At first glance, a standing-room only, bar counter space at the top of oft-crowded Peel Street might seem like an unintuitive spot to enjoy a refreshing cocktail in a city like ours, where summers are hot, humid and often rainy. However, in line with its aspirations as Hong Kong’s Cuban bogeguita (“little neighbourhood bar”), Sugar King’s interior and trim, rotating list of precisely balanced speciality cocktails makes the venue a masterclass in clarity and focus of concept.

Some might consider the bar’s classically focused Daiquiri El Cáscara the linchpin of the entire concept. “It literally translates to Daiquiri of Peel,” says co-founder John Nugent. “We are dedicated to our neighbourhood and our street. We feel that our bar should be a contributor to the community we reside in.”

In a world where bars rely on centrifuges, rotovaps, exotic ingredients, washes and infusions, a large portion of the nightly crowds on Peel Street are there for a simple daiquiri made well. “We feel the innovation comes from our weekly rotating menu,” Nugent says. “The daiquiri is one of the most iconic, approachable drinks out there. Celebrating the daiquiri and Cuban history gives great insight to cocktail culture around the world.”

That said, it is a challenging cocktail on which to hinge an entire concept. Sugar King’s version takes the traditional spec of rum, syrup and lime and adds just one ingredient – oil made from the zest of the Makrut lime. “Finding the balance is the great challenge of any good bartender,” Nugent explains. “We are trying to make sure the guest can taste the booze, the sugar to give it body, the acid to round it out and whatever flavour profile we are trying to personify.”

The Daiquiri El Cáscara has few parameters to manipulate, but the team have found a way. Simple syrup is swapped for 15ml of a 2:1 ratio of Mauritius sugar to water, alongside 30ml of fresh lime juice and 45ml of Havana Club. “The drink has a long history originating from Cuba,” says Nugent, “from the Daiquiri mine near Santiago de Cuba from the late 1800s or early 1900s. We take this format of the drink and add just subtle nuances to it.”

This simplicity permeates the entire menu, even in the way variations are approached. In addition to mocktails and bar bites, Sugar King’s menu comprises just three rotating signatures – one long drink or highball, one spirit-forward drink served in a rocks glass, and one drink served up. The latter drink can be any variety of cocktail served in a cocktail or coupe glass, but often it is the Daiquiri, El Cáscara or otherwise.