Lemon juice is typically the preferred citrus in whisky cocktails, but other citrus can also lend bright acidity and, in the case of tangerines, natural, subtle sweetness. “It can enhance the whisky by balancing out the smoky notes and add depth to a cocktail's aroma,” says Jeancarlo Cardenas, corporate beverage director at Osaka in Miami.
After enjoying a fruity, smoky, spicy cocktail created by Viviana Cabiedes, a bartender from Osaka in Peru, he was inspired to experiment with tangerines and whisky. Her version used camu camu, a sour berry commonly found in the Amazon rainforest. In addition to the tangerine, he added rosemary for herbaceous notes and a rim of togarashi, a Japanese blend of spices, for a kick.
No wonder he named it Amai Shio. “In Japanese, amai means sweet, and shio means salty,” Cardenas explains. “This versatile cocktail has sweet, citrus, and spicy notes with smoky expressions, generating a smooth balance of flavors.”
Amai Shio
- 1/4 tsp. togarashi seasoning
- 1 1/4 oz. Suntory Toki (or other Japanese whisky)
- 3/4 oz. Del Maguey Vida mezcal
- 1/2 oz. passion fruit juice
- 2 oz. rosemary tangerine cordial (recipe below)
- 1 pinch salt
Rim half a rocks glass with togarashi seasoning. Add remaining ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Hard shake 15 seconds. Strain over a large cube in prepared rocks glass.
Rosemary Tangerine Cordial
- 1 oz. tangerine juice
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1/4 oz. lime juice
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool, then double strain into cocktail shaker. Yields 1 serving.
