Cocktails in the City is one of London's most celebrated drinks festival, and the premier destination for British cocktail enthusiasts. Over the past decade, the event has delighted over 100,000 visitors.
Their pop-up events gather together some of London's finest bars and bartenders at the heart of the city, in the famous Bedford Square Garden surrounded by breathtaking Georgian architectures that date back to the 18th century. A unique outdoor concept, it invites visitors to experience the latest trends, techniques, and flavours that define the art of mixology.
It's safe to say that most, if not all, of the visitors to Cocktails in the City are drinks enthusiasts or even experts, steeped in the latest cocktail culture and trends and aware of what they like. The three-day event was a true summer party dedicated to cocktails!
On behalf of Shanxi Xinghua Cun Fenjiu International Trade Limited Co. (Fenjiu or Fenjiu International), Cheng International made its debut at the July edition of Cocktails in the City this year. We teamed up with two of London's top bars, Opium and Lucy Wong, and brought to the event our latest Fenjiu cocktails. With a record-breaking 16,000 strong of these drinks consumed by visitors, our participation elevated the innovative Fenjiu experience to a whole new level!
What's more exciting was that our Fenjiu cocktails were the absolute crowd favourite at the event, competing with some of the finest spirits and wines. Guests showered our bar with their love and compliments, with some even drinking up to seven Fenjiu cocktails in a row. Such was the perfect testament to Fenjiu's charm.
What's so unique about the Fenjiu cocktails ordered over 1,600 times? What are the highlights of the three day garden party? Join us and revisit this month's Cocktails in the City!
The collaborators Cheng International teamed up with for this event were Opium, one of the top 20 bars in London located in Chinatown, and Lucy Wong, a popular newcomer to London's bar scene.
They share the unique practise of serving exclusive drinks alongside authentic dim sum, making them a perfect match for Cheng International, as we have consistently been promoting Chinese culture and telling Baijiu's story in an innovative and inter-cultural "language". By joining forces, we have discovered yet more possibilities for Fenjiu cocktails and beyond.
Kowloon Krush, created by Lucy Wong, represented the best of summer freshness and delight. It struck a wonderful balance between the unique taste of Fenjiu and the sharpeness of citrus fruits. Pleasantly refreshing, the recipe highlighted some of the most enjoyable flavours of Fenjiu (Box Packaged), namely the notes of lime, aniseed and bitterness, and they were further complimented by other ingredients. It was truly a wonderful mix to savour.
A visitor to Cocktails in the City told us that he had lived in China for 15 years and was fairly familiar with Baijiu. However, Kowloon Krush completely overturned his impression of Baijiu being difficult to get used to. Fenjiu's easy-to-accept taste allowed him and his friends to dive into the relaxed vibes of the event, and they ordered Kowloon Krush 7 times in a row!
On the other hand, Silk Rose, brought to life by Opium, was more gentle and smooth. With the fagrance of rose and jasmine, and the sweetness of white peach and lychee, it captured the essence of a pink summer romance with endless aftertaste.
As Apicius from ancient Rome infamously commented, "we eat first with our eyes." Silk Rose's lovely pink look apparently caught the attention of everyone at Cocktails in the City.
A lady enjoying her belated birthday celebration told us that her friends and she were both mesmerised by the Fenjiu booth and the pink cocktail the second they entered the event, "it was love at first sight." She explained that they had never tasted baijiu before, but Silk Rose was a complete delight, especially for its mellow and refreshing flavours. They even tried drinking Fenjiu neat afterwards, which also left them a strong impression.
Saif, bartender at Opium, was at Cocktails in the City for the three day events and served guests with countless Fenjiu cocktails. With 6 years of experience, he told us that this was not the first time Opium had used Baijiu in cocktails. Normally, the strong taste of Baijiu made it difficult to integrate it into a mix. However, the new Fenjiu cocktail we created together was obviously a great success, winning unanimous praise from everyone at the event.
"Compared to other Baijiu, Fenjiu is more mellow and smooth," explained Saif. This quality allows Fenjiu to be more accessible in all kinds of cocktails, and to assimilate into the UK market with more ease. Indeed, the two new Fenjiu cocktails both attracted many admirers at Cocktails in the City.
Saif, from Opium, at Cocktails in the City
Aside from wonderful drinks, Cocktails in the City also offer visitors live music, cocktail masterclasses, silent disco, and other fun activities in the garden. As the dusk fell upon the crowds, the humming of the singers and the pleasant chatters of everyone weaved into a joyous melody. There was simply nothing better than our Fenjiu cocktails to seal the event with its boozy kiss.
From our first Fenjiu dinner and cocktail competition, to dragon boat race and Fenjiu cooking masterclass in more recent times, and to Cocktails in the City, Cheng International has created countless unique and memorable moments for Fenjiu in the UK, constantly bringing new experiences to the British public. With our creativity, there are way more Fenjiu stories yet to be told.
