Bar Tea Scent — Restaurant in Seoul

I'm going to write from a tea perspective.

A friend suggested this place because I like tea and obviously this place is uniquely serves tea cocktails. So we went with one more friend and I ordered the Cloud 9 because I love Da Hong Pao, and my friends ordered the Rain Drop (Pu'erh) and one more I can't remember (something with lavender). Tea-wise, I don't think it was very noticeable that it was a component. The most obvious was the lavender by its scent. I'll let someone else judge according to the alcohol perspective since I'm not the biggest cocktail drinker :)

In the end we also ordered a the Yunnan pu'erh tea because I wanted something warm and soothing to end on and it was exactly what I wanted. I didn't write notes.. but I don't think it was fishy, but rather warm (in sensation, not just temperature), woody, and earthy. They gave us 1 re-steep in a medium-sized Japanese kyusu with 3 gong-fu cups (I could be wrong, but I don't think chinese tea pots have handles on the side like this one?)

So I'd probably give it a 3.5. I like that there is indeed real tea here, but I'm not sure the inclusion of tea in the cocktail does that much for the drink except maybe add to the scent of the drink. And (at least for tea) it's kind of expensive for only 2 steeps of a tea that should go for...

This place feels like a confused cocktail of Tokyo, Kobe and Seoul. The speciality tea cocktail concept falls short of expectations and lacks the atmosphere of its Japanese counterparts (try Mixology Salon in Ginza). All the seasonal and house cocktails feature limited single origin teas; some albeit visually impressive appear to have almost no alcohol taste at all.

Seats around 20 + guests with options along the counter, floor tables and a VIP room. The small space fills up quickly making it loud and spoiling the otherwise “zen” like vibe. The back wall features a light waterfall while the real centrepiece of the bar is a long white sandy bonsai garden.

Popular with young Koreans looking for an Insta snap in Cheongdam. Impressive on the surface but lacking in impact and not worth the price tag. 10,000 KRW seating charge per person plus expect around 25,000 KRW +...

Bar Tea Scent is definitely an essential cocktail bar in Seoul. Not only do they offer wonderfully curated teas, they push the boundaries of what a cocktail can be. Take for example their Gold Manhattan: a tea-infused Manhattan that is re-distilled in a vacuum rotary evaporator. It comes out looking like a Martini rather than a Manhattan, while encompassing all the characteristics of a warm, oaky Manhattan. If you're going solo, you can enjoy their concoctions while staring at their beautifully calming waterfall wall. And if you're looking to nerd out with a group about how to scientifically enhance libations beyond the regular classics served at other bars, check...