We have actually had this drink some years ago, at Bar Goto in New York. We were so stunned by the beauty of simplicity in this drink. Some very “pure” ingredients combine with elegant shiso and it creates this sophisticated, low-ABV-cocktail.
Finding shiso leaves in Sweden is not too simple though. Since being to Bar Goto we’ve stayed on the lookout for these leaves, and when we finally found them they were red rather than the original green. But somehow it only added to the beauty, and we couldn’t resist garnishing the drink with a whole leaf.
The bottle of sake we brought home ourselves from Kyoto Japan, after visiting the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum. It was a fantastic experience being able to see how sake is produced, learn its history, sampling the product and then buying a few bottles to bring home. (On the train back home to the hotel we actually dropped the bottle – but it survived the hit. We took it as good omen).
Recipe by Kenta Goto
Ingredients:
2 oz sake
0,75 oz elderflower liqueur
0,5 oz tequila
0,25 oz lemon juice
3 shiso leaves
Mixing:
Add all ingredients to a shaker and gently muddle the leaves before shaking vigorously. Fine strain into a coupe and garnish with a shiso leaf.
Glassware:
coupe