Hitting three of Vietnam’s largest and most exciting cities on a two-week north-to-south expedition is the In Fine Spirits Tour, a celebration of cocktail culture and sensory experiences.
Bringing this tour of tantalising flavours and aromas to the country is Moët Hennessy Vietnam in collaboration with one of the world’s top bartenders and founder of London’s Drink Factory, Tony Conigliaro, as well as Hanoi’s own Mood Therapist, Rich McDonough, and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.
“Vietnam has a small but growing cocktail scene that is increasing in vibrancy at breakneck speed,” says Mr Conigliaro, known in cocktail circles as Tony C. “Young Vietnamese influencers have embraced the concept of global cocktail culture, and we are looking to take inspiration from this to create a strong and unique local movement. New bars open on a weekly basis and the opportunity for such premium brands as Moët Hennessy are endless.”
“As the market develops and consumers look for more sophisticated experiences, we wanted to bring a world-class experience to the country with this collaboration,” he says.
Commencing in Hanoi on 10 October at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake and featuring the first of two free-to-attend Cocktail Masterclasses for local bartenders, Tony C. will share the inspiration that led him to create five special cocktails for the In Fine Spirits Tour and will demonstrate how they are made, including tips and tricks for local mixologists to use in their own establishments. He will also share stories, experiences and insights from his decades as a leading light in the drinks business.
The following evening, 11 October, will see the first of the Moët Hennessy In Fine Spirits dinners, with an exceptional five-course menu created by the chef at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake. Tony has been working with the chefs to create an exquisite menu to go along with his Vietnam-inspired drinks, pairings intended to please the palate and inspire the intellect of the lucky guests who reserve a seat.
There will be dinners on two consecutive evenings in Hanoi before the team move on to the beautiful InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Beach Resort to tickle the taste buds of guests and locals alike with a dinner and an afternoon session of cocktails on the beach.
Finally, the roadshow will roll into Ho Chi Minh City, kicking off with the second Moët Hennessy Cocktail Masterclass at the InterContinental Saigon for local bartenders seeking to hone their skills and learn from the world’s best. The In Fine Spirits dinners will be reprised over the following two evenings at Purple Jade, and the tour will conclude with an open-to-all evening of cocktails and conviviality on 20 October.
By the time the tour ends in Ho Chi Minh City, Tony C. and the Drink Factory, alongside Moët Hennessy, Mr McDonough and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts expect to have hosted dinners for 250 people, mentored and inspired a cross-section of young and up-and-coming bartenders and entertained many more through the In Fine Spirits Sessions.
“The list of accolades accumulated by Tony and his organisation is impressive, to say the least,” says Mr Paul Auriol, Managing Director of Moët Hennessy Vietnam. “His commitment to showcasing individual ingredients while producing simple, elegant cocktails is revolutionary in an age where drinks seem to come with no less than 20 components. We’re excited to collaborate with him and his team to celebrate a mutual love of cognac, cocktails and creativity.”
Tony C. was named Bartender of the Year in 2009 at Tales of the Cocktails and has since filled his trophy cabinet with a James Beard Award for Best Beverage Book and, most recently, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Class Bar Awards 2018.
Together with his colleagues at the Drink Factory, Tony owns and operates several bars of world renown. The group’s bars have featured on the prestigious World’s 50 Best Bars list no fewer than nine times in the last seven years, and have been awarded such titles as Best Bar in London 2017 (Time Out Magazine), Best Bar 2017 (GQ Magazine) and Cocktail of the Year 2017 (Class Bar Awards).
For tickets to any portion of the In Fine Spirits Tour or for more information, please visit the event’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/InFineSpiritsVietnam.