Despite being created in Austin, Texas, the Tokiringo — developed by Brandon Torres of The Roosevelt Room — seeks to bring Japanese flavors to American drinkers. Here, the Japanese whisky is washed with nutty brown butter, which adds a rich creaminess, and a tart, citrus oleo saccharum keeps things in balance.
The cocktail is given an additional layer of complexity with some sweetness and spice provided by the sherry and spice dram, making the Tokiringo the perfect cocktail for sipping fireside this holiday season.
Ingredients
1 ¾ ounce brown butter-washed Suntory Toki Japanese Blended Whisky
½ ounce Green Apple-Orange Oleo Saccharum
½ ounce Lustau Oloroso Sherry
½ teaspoon Hamilton Pimento Dram
2 dashes Shiso tincture
1 dash malic acid
1 dash absinthe
1 squint salt tincture
Garnish: zig-zag orange peel
Directions
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice.
Stir for 8 seconds until chilled.
Strain over a small ice sphere in a stemless wine glass.
Garnish with a zig-zag orange peel clipped to the rim and serve.
Brown Butter Washed Suntory Toki Japanese Blended Whisky Ingredients
12 ounces unsalted butter
1 750-mL bottle Suntory Toki Japanese Blended Whisky
Brown Butter Washed Suntory Toki Japanese Blended Whisky Directions
Melt butter in a pot over high heat, stirring constantly as the butter melts.
When butter has browned, add the bottle of whisky to the pot, stirring to combine, and heating for one minute.
Remove from heat and pour mixture into a food-safe storage container and freeze overnight.
The following day, remove the whisky from the freezer and strain the contents through a cheesecloth to remove any coagulated butter.
Green Apple-Orange Oleo Saccharum
Ingredients
32 ounces green apples (approximately 10)
2 ½ ounces orange peels (approximately 9 oranges)
2 cups white sugar
Yield: 20 ounces
Directions
Core and peel around 10 green apples until you have a yield of 32 ounces.
Chop apples into small pieces and toast with a chef’s torch until slightly charred.
Finely peel between 8 and 10 oranges until you reach a yield of 2 ½ ounces of orange peels with as little pith as possible.
Combine the toasted apple pieces and orange peels with white sugar in a vacuum sealer bag. Stir the contents of the bag to start the mixing process, then Vacuum seal the contents of the bag.
Sit at room temperature for three days.
After three days, open the bag and strain the contents through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer.
Bottle the strained oleo, then label, and date it. Contents will last for up to one month.
Shiso Tincture
Ingredients
3 ounces vodka
5 fresh Shiso Leaves
Yield: 3 ounces
Directions
Combine the vodka and fresh Shiso leaves in a blender.
Blend on high for one minute, then pour contents into a small, airtight container and seal with a lid.
Allow to macerate at room temperature for seven days.
Strain through a 100 Micron strainer bag into a bottle.
