In 2005, Hong Kong hit the world headlines briefly with a story about an unnamed customer who bought a $380,000 bottle of Glenfiddich 1937 at Chek Lap Kok Duty Free on his credit card. When we checked last week, the store was out of stock, so we assume the last remaining five bottles in the world have been sold. Which leads to the question, if you bought a bottle, would you drink it? But for a dose of prodigality, consider the world’s first bottle of Mendis Coconut Brandy, yours for just US$1 million. Mendis will even throw in a certificate of authenticity and two security guards to help you get it home, though who knows quite what you will do with it when you get there. www.mendisbrandy.com

Stella Artois Draught Masters


There is a fine art to pulling a premium glass of beer to ensure maximum enjoyment for the drinker. And serving a good beer can tell you a lot about the bar you are drinking at. Twenty of the best draught-beer pullers in the SAR will be competing in the Stella Artois World Draught Masters Challenge at new Belgian beer café Frites (1/F, 74 Queens Road, Central, 2179 5157) from noon to 5pm on September 29. They will be going head to head (pun intended) for the chance to go to the world final in October at the Stella Artois Brewery in Leuven, Belgium.

OK, enough is enough, we started getting mooncakes promotional information in the middle of June for a Mid-Autumn Festival in mid-September! Though that’s not quite as bad as last year when we had our first Christmas press release in late August; but I digress – and yes the Mid-Autumn Festival is big business now with innovative fillings and boxes of cakes being delivered everywhere. JJ’s (A3, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, 2588 1234) though, has taken it a step further (and possibly too far) by marrying Hong Kong’s current love affair with everything Martini with our traditional love of mooncakes to create the Mooncake Martini ($90). A liquid mooncake made of lotus paste, vodka, apricot brandy and an ‘egg-yolk’ jelly of Grand Marnier and orange juice, it’s available now!

Originally from Manchester, Boddingtons Pub Ale has been brewed for over 225 years and is often referred to as ‘The Cream of Manchester’ for its rich creamy head and smooth amber body. The distinctive yellow and black one-pint can – featuring a widget which ensures you get the same thick head from a can as you’d experience from a pint of Boddingtons draught – is to be found across the globe and enjoyed by beer aficionados everywhere. The new distributor of Boddingtons in Hong Kong, is launching a Cream Hour promotion to encourage you to try this very drinkable beer – check your favourite outlets for details.

The Rugby World Cup is scrum down all this month and you can catch the action live in your favourite outlets, including Devils Advocate (48-50 Lockhart Rd, 2865 7271), Xperience (33 Lockhart Rd, 2143 6008), Dublin Jack (1/F, 17 Lan Kwai Fong, 2543 0081) and Amici (1/F, 83 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2866 1918). Heineken is the official beer of the RWC 07 and, if you’re watching the match in Bahama Mama’s (4-5 Knutsford Terrace, TST, 2368 2121), Delaney’s Wanchai (18 Luard Road, Wanchai, 2804 2880), Sticky Fingers Bar & Restaurant (Shop 61-63 Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, G/F 66 Mody Rd, TST, 2369 8981) and others, buy four bottles of Heineken and get yourself into the lucky draw to win tickets to the final in France on October 20, plus other goodies. Check www.heinekenhongkong.com for details.

Sticky Fingers in Wanchai (78-82 Jaffee Road, Wanchai, 2861 3588) is finally done with construction and will open in the middle of the month. Expect good music – with the return of Square Eyes to Wanchai, although they might have a new name – and good-sized portions of home-style cuisine. Sticky Fingers, you say, why should I go there? Two of the people behind the place are husband and wife team Pae and Jane who were involved in the creation of the Chasers, Dusk till Dawn, Insomnia group… Also opening sometime this month in its new location is Skitz (5/F, 21-25 Luard Road, Wanchai, 2866 3277).

Joe Bananas (23 Luard Road, Wanchai, 2529 1811) continues its month-long 21st birthday with parties galore: an ’80’s weekend (September 15), a ’90’s night on September 22 and a twisted toga party – Trojan Nights – for September 29. Crazy hour runs every day from 11am till 8pm with $16 standard and $21 premium drinks.