Archive for January 2021

Shiodome

Shiodome

  • 2.0 oz. Japanese gin (Roku)
  • 0.5 oz. yuzu liqueur (Choya)
  • 0.25 oz. lychee liqueur (Massenez)
  • 0.25 oz. ginger liqueur (King’s)
  • dash of yuzu bitters (Miracle Mile)

Stir with ice and strain into Nick and Nora.

Not much to explain on this one. I started with a Japanese gin and wanted to highlight it with other Japanese ingredients. The yuzu liqueur offers enough acid that no citrus is needed, but more sweetness is necessary. Thus the ginger and lychee came to play. Finally, some yuzu bitters were added for balance. A nice, bright yet subtle drink.

I named this Shiodome as that was my first real introduction to Tokyo, off the plane and train. For a couple of years I went out fairly regularly for a job, around once a quarter, and the Shiodome district was where my clients — and my hotel — were located.

Kanpai!

Elephant in the Room

Elephant in the Room

Shake with ice and strain into coupe.

This one started out with me playing with the rhubarb and ginger liqueur. I wanted to pair that with the strawberry, but didn’t want too much additional sweetness so split that gin base with the Elephant London Dry, which I felt offered enough botanical interest to stand up to the other flavors. The Yellow Chartreuse smoothed things out and broadened the herbaceousness even further, but the drink needed some acid so a little lemon was added. The bitters completed the picture.

Yes, the name came directly because of the gin. Change the gin and you have to modify the name. Rules are rules.

Boston to Paris

Boston to Paris

  • 2.0 oz. Bully Boy Merchant gin
  • 0.5 oz. apricot liqueur (Rothman and Winter)
  • 0.25 oz. Cocchi Americano
  • 0.25 oz. lemon juice
  • 2 dashes absinthe

Shake with ice and strain into coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Bright and refreshing, with the anise highlighting the apricot sweetness against the gin’s botanicals. An elegant sipper for either side of the Atlantic.