20 best Sake cocktails

Words by Simon Difford

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Sake is phenomenal in cocktails and pairs well with any spirit. However, beware, a sake's delicate flavour can be easily shrouded. Use a good quality sake - we recommend a Daiginjo Genshu.

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Coco Geisha
With: Japanese single malt whisky, sake, coconut water, sugar syrup, and orange bitters.
We say: Delicately enriched whisky, sake, and coco water.

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Cucumber Sake-Tini
With: Cucumber, vodka, sake, and sugar syrup.
We say: Subtle and dry. Cucumber and sake are made for each other.

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Damn It Jimmy
With: Sake, light white rum, fino sherry, dry vermouth, and sugar syrup.
We say: Perhaps the best cocktail I've created.

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For Sake's Sake
With: Sake, light white rum, rosolio di bergamotto liqueur, and orange curaƧao.
We say: An aromatic, subtly bergamot-influenced, sake and rum Martini-like cocktail.

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Geisha Martini
With: Vodka, ske, dry vermouth, Japanese blended whisky, and sugar syrup.
We say: A Vodkatini with a Japanese influence.

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Japanese Pear
With: Vodka, poire william eau-di-vie, sake, sugar syrup and creole bitters.
We say: A Vodka Saketini with a delicate hint of pear.

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Little Venice
With: Sake, bourbon, and rosso vermouth.
We say: A very delicate rendition of a Sweet Manhattan.

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Lychee & Sake Martini
With: Gin, lychee liqueur, and sake.
We say: Spirit-forward but mellowed by sake and lychee.

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Original Sin
With: Absinthe, vodka, sake and honey syrup.
We say: An absinthe aromatised, honeyed Vodka Saketini.

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Sake Manhattan
With: Sake, bourbon, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, cherry brandy liqueur, aromatic bitters, and creole bitters.
We say: Lighter in style than your typical Manhattan Cocktail, with all the familiar flavours enhanced by extra sake complexity.

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Sake Martini
With: Gin, sake, and dry vermouth.
We say: Dry, subtle, and depending on your choice of sake, possibly amazing.

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Saketini
With: Vodka and sake.
We say: The purity of vodka sits elegantly with sake in this cleansing 'Martini'.

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Sakini
With: Vodka, sake, and bianco vermouth.
We say: Sake adds an almost wine-like delicacy to this approachable riff on the classic Dry Martini.

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Sakura Martini
With: Sake, gin, maraschino liqueur, and saline solution.
We say: A touch of salt is essential to this Reverse Martini-style cocktail.

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Smokey Joe
With: Sake, cognac, Islay single malt, and Sauternes.
We say: Sake sweetened with Sauternes and flavoured with cognac and Islay whisky.

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Special Brew Martini
With: Vodka, Byrrh, sake, and absinthe.
We say: With Byrrh (pronounced 'beer') and sake (which is brewed like a beer). And it's Special!

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Sugar My Plums
With: Sake, Mirabelle eau-de-vie, umeshu, and plum bitters.
We say: A light, cleansing and aromatic aperitivo.

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Summa Peto
With: Sake, light white rum, fino sherry, and poire william liqueur.
We say: Martini-esc with delicate minerality and pear fruitiness.

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Sumo In A Sidecar
With: Apricot brandy, sake, and lemon juice.
We say: Hints of sake this retains Sidecar style.

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Voyager Vodka Martini
With: Vodka, dry vermouth, sake, and pisco.
We say: Why dampen your Martini with just vermouth when the Japanese and the Peruvians have so much more to offer?

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