Premium highball range Chateau Highball aims to take Hong Kong by storm

Premium highball brand Chateau Highball, which is packaged in Champagne-style bottles, has launched in Hong Kong.

The brand, which, according to brand co-founder and director Alex Schueli, has been positioned to offer “that satisfying ‘POP!’ of a bottle opening,” has been created by three entrepreneurs based in Hong Kong, including native Milanese Schueli.

Following the launch in Italy, Chateau Highball has now hit the shelves in Hong Kong, presenting a product that is revolutionising the pre-mixed category. The vision of the brand hopes to stick to time-honoured rules and leverages tradition to innovate and create a new and completely unique drinking experience.

Schueli explained: “Chateau Highball started as a passing idea after pondering something that people usually don’t dwell on: is there anything out there except for Champagne or sparkling wine that offers that satisfying ‘POP!’? I loved the sense of togetherness and joy that that familiar “POP” of a bottle opening has and wondered how extending it to something else would work. A gin and tonic was the drink that immediately came to mind.”

The brand achieves this by offering the classic and well-loved highball by introducing a new concept named ready-to-serve (RTS), which according to Scheli is different from the readily available ready-to-drink (RTD) category: “The RTS format provides a quality of beverage that is akin to what one would expect to be served in the finest cocktail bars and appreciated by some of the world’s top mixologists.”

He added: “The RTD category has been booming in North America for nearly a decade, but in Hong Kong, it is still relatively new, and many brands seem to offer almost identical products, There is not rally a premium sector, especially in the carbonated mixers as there is only that much you can do with a can. There are a few premium premade cocktails.”

Chateau Highball is bottled in Franciacorta, Italy. It is elegantly presented in premium Champagne bottles, delivering the familiar cork popping associated with a Champagne celebration but in a unique highball form.

The brand has painstakingly formulated its balanced, large-format highball drinks to ensure well-rounded flavors and potency with the perfect amount of carbonation, making it easily enjoyed when simply poured over ice.

Schueli said: “We use the best possible ingredients with the result of an all natural mouthwatering and health-conscious highball mix. We have the luxury of creating our mix in a laboratroy, analyzing the notes and utilising precision tools to formulate and balance to perfection. At an alcohol content of 16% (more than double a standard RTD) and with our large format corked bottling process, we don’t need anything further on the preservation side. ”

“For example our gin is made to match the natural quinine and the stevia of our custom tonic, the ageing of the oak whiskey barrels to the spring water soda, all to have the perfect and always consistent highball we deserve, no matter who prepares it or where: just pour over ice and be amazed.”

The Chateau Highball range includes Vodka Soda, Whisky Soda, Gin & Tonic and Tequila Soda, which will launch in Hong Kong in the summer.

Showing success at Hong Kong’s largest music festival Clockenflap, Chateau Highball was one of the official drinks sponsors of the lounge and had served over 3,000 music lovers over the weekend. The brand is now available at some of Hong Kong’s finest establishments, bars, clubs, and restaurants and retail spots.