Behind the making of the Cathay Pacific x Perfume Trees gin set

You don’t have to be in the skies to savour the joy of travel. The exclusive Cathay Pacific x Perfume Trees gin set is an ideal Christmas gift for spirits aficionados and travel lovers, offering a taste of adventure in every sip.

The limited-edition set consists of two bottles of gin, named Dawn and Dusk. These blends take inspiration from our signature Cathay Pacific Delight and Cloud Nine drinks, which you can enjoy in our Business and First class lounges as well as on board our flights. “We want to bring part of the inflight dining experience to the ground for customers to experience,” says Louisa Luk, Assistant Manager, Brand at Cathay Pacific. Read on to discover how these drinks were reinterpreted as delightful spirits.

The inspiration

Partnering with local brands is incredibly important to us, as this pursuit allows us to support homegrown talents while showcasing the vibrant tapestry of Hong Kong. Riding on the success of our collaboration with The Coffee Academics – featuring Journey, a transportive brew that reimagines the flavours of our inflight offering – we decided to create a one-of-a-kind gin set.   

When deciding who to work with, the choice was obvious: Hong Kong gin label Perfume Trees. As the proverb goes, “If you want to go far, go together.” To reach new heights, the two brands engaged in collaborative brainstorming sessions, thinking outside the box to achieve an accurate representation of both. “What really made the creative process work was honing in on the sensorial aspects of our brands – the spirit of exploration, travel and taste buds. It took us a while to arrive at a design that reflects these intangible qualities,” says Luk.

Dawn and Dusk aim to cover all the diverse aspects of travel, taking globetrotters from day to night, adventure to relaxation. And together, these two blends create a balanced, harmonious experience. “Our intention is for each sip to transport consumers to new places and evoke feelings associated with travel. While Dawn takes us to a vibrant coastal city like Sydney, where you can embrace the morning sun, Dusk allows us to reflect on the day’s adventures in a tropical paradise like the Maldives,” explains co-founder Kit Cheung of Perfume Trees.    

The flavours

Dawn seeks to bring out a refreshing, energetic feel with bright citrus notes. To do this, Perfume Trees selected vibrant botanicals, such as juniper berries and angelica root, as well as citruses like lemon peel, dried orange peel and tangerine peel.

In contrast, Dusk is a comforting blend meant for winding down in the evening. Comprising flavours of dried kiwi, green ume and desiccated coconut, its profile embodies serenity and warmth. 

“Botanicals were carefully chosen and distilled to recreate the complex flavours of Cathay Pacific’s signature drinks in a single gin,” says Cheung, “We had to highlight the unique properties of each ingredient and create concentrated and integrated flavours.” 

The packaging

Simple and minimal, this gin set comes in a pale grey-green box, featuring a rectangular window that clearly displays the two glass bottles and their stoppers. The aircraft-window-shaped front labels show dreamy pastel skies that echo the distinctive qualities of both Dawn and Dusk – an evocative design detail that is immediately reminiscent of the magic of being on board a Cathay Pacific flight.  

How to enjoy 

For light daytime sipping, co-founders Kit Cheung and Joseph Cheung recommend serving Dawn with a light tonic and a twist of fresh lemon. For a dose of nighttime indulgence, Dusk can be paired with syrup and either coconut water or cream. Alternatively, to bring out its tropical profile, pour over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint. 

About Perfume Trees

To capture the essence of our dynamic city in the signature Perfume Trees gin, the co-founders worked with local farmers to select indigenous botanicals, including white champaca blossom, Indian sandalwood, longjing green tea, Chinese angelica and 15-year-aged tangerine peel. To learn more, sign up for one of the brand’s gin-tasting workshops at the Tankyu Distillery tasting room at The Mills in Tsuen Wan.