Nearly two years in the making, Tatler Dining's first-ever Hong Kong Cocktail Festival finally took place between June 30 and July 3, 2022 at KIN Food Halls, bringing together the city's bar and spirits community in a way that had never been seen before—in the process marking a moment of triumph over adversity in what has been the toughest-ever period for Hong Kong's bar industry.

Gathering 15 of the best bars and dozens of the most talented bartenders under one roof, the Hong Kong Cocktail Festival saw over 1,500 cocktail lovers converge over a long weekend to imbibe on a kaleidoscope of inventive and delicious flavours as delivered in a cocktail glass. Spirits were high as attendees revelled in good company and great mixology, with scrumptious bites by KIN Food Halls to pair. Although Typhoon Chaba chose a most inopportune moment to make landfall in Hong Kong, leading to the cancellation of two sessions, the mood was far from dampened as guests came back in force for the remaining days to indulge in "revenge drinking".

Over the course of the Festival, a booth dedicated to guest shifts was manned by no less than 14 mixologists—with two taking the mantle each session—representing a diverse and ever-changing cross-section of the bar scene.

Beyond the enjoyment of cocktails, the Festival also provided attendees with the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of spirits. A packed programme of workshops, tastings and masterclasses—covering everything from mezcal and shochu, to modernist spirits and even a cocktail omakase experience—both enticed and educated guests in equal measure.