Shuzo Nagumo: Japan's Grand Mixologist and the Signature Cocktail Menu at oMM Mixology

If you follow Asian mixology, you have probably heard of Shuzo Nagumo – the Japanese mixologist widely credited with bringing laboratory equipment behind the bar and turning tea into a language of cocktails. This article traces his two-decade journey, the chef-like philosophy behind his work, and how the signature menu he created with oMM Mixology brings Vietnamese flavours into every glass in the heart of Saigon.

Who is Shuzo Nagumo?

Shuzo Nagumo is a Japanese mixologist, the founder of Mixology Group and the owner of several acclaimed cocktail bars in Tokyo. His business card carries the title "Grand Mixologist" – one that Time Out Tokyo considered well earned.

He is known as the first to introduce centrifugal separators and vacuum distillation equipment to bars in Japan. These techniques extract aromas from delicate ingredients that conventional distillation would destroy.

A 20-year journey from Ikebukuro to Ginza

Key milestones in Shuzo Nagumo's career:

• 1998: starts bartending at Bar X-Marks the Spot in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

• 2006–2007: moves to the UK, works at Nobu London, then tours Europe.

• 2007: becomes head bartender of XEX Tokyo.

• 2009: founds Spirits and Sharing, opening the codename MIXOLOGY bars and later Mixology Laboratory.

• 2016: launches Mixology Salon in Ginza, a bar devoted to Japanese tea cocktails.

• 2023: takes Mixology Salon international with its first overseas outpost in Singapore.

His philosophy: thinking like a chef

Shuzo Nagumo approaches a cocktail the way an experimental chef approaches a dish: deconstruct it, reimagine it, then retell it in liquid form. As CNN Travel reported, he calls this "cooking cocktails" – capturing the experience of a whole meal in a glass.

That chef's mindset shows in the kitchen discipline behind his bar. He treats ingredients like seasonal produce: picked at the right moment and understood in depth, which then shapes his choice of botanicals and the way flavours are layered. More than 20 years of working with tea, cacao, coffee, wild yeast and spirits have defined this style.

The approach produced some of his best-known creations: foie gras vodka, blue cheese cognac, basil gin, and a Tom Yum Cooler inspired by the spicy-sour Thai soup.

Where Japanese cuisine and bartending often favour subtraction, he chooses multiplication – stacking flavours to build depth. With sake, shochu or tea, he pays close attention to terroir: the climate, soil and region that give each ingredient its character.

Tea cocktails: Shuzo Nagumo's signature

Tea runs through Shuzo Nagumo's entire career. Mixology Salon in Ginza is known for precise "tea-tails" such as the Sencha Gin & Tonic, made with gin infused with two kinds of sencha at room temperature. His goal is to bring Japanese tea culture to an international audience.

Shuzo Nagumo and oMM Mixology: Japanese technique meets Vietnamese ingredients

In Saigon, Shuzo Nagumo serves as creative advisor, shaping oMM Mixology's signature cocktail menu. The menu pairs his two decades of experience with fresh Vietnamese ingredients and botanicals, using vacuum distillation, centrifugation, clarification and infusion.

The signature menu centres on three collections:

• Tea Cocktails: a journey through Asian tea regions – Taiwan, China, Japan and Vietnam – featuring Lishan Nectar, White Fleur and Roasted Newton Fizz.

• Coffee Cocktails: drinks that tell the story of coffee, such as Jack and the Coffee Beanstalk.

• Cacao Cocktails: exploring the depth of cacao in cocktail form.

The menu also includes Twisted Classics, Classics, Champagne and the Time In A Bottle collection.

Lishan Nectar – Taiwanese tea from misty peaks

On Lishan's slopes, around 2,400 metres above sea level, tea leaves grow slowly and gather a gentle sweetness from the mist and cool mountain air. The tea's essence is infused into white rum, then layered with pear, honey, oMM's signature rancio syrup, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice.

White Fleur – the purity of white tea

Chinese white tea is infused into vodka and paired with Grey Goose pear vodka, lychee purée, oMM's secret syrup and lemon juice. A light cocktail with floral and fruity aromas.

Roasted Newton Fizz – hojicha meets apple

Japanese hojicha is brewed with carbonated apple juice, then combined with Diplomático rum, pure cane syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. A white chocolate espuma on top adds a silky finish.

Jack and the Coffee Beanstalk – jackfruit and coffee

Sandalwood gin meets jackfruit and coffee-bean-infused pineapple water, with rich syrup, lemon and milk. Two familiar Vietnamese flavours, retold in the language of cocktails.

An art space where cocktails converse

At oMM Mixology, each cocktail is set in dialogue with the artworks, installations and antiques around it. The experience reaches beyond taste to sight and feeling.

By day, oMM serves specialty coffee and non-alcoholic drinks. From 5pm the space turns to cocktails, served with carefully prepared snacks.

Guest Shift: when Shuzo Nagumo returns to oMM

Shuzo Nagumo has returned to oMM for several Guest Shift nights. At the most recent one, he shared his creative process: listening to ingredients, observing the balance between cultures, then turning those encounters into cocktails.

oMM also hosts monthly Guest Shift nights with leading bartenders from Vietnam, Japan, Thailand and beyond. Upcoming dates are posted on the Events page and oMM's social channels.

Recognition along the way

Still early in its journey, oMM Mixology has been recognised by the food and lifestyle community:

• Highly Recommended – Best Bar of the Year 2025, Gourmet Vietnam Awards

• Unique Gastronomy Experience – Mixology, Most-Wanted Hospitality & Lifestyle Awards 2025

• Tatler Best – Spotlight bar

• Art Mixology & Gastronomy Bar – Global, Rêve Lux

Where to taste Shuzo Nagumo's cocktails in Saigon

• Address: 1st Floor, 63 Ho Tung Mau, Sai Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City – about 350 m from Nguyen Hue Walking Street and 100 m from Bitexco Tower.

• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday). Coffee and non-alcoholic drinks from 9am to 5pm; cocktails, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks from 5pm to 12am.

• Happy hour: 5pm – 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

• Reservations: via TableCheck or hotline (+84) 837 881 010.

Conclusion

From a small bar in Ikebukuro to an international chain of Mixology Salons, Shuzo Nagumo has shown that a cocktail can be a form of storytelling. At oMM Mixology, that story continues through tea, coffee, cacao and Vietnamese ingredients. Explore the menu and book a table to taste it for yourself.

FAQ

Who is Shuzo Nagumo?

Shuzo Nagumo is a Japanese mixologist and the founder of Mixology Group, known for his tea cocktails and for bringing vacuum distillation and centrifugation into bartending.

What is a tea cocktail?

A cocktail built around tea, usually by infusing tea into the base spirit to preserve the aroma and character of each tea region.

What are oMM Mixology's opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday. Coffee and non-alcoholic drinks from 9am to 5pm; cocktails from 5pm to 12am.

Are cocktails served during the day?

During the day oMM serves coffee and non-alcoholic drinks; the cocktail menu starts at 5pm.

Do I need to book in advance?

Booking is recommended, especially on weekend evenings, via TableCheck or hotline (+84) 837 881 010.