Japanese Inspired Cocktails
The Flavor of Japan in a Cocktail Glass
Japanese inspired cocktails are experiencing a surge in popularity, rather than just drinking sake with their sushi people are looking for a little more sophistication.
There are a number of different Japanese inspired cocktails to try to they are made from ingredients such as sake, shochu and Japanese whisky as well as infusing non-Japanese spirits like rum and vodka.
One that I particularly like is the Melon Cream Soda which is pictured opposite, you can find the recipe below and it's also available in a fantastic book on Japanese Cocktails called (rather inventively!) Japanese Cocktails by Yuri Kato.
Let's tiptoe through the cherry blossoms and see what Japanese inspired cocktails we can discover to fill our glasses with........
The first cocktail I want us to sample is the Cherry Blossom Margarita which incorporates Mexico's tequila with Japan's sake along with cherry syrup in reference to Japan's beautiful cherry blossoms.
Cherry Blossom Margarita
1 ½ oz tequila
2 oz sake
1 oz cherry syrup
1 oz sour mix
1 oz lemon juice
sugar for rimming
cherry and lemon twist for garnish.
First rim a margarita glass or martini glass with sugar. Next pour all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a cherry and lemon twist.
Now although you could use a plain margarita glass or even a martini glass to serve the Cherry Blossom Margarita in, but don't you think this fun looking cherry inspired martini glass would look cool to drink it out of?
Sake Based Cocktails
Japanese Inspired Cocktails
Sake is a Japanese rice wine. There are some lovely sake based cocktails which are really delicious and they include the Japanese Pear Martini and the Sake-politan.
Japanese Pear Martini
2 shots vodka
1 shot sake
½ shot pear flavored eau de vie
Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.
Sake-politan
3 shots sake
¾ shot triple sec
¾ shot cranberry juice
¼ shot fresh lime juice
Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.
Another gorgeous martini glass to serve your Japanese inspired cocktails in - I just love the green color in the stem, don't you?
Shochu Based Cocktails
Japanese Inspired Cocktails
Shochu is a Japanese liquor with an earthy flavor and is the base for a number of Japanese inspired cocktails such as the Shochu Melon Citrus Cocktail and the Lime Chu-Hai Cocktail.
Shochu Melon Citrus Cocktail
3 oz shochu
3 oz melon liqueur
2 oz fresh lemon juice
Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.
Lime Chu-Hai Cocktail
2 oz shochu
1 oz roses lime juice
soda water
Pour the shochu and lime juice over ice in a tall glass and top up with soda water stirring gently.
More Japanese Cocktails
Yuri Kato presents over 60 Japanese cocktails in this book from the classics to original creastions. Kato takes us through Japan’s cocktail history as you read through his book. There are a number of interesting bits of Japanese information scattered throughout this book as well as lots of recipes including the delicious Melon Cream Soda.
Melon Cream Soda
1 oz melon liqueur
1 ½ oz citrus flavored vodka
3 oz club soda
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Put all of the liquids into a cocktail shaker with ice and mix together. Pour into a tall glass and top with the vanilla ice cream. This refreshing drink froths up as the ice cream and soda combine which is why it definitely needs to be served in a tall glass.
More Asian Inspired Cocktails
I hope you've enjoyed this walk through the cherry blossoms and have sampled some delicious Japanese inspired cocktails, if you want to check out some other Asian inspired cocktails then here's the perfect link -
Asian Inspired Cocktails
Twenty years ago we were all intrigued with Italian cooking, before that French, but in this millennium we seem to be entranced with Asian flavors more than ...
I have to say that the Melon Cream Soda is my favorite........the fact that it contains ice cream has nothing to do with it - honest!
Which is Your Favorite Japanese Inspired Cocktail?
Bob Zau on January 13, 2012:
I'm a Scotch man my self, but I'll score big points with the wife.... she's going to love these. Of course I'll have to taste test them all.
cocktailsexaminer on July 21, 2011:
Spicy Bloody Mary's made with sake are surprisingly good! I highly recommend trying one!
Treasures By Brenda from Canada on January 19, 2011:
Cannot say that I have a favorite Japanese inspired cocktail, for I have never tried one. Nicely done and blessed.
Susanna Duffy from Melbourne Australia on January 19, 2011:
I had no idea the Japanese even had cocktails but I don't care. The Sake-politan seems suitably decadent enough for me
oztoo lm on July 26, 2010:
I've never tasted sake or shochu so not sure if I would like cocktails containing them, although I'd probably give them a try. The Melon Cream Soda sure sounds good to me.
