By Yukari Sakamoto

Arts & Culture Apr. 19, 2010 - 03:02AM JST ( 2 )

“Japanese Cocktails” is filled to the brim with original concoctions with fun names like Oyaji, Salty Hachiko Dog, Bloody Mari-chan and Office Lady. And not only are the names creative, so are the recipes.

With drinks based on sake, shochu, whisky and more, this thin book has a cocktail to please everyone, many of the recipes are easy even for the inexperienced mixologist. The Hinomaru is “umeboshi” in warm sake, while the Samurai Courage combines “yuzu” juice with hot “daiginjo.”

“Japanese Cocktails” was written with the support of Suntory, so it includes some recipes based on the beverage giant’s lineup of whisky, Midori melon liqueur, and Kuromaru sweet-potato shochu. But in no way does this detract from the appeal.

Author Yuri Kato, a “beverage alcohol consultant,” consistently offers offbeat and appealing drinks. Mixers include chestnut puree, aloe vera juice, steamed milk and even ice cream, while traditional Japanese ingredients range from citrus juices like “kabosu” and “yuzu” to “maccha” powder and “hojicha” tea.

Kato’s expertise shines in her explanations of shochu and Japanese whisky, in particular on how to properly prepare a “mizuwari” (diluting with water). If you enjoy mixing your own drinks, or even if you just want to get started, this fun book will be an excellent guide.

This review originally appeared in Metropolis magazine (www.metropolis.co.jp).