soda

Garnish: lemon twist, edible flower

Directions:

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice and combine all of the above ingredients.

2. Stir and strain into an oak Chardonnay glass.

3. Finish with a block of ice, edible flower and lemon twist.

Snow White from Hilton Adelaide

Snow White from Hilton Adelaide

Snow White from The Collins Bar at Hilton Adelaide uses a unique combination of South Australian gins that are stirred, not shaken to retain their individual flavours. Like a mini vacation in a glass, this bright cocktail is the perfect thirst quencher for hot, summer days.

Ingredients

30 ml (1 oz) Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz gin

15 ml (0.5 oz) 36 Short Blood Orange gin

15 ml (0.5 oz) 78° Sunset gin

1 teaspoon yuzu juice (or lime juice)

15 ml (0.5 oz) honey syrup

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir until combined.

2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

3. Garnish with dried apple and a sprig of mint.

Cook’s Note

Honey Syrup Directions:

In a saucepan over low heat, combine ½ cup honey and ½ cup water. Simmer until the honey dissolves then remove from heat. Let the syrup cool and pour into an airtight container.

Non-Alcoholic Espresso Martini from DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront

Non-Alcoholic Espresso Martini from DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront

For the sober curious, this non-alcoholic espresso martini from 18 Knots Rooftop Bar, DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront puts a new twist on the classic Doubletree Espresso Martini by swapping out the alcoholic component with Seedlip Spice.

Ingredients

45 ml (1.5 oz) Seedlip Spice

60 ml (2 oz) Mr Blacks cold drip coffee

15 ml (0.5 oz) Monin salted caramel syrup

chocolate powder and coffee beans for garnish

Directions

1. Add all ingredients into shaker, shake over ice, then double strain into martini glass.

2. Garnish with a line of chocolate powder and three coffee beans.

Peakedness of Wuyi from Waldorf Astoria Xiamen

Peakedness of Wuyi from Waldorf Astoria Xiamen

A variation of the classic Bee’s Knees, the Peakedness of Wuyi from Peacock Alley at Waldorf Astoria Xiamen combines rock tea-infused gin with lemon juice and honey to make a fresh and light cocktail. A simple drink to enjoy the sweetness of springtime and get a little boozy while you’re at it.

Ingredients

60 ml (2 oz) rock tea-infused Gin

25 ml (0.85 oz) lemon juice

25 ml (0.85 oz) honey

dry lapsang souchong for garnish

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients into a shaker. Double shake.

2. Double strain into a martini glass, and garnish with dry lapsang souchong.

Bageechaa (Sustainability Garden) from Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa

Bageechaa (Sustainability Garden) from Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa

The Bageechaa cocktail from Aura Pool Bar & Cocktail Lab at Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa (opening July 2022) is inspired by the zero-waste concept of throwing away fewer “leftovers” and using an ingredient to its full potential. Aura’s version extracts juice from the core of the blood orange while utilizing the skin to make the oleo and the garnish.

Ingredients

2 wedges of peeled fresh blood orange (peel used for garnish)

15 ml (0.5 oz) blood orange oleo (made out of leftover skin)

10 ml (0.33 oz) homemade rhubarb shrub

10 ml (0.33 oz) lime juice

10 ml (0.33 oz) elderflower liqueur

50 ml (1.7 oz) The Botanist gin

3 fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Chill a coupe glass.

2. Add blood orange chunks into shaker and muddle.

3. Add fresh basil into shaker and press the basil gently.

4. Add blood orange oleo, rhubarb shrub, lime juice, elderflower liqueur and The Botanist gin.

5. Fill shaker with ice and shake well. Fine strain into chilled coupe glass.

6. Finish with the garnish – place a nice and clean blood orange peel on top of the glass and place the flower on the peel.

Cook’s Note

Blood Orange Oleo - makes 300 ml (10 oz)

Ingredients:

Skins of 3 blood oranges

400 grams caster sugar

pinch of salt

1 zip bag

Directions:

1. Cut the skins into 2-inch pieces.

2. Place the skins inside a zip bag, add sugar and mix it properly with the skins and add

salt.

3. Remove all the air from the bag and let it rest for 24 hours.

4. If there’s any leftover sugar inside, give it a 5-minute hot water bath.

Rhubarb Shrub - makes 1 Liter (35 oz)

Ingredients:

1 fresh rhubarb

2 lemons (lemon skins)

300 grams sugar

2 kaffir lime leaves

900 ml (30 oz) water

80 ml (2.7 oz) white balsamic

Directions:

1. Place water into pan and cook on low heat, add sugar and all the ingredients.

2. Simmer it for 40 minutes, let it sit and rest for about 4 hours in a chiller.

3. Strain through a v60 filter.