Shake well and serve: Magnolia Lab’s modern herbal liqueurs

They say a Chinese herbal wine is like life. Rich and complex, full of ups and downs. But overly effective TV jingles have relegated these drinks to traditional Chinese medicine for the elderly – not the rewarding and subtle tipples they can be. Enter entrepreneurs Dennis Mak and James Ting, who have taken on the mission to change this misconception with Magnolia Lab , their liqueur label specialising in Chinese medicinal herb-infused creations.

Mix and match

On a shelf at the Magnolia Lab studio is a big jar of wine, with a label stating its ingredients and the date it was made: 25 November 1998. “I have another jar at home, also 20- plus years old, made by my mother,” says Mak, a mixologist by training. “It’s dark and murky: with toads, snakes and herbs.”

That jar is the inspiration behind bringing Chinese herbal wines off the shelf and out into the modern day – with, perhaps, fewer snakes than before. Mak’s high-school friend Ting, a Chinese medicine practitioner, had a similar eureka moment after a visit to his favourite bar in his student days. 

“I wasn’t feeling well at the time, and the bartender made me a hot toddy – a warm whisky drink with cloves, lemon, honey and ginger traditionally used as a cold remedy,” he recalls. It got him thinking about the endless possibilities of combining the worlds of Chinese herbs, alcohol and wellness. The duo began experimenting in 2018, spending a day a week tinkering with infusions: two years later, Magnolia Lab was launched.

Sip and rejuvenate

Mak and Ting’s main mission with Magnolia Lab is to dispel the bad rap that most people give herbal drinks. “Outside Hong Kong, herb-infused liqueurs are widely popular,” says Mak. “People drink them for their nuanced flavours, not their health benefits.”

The flavours of Magnolia Lab’s creations are multi-layered, with a complexity characterised by the use of two key ingredients: chenpi dried tangerine peel and the magnolia berry – also known as the “five-flavour fruit”

“The magnolia berry is the size of a soybean: it’s sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty at once, whereas the taste of dried tangerine peel grows stronger with age. When mature, it has a full-bodied aroma and a lasting aftertaste,” Mak explains.

There are currently two liqueurs on offer: Magnolia and Roselle. The former is infused with magnolia berries, chenpi, longan and sandalwood, and is said to relieve stagnating chi in the body and calm the mind.

The latter is concocted with roselle, jujube, Chinese angelica root and green chenpi, among others. The circulation-boosting properties of the infusion make it the perfect tonic for urbanites who spend most of their day sitting in an air-conditioned office. For Mak, pouring a drink is a moment for mindfulness and contemplation. It’s not just the herbs: “Sipping the liqueur is itself a healing experience,” he says.

A bittersweet journey

Besides the health benefits – and the taste – Magnolia Lab also puts a lot of thought into the packaging of its products. “We don’t want to present a relic from a bygone era, nor do we focus solely on innovation,” says Mak. “Our primary goal is to revive a neglected tradition.”

The duo has had a warm reception from Hong Kong’s F&B community and the label has since collaborated with some of the city’s hottest restaurants and bars. Last year, Magnolia Lab partnered with craft beer bar Second Draft on a one-off promotion, which has led to a regular cocktail programme. Ting says that many drinkers are hesitant at first – but for most, one sip is all it takes to win them over.

In the future, the duo hopes to make Magnolia Lab’s herbal liqueurs a staple in every bar across the city, and to take their made-in-Hong Kong products to the rest of the world. It won’t be easy: and out of the five flavours of the magnolia berry, they agree that “bitterness” sums up the challenge so far. But that’s no bad thing, they say.

“Without bitterness, sweetness loses its substance,” says Ting. Mak agrees. 

“Bitterness reminds me that I am alive, and of all the experiences and challenges I’ve faced,” he explains. “It makes the sweeter things in life even more worthwhile and memorable.”

Tasting notes 

A collection of past and present Magnolia Lab x Second Draft cocktails

1. Negnolia

House-made chrysanthemum-infused gin, Campari, Magnolia liqueur, orange bitters

Full-bodied with a sweet aftertaste, the fresh aroma of chrysanthemum is offset by a hint of bitterness

2. Manhattan from the Sky

Rosemary-infused bourbon, Magnolia liqueur, sweet vermouth

This drink delivers a punch of flavour with a spicy kick

3. Femme Fatale

Vodka, hibiscus syrup, Roselle liqueur, lemon juice 

A perfect aperitif with a sweet, tangy taste

Second Draft, Shop H01, Fashion Walk, 9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong