Balancing experimentation and approachability is a key ingredient for success in Hong Kong’s bar scene. Bar Oasis – following a self-styled “2.0” makeover last November – is aware of this. Alex Pun, also the founder of Orchard, opened Bar Oasis as a casual alternative featuring dive-esque interiors and cocktails priced at HK$100 and under. One of the main draws has always been the Spicy Tequila, one of the spiciest tequila-based cocktails in a city increasingly embracing heat in its drinks.

However, as Pun points out in our exploration of spicy cocktails, it’s “hard to impress every spicy cocktail drinker – everyone has different tolerances of heat”. Along with Bar Oasis’ new decor, the Spicy Tequila was updated and refined into the Apple Cooler – and even though the drink now costs HK$125, it’s still one of the city’s most compelling. “The motive behind these changes is to reposition Bar Oasis as a creative cocktail bar,” Pun says. “The team believes that guests today value creativity and the quality of the drinks more than just the price point.”

The Spicy Tequila was originally conceived as “the perfect hot weather pour”, Pun says. Both it and the Apple Cooler begin with an infusion of tequila blanco with jalapeño, but the new version incorporates a green apple and caraway cordial, made in-house and agar clarified for a cleaner texture and appearance. The drink is rounded out with pomme verte liqueur and a touch of saline.

“After several attempts at refining the recipe, we found the anise notes of caraway paired exceptionally well with the drink,” Pun explains. “This profile was preferred over the original spicy approach, resulting in a smoother, more balanced cocktail. Green apple provides lively acidity and a cooling snap, while the tequila lends agave backbone.”

It’s a departure from the bolder, more focused heat of the Spicy Tequila, but the move towards greater balance reflects Pun’s understanding of how trends – like the one for spicy cocktails – typically play themselves out. In a previous interview, Pun emphasised that for spicy cocktails, “mainstream success requires more than heat”, adding, “The concept must be well executed, reproducible, well told, and sensibly matched to climate and pricing.”

The Apple Cooler is the more approachable follow-up for those who found the Spicy Tequila a little too intense. “The Apple Cooler was developed to deliver a smooth and refined experience,” Pun says. “[The drink is still] perfect for Hong Kong’s summer days. So far, the feedback has been largely positive. People have enjoyed the more balanced flavour profile after we mellowed out the spiciness.”

Anatomy of a cocktail