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The best old-fashioned in Hong Kong was before I even got on the plane

Cathay Pacific Lounge was the best old-fashioned I had in Hong Kong

By Mark D McKee May 8, 2026 5:00 PM

Hardwood, Wood, Alcohol — Mark D. McKee / The Manual

No matter where I go, I always get the same things. I may be a huge fan of travel and adventure. Trying new things, doing things I am afraid of. There is an excitement in that. However, when it comes to food and drink, I am a man of routine. I love red meat and old-fashioned cocktails. As you can imagine, I have a lot of friends in the journalism industry, especially food and beverage writers. All of them ask me how the food was when I return from a trip, and the answer is always the same: “I had steaks and a classic old-fashioned, why ask me that?” Having said that, in a recent trip to Hong Kong and Thailand with Cathay Pacific Airlines, I was on the search for the best old-fashioned in Hong Kong, and I didn’t need to leave the airport to find it.

Cathay Pacific Lounge upgrade

Nothing is worse than being delayed in an airport. Truly, no comfortable seats, no good food, and the good food and comfortable seats are usually in really exclusive and overly expensive places. Lucky for me, my trip to Hong Kong and Thailand was in the business class of Cathay Pacific Airlines. For a 6’5″ guy, long flights aren’t the best. But a lay-flat that actually allows my giant body to lie flat is a rare experience. Not to mention their fantastic burger and their brewed-to-taste-at-30K-feet beer, the trip itself was pretty enjoyable.

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But that is only the beginning. When I actually had to sit in the airport, the lounge was one of the best I have experienced. If you have a chance, check out the noodle bar, where I had some burn-your-tongue spicy noodles that made me sweat. Oh, and reading up-to-date magazines with endless Coke Zero and old-fashioneds, I was wondering if I even wanted to go out into Hong Kong.

The long-sought old-fashioned

Ok, now for the reason I kept resisting going into Hong Kong. Let me get this straight: I absolutely loved Hong Kong. And I loved Thailand. They were beautiful places with amazing things to do and see. But there was one glaring problem: I couldn’t find a good old-fashioned to save my life. It just wasn’t something I could find. So, when I tasted one in the airport lounge, I didn’t want to leave. The perfect mix of bourbon, bitters, sugar, and a twist of orange. If I am being honest, I might be open to paying for the flight again just for the best old-fashioned in Hong Kong.

Mark cut his teeth in the men’s style world when he sold suits first at box stores such as Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank… Read Full Bio

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

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