Chinese cocktails take local ingredients global

Long queues snaked outside the booth of Guangzhou's Hope & Sesame speakeasy-style cocktail bar at Shanghai West Bund Art Center in late August. Founder Bastien Ciocca wiped down his shaker and reached for a pot of slow-brewed winter melon tea base — the heart of his signature cocktail, a drink that weaves traditional Chinese herbal tea culture into classic mixology. Over three days, nearly 2,000 servings were poured, attracting even visiting international bartenders who pushed through the crowd for a taste of the No 1 bar in Asia.

Produced by Pernod Ricard, the 2nd SIP Cocktail Festival took place Aug 28-30 and brought together more than 40 pioneering bars from across the globe. More than a cross-border showcase of flavors, the industry event stands as a vivid case study of the business momentum and industrial upgrading of China's cocktail sector.