After being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, the 2020 Summer Olympics will finally be held in Tokyo. It will begin on July 23, 2021. Japan will host the Games for the second time. More than 11,000 athletes will compete from 206 countries. What better way to celebrate this occasion than with themed cocktails?
You can still enjoy the summer classics like the Gin & tonic and Margarita, but these cocktails were created or inspired by Japan’s Games host country. They will transport you to Tokyo with a taste of the iconic American treat.
Japanese Sour
Shigefumi Kawashima, the beverage director at ROKC, New York City’s flagship restaurant, uses the egg white sour recipe (spirit. citrus. sweetener. egg white) to create a drink that is dominated by Japanese flavour. Shigefumi Kabashima uses Japanese whisky for the base and freshness. Kuromitsu is used as a sweetener. (Kuromitsu, which is syrup-like molasses, is made from Hokuto. If you don’t have any, honey, or molasses, will work. The syrup is first shaken with ice and then strained into a glass. Finally, garnish with an assortment of aromatic bitters. It is silky, smooth, and crushable.
Highball Mizuwari
Highball is a type of cocktail consisting of a single spirit and a lengthener like soda. Mizuhara means “cut with water” and refers to the practice of adding sparkling water to whisky to enhance its subtle flavours. The only ingredients for this cocktail are a Japanese premium whisky such as Suntory Toki, Nikka Coffey Malt or Mars Iwai45 and sparkling water. This highball is a masterpiece of detail. It is crucial to ensure that the ice used is crystal clear and that the glass is heated properly. The craft must also be perfect. You will get a crisp and delicious highball if you follow each step.
Bath Time
In Japan, many fruits were not available in cocktail bars until the 2000s because of the high cost of imported ingredients. However, this trend has changed in recent years. Bars are now incorporating in-season fruits like berries, melons and grapes in their drinks, such as this one from Bar Orchard in Tokyo. Mixing tequila with sauvignon blanc, crushed ice and muscat grapes are done. The drink is then served in a vessel with mint leaves, coriander, and additional crushed ice. The drink is then finished off with salt foam. This is optional if the glass is rock glass, but it ties in with the bubble bath idea.
Tokyo Tea
The name of this mixed drink gives a clue to its purpose. It is just one step away from its cousin, the Long Island Iced Tea. It is not for the faint of hearts (or liver). The ingredients include Gin, vodka, tequila and rum. This one is not for the faint of heart.
Pandan-Coconut Kaki-tail
This is the perfect summertime treat if you enjoy a good snow cone. Gaijin is a Japanese restaurant located in Chicago that created this boozy version of the Japanese shaved-ice dessert kakigori. This sweet confection is made over shaved ice with a mixture of herbaceous Gin, pandan syrup and sweetened condensed Coconut Milk. Although it is sweeter than most, it is a crowd-pleaser and well worth it.