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Saketini

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (33)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
2 fl oz Ketel One Vodka
1 1/2 fl oz Akashi-Tai Daiginjo Genshu sake
1/6 fl oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth (optional)
1/12 fl oz Hayman's London Dry Gin (optional)

How to make

Glass

Photographed in a Nude Bar/Giani Martini Glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a MARTINI GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of thin cucumber slice.

Method

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. Garnish with cucumber slice floated on surface.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 9/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Saketini contains 192 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.9 standard drinks
  • 23.5% alc./vol. (47.01° proof)
  • 26.5 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

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History

The earliest reference a Saketini I've found is in Vincent Sardi Jr. & George Shea's 1988 Sardi's Bar Guide.

SAKETINI
This is a Martini made with sake instead of vermouth. A ratio of about 5:1 gin or vodka to sake seems to work best.
2½ ounces vodka or gin
½ ounce sake
1 olive, lemon twist, or cucumber slice for garnish

Combine vodka or gin and sake in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake. Strain and serve straight up in a cocktail glass, or serve on the rocks by emptying contents, ice cubes and all, into an Old-Fashioned glass. (If you'd rather not shake it, this drink may also be gently stirred in a mixing glass.) Garnish with an olive, lemon twist, or cucumber slice.)

Vincent Sardi & George Shea, Sardi's Bar Guide, 1988


The Saketini is closely associated with the Kyoto Steak House, which opened its first location in December 2009. The restaurant is also noted for its Dirty Ninja Sakatini, made with Japanese vodka, gin, and sake muddled with cucumber, nori strips, and sweetened rice wine vinegar.

Review

A Saketini is usually made with sake and vodka (sometimes gin) in proportions ranging from equal parts through to five parts spirit to one part sake. I prefer 2 parts vodka to 1.5 parts sake, but I also like to add a spoon of dry vermouth, half a spoon of dry gin to add subtle complexity. Don't skimp on the quality of your sake and use a mandolin to thinly slice the all-important cucumber slice.

AKA: Sake-Tini

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Gallery

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Comments & Discussion

A J Wilson Premium Member
Also works nicely with bison grass vodka. The vanilla-ish notes dovetail with the sake.
score: 1
Nicholas Wilson
Beautiful delicate flavours all working in harmony. Elegance in a glass. The cucumber is essential.
score: 0
Matt Premium Member
This martini is worth exploring. I generally prefer gin to vodka, and a dry ratio, but acknowledge that vodka does allow the notes of sake to come thru better than a London gin would at these ratios. I may try this with a bit more gin to see what happens.
score: 1
Matt Premium Member
Update - initial try with more gin shows that additional gin very quickly overwhelms the sake notes, which are the essential focus of the cocktail. I'll stick with the formulation above when I'm in the mood for a slightly exotic vodka martini.
score: 1
John Brynford-Jones
Any chance of your posting the recipe for a dirty ninja Saketini as it sounds fascinating?
score: 1
Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member
Hi John. Please log in as a member or join, then use our Cocktail Finder to see the Dirty Ninja Saketini recipe posted by Luca Sorriso Valvo, a fellow member of our community.
score: 0
Luca Sorriso Valvo
I confess I opted for the dirty ninja saketini you briefly described. Absolutely fantastic! I used a decent-quality sake (Black Ninki Junmai Ginjo), which worked very well! Thanks for the tip!
score: 2
G. M. Genovese Premium Member
Sobieski and Gekkeikan... fine on their own... maybe a mild muddle of a half-coin of cuke (and/or a dash of olive brine) would add a pleasant push... Am I falling for sake?!?!...
score: 1
Luca Sorriso Valvo
It's never too late to discover sake...
score: 1