A shochu cocktail to fall in love with - the WABISABI from the Lang Bar

A shochu cocktail to fall in love with - the WABISABI from the Lang Bar at the Waldorf Astoria

We were guests at the Lang Bar of the Waldorf Astoria for a shochu tasting. Many mixologists, bartenders, beverage managers and hotel guests enjoyed six craft shochus from Kyūshū. These included, of course, some of our first shochus such as the iichiko Frasco and the Unkai Shuzo Aya Selection, but also our latest addition, the Beniotome Sesame Shochu and our absolute rarity, the 30-year-old Kaseda Mais Shochu. Our two shochus soon to be added to the range, the Kakuzou Shochu from Iki Island (Nagasaki Prefecture), a barley shochu with notes of popcorn, and the Envelhecida, a sweet potato shochu from Kagoshima, were also very popular.

After the tasting, the guests were able to see for themselves that shochu is not just a pleasure on its own. Daniel Scherr, Bar Manager of the Lang Bar, created fantastic shochu cocktails in which he combined the Japanese droplets with local liqueurs and spirits. The result was four great drinks that could not have been more varied.

We'll reveal one recipe here today:

WABISABI

4 cl Unkai Shuzo Aya Selection Shochu

8 cl Homemade Kirsch (2 cl wild cherry - e.g. Ziegler - top up with 6 cl cherry juice)

1 cl Cocchi Americano

0.5 cl Bulleit Rye Whiskey

3 Dashs absinthe

2 Dashs Peychaud Bitter

Pour the ingredients into a cherry glass and stir gently.

Cheers & Kanpai!