Cocktail: AJA | Bartender: Vini Wang

This is my 2018 Bacardi Legacy cocktail. “Aja” is an expression in Korean to cheer a person’s achievement and success in life, but also to cheer who needs a pat on the back when they’re struggling, to cheer them up to overcome the hurdle in life. It was an expression my father still uses with me today to support and cheer for my legacy and career in Australia. I’ve had successful moments, I’ve had tough moments, but I’m overcoming them one by one, as the Bacardi family did. My drink, Aja, is all about revitalisation of life and the protection of precious moments. Aja is an oriental interpretation of the classic Bacardi Daiquiri. Adding fresh ginger juice and Wasabi for the ultimate revitalization, spicy, creamy texture with a beautiful refreshing finish. It’s easy to make but complex in the mouth, as a modern classic cocktail should be. You Aja to me, I Aja to you. My drink is not only a drink in a glass, it is to share the moment to overcome life, pass the darkness and reach for the light, together. As my father used to say, “Work hard to pass the light and when you finally do, it’s the actual beginning of a true life.” I hope my drink can make my life reach its peak for a new beginning, so to you. AJA!

60ml of Bacardi Carta Blanca
30ml of Lime Juice
15ml of Orgeat
2 barspoons of Fresh Ginger Juice
1/2 barspoon of Wasabi
4 drops of Saline

Shake all ingredients above and double strain into a chilled nick & nora glass or a coupette glass.

Vini Wang

I've dreamed of being a bartender since I was 12, our family owned a series of home culinary books and one of my favorite book at the time was home cocktails and mixology. Realizing the impossibility to do so at such young age, I was trained as a chef since 15 and got my first job as a commis chef at 19 yrs of age, got sick of the job and moved on to hospitality. Got into a huge crush with wine, starting as a wine salesman, advisor and moved on to being a sommelier. Had a passion to study Viticulture, and decided to move in to Australia in the late 2013, got into my first bar gig as a glassy and worked very hard to now stand as the head bartender of Hains&Co within a couple of years.