White Silk
Recipe:
- 40ml Daiyame Shochu
- 5ml J.M. Rhum Blanc 50%
- 25ml Lustau Blanco Vermouth
- 20ml Luxardo Bianco Bitter
- 0.75ml Muyu Vetiver Gris liqueur
- Misty Zest Yuzu (aromatize)
Stir all ingredients (except the Misty Zest) over ice until sufficiently chilled. Prepare a prechilled rocks glass with 1-2 mists of Misty Zest Yuzu, strain you drink over one large ice cube into the rocks glass. Add another 1-2 mists of Misty Zest Yuzu over the drink. Optional garnish: lemongrass, banana leaf or dried lime wheel.
As always, when I receive a product in the mail that I like, I enjoy creating a signature cocktail to go with the accompanying article. This is especially true when the ingredient is a bit more "niche" (yuzu) and there aren't any immediate "Moden Classics" to use as examples for my product review. So when the Misty Zest Yuzu arrived, I immediately thought of an Asian-inspired White Negroni twist.
The Negroni balance here naturally leans more toward the base spirit (shōchū), spiced up with just a hint of rum, since shōchū has a lower alcohol content and is generally very smooth. The Daiyame really shines through with notes of lychee, melon, and grapes. It's one of my top 4 shōchū recommendations for the home bar, at least as far as this style goes (light and tropical, with a subtle umami note). It's also very affordable at around €33 for 0.7L. The gentle fruit notes are complemented by the dry, bitter Luxardo Bianco with its Mediterranean herbs. White vermouth acts as a bridge between the two, combining both the fruity notes and the herbs. The icing on the cake for added complexity is the vetiver liqueur and, of course, the Misty Zest Yuzu, which brings the aromatic citrus fruit into the White Negroni and freshens up the whole drink.
Here in Germany you can get the Misty Zest Yuzu directly at Perola Import.
Daiyame Shōchū is available at Ginza Berlin.
The Misty Zest Yuzu was supplied for free by Perola Import, thanks!
