Tucked inside a quiet corner of InterContinental Robertson Quay, Mixology Salon is overseen by the founder’s protégé, Kaoru Takii
Editor’s note: For more Date Night stories, click here.
Asian tea in a cocktail might sound uncool or unusual, but give oolong or hojicha a whirl, and you will see. More than just a flavouring agent, tea can lend layers of complexity to a cocktail in a way no other ingredient can, and to delicious effect. Not that we are talking about the bottled green tea we added to cheap whisky back in the day, no.
![mixology salon](https://www.robbreport.com.sg/storage/2023/08/Shuzo-Nagumo-1-780x1140.jpg)
![mixology salon](https://www.robbreport.com.sg/storage/2023/08/Kaoru-Takii-1-758x1140.jpg)
Unlocking tea’s potential as a bartender’s versatile ingredient is Mixology Salon, a celebrated cocktail destination from Tokyo. Founded by Shuzo Magumo, a master in ‘tea-tails’, this tiny bar from Ginza now calls Singapore home, too. Tucked inside a quiet corner of InterContinental Robertson Quay, the bar is overseen by Magumo’s protégé Kaoru Takii, who ensures that tea shines bright in every drink on the menu, even a dram of whisky or non-alcoholic beer. You will learn that tea, a natural source of tannin, is a great ingredient for emulating the feeling of drinking alcohol. One can even over-extract the leaves for extra bitterness to reflect a barrel-aged spirit.
![Mixology Salon Singapore](https://www.robbreport.com.sg/storage/2023/08/Sencha-GT-1.jpg)
![Mixology Salon Singapore](https://www.robbreport.com.sg/storage/2023/08/Four-Seams-2-1.jpg)
![Mixology Salon Singapore](https://www.robbreport.com.sg/storage/2023/08/Matcha-Terrine-1.jpg)
Tea isn’t as simple as it looks; there are so many variables that can impact a whole cascade of flavours. The Hoji Tea-Tail No. 2 (hojicha, port, Cognac and cassis liqueur), for instance, showcases the ability of a single tea to yield an array of flavours. Sip it first without swirling the drink for notes of dark fruit, then swirl and see how much it transforms. It’s mind-bogglingly brilliant, and you must have it as part of the Signature Tea Cocktails Course, which allows you to experience three to five cocktails. Such as the Sencha Gin & Tonic—made with a 24-hour sencha-infused vodka, it is balanced, delicate and not too grassy at all. Enough to erase all memory of cheap bottled green tea and whisky.
Mixology Salon Singapore
1 Nanson Rd,
InterContinental Robertson Quay,
02-07B
Singapore 238909
Tel: +65 8399 0679