Inside the Tokki Soju Hong Kong pop-up reimagining classic cocktails
US-based soju brand Tokki Soju has taken over The Old Man in Hong Kong to reimagine classic cocktails with a Korean twist.
Tokki Soju, the brand of Korean rice spirit founded by master distiller Brandon Hill in 2016, has partnered with Hong Kong cocktail bar The Old Man.
The takeover, a two-month pop-up experience, sees the bar reimagine classic cocktails, using Tokki Soju’s products to give the drinks a Korean twist.
The collaboration takes inspiration from American writer Ernest Hemingway, inviting cocktail lovers to “follow the rabbit”. The quote “Thou wilt go now, rabbit. But I go with thee. As long as there is one of us there is both of us.” is a famous line from Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Tokki Soju has said of the partnership: “Hemingway’s boldness serves as the inspiration for this pop-up’s theme: a “Rabbit Hunt” to discover creative twists on classic cocktails”.
The team at The Old Man Hong Kong has crafted a menu which reimagines iconic cocktails with Tokki Soju, aiming to reinterpret the classics while celebrating Korean flavours.
Partner Content
Highlights from the menu include:
Wax Bunny
Ingredients: Miso and soy sauce caramel, burnt butter mushroom-infused Tokki Soju Black Label, Baldoria Umami
Garnish: Wax chocolate rabbit nestled in a bed of sprouts
Concept: A rich and earthy take on the Old Fashioned, embodying Hemingway’s rugged love for the outdoors and culinary complexity.
Follow the Rabbits
Ingredients: Tokki Soju Gold Label smoked with hay, Korean pickled carrot (KC), Perrier Garnish: Crispy kale
Concept: A playful twist on a Gin Fizz, combining smoky and savory notes with a whimsical touch—a nod to Hemingway’s layered personality.
Cosmo Dirty Rice
Ingredients: Genmaicha and muscat grape cordial, toasted rice-infused orange liqueur, omija and blackberry cordial, Tokki Soju Black Label
Concept: A bold reimagining of the Cosmopolitan, blending sweet, tart, and toasty flavours inspired by Hemingway’s global travels.
Tokki About Banana
Ingredients: Tokki Soju Black Label, banana, coffee liqueur, jujubes, Amontillado and Pedro Ximénez sherry, milk, lemon, barley tea
Garnish: Jujube Snickers bar
Concept: A decadent milk punch balancing sweetness and depth, perfectly reflecting the duality of Tokki Soju’s playful rabbit mascot and Hemingway’s complex persona.
Nikita Matveev, operations director of The Old Man, said: “Tokki Soju’s ethos of curiosity and reinvention aligns perfectly with The Old Man’s homage to Hemingway. This collaboration is about celebrating both tradition and innovation, offering guests an unforgettable cocktail journey.”
Related news
Are we on the cusp of a sake shortage?
The nose knows: how a perfumer is distilling Taiwan’s new gin identity
