SEATTLE — Japan's House of Suntory has been creating whiskey since 1923 and has recently expanded to other premium spirits. Here's how to modernize two classic cocktail recipes with these premium spirits from Beam Suntory.
Toki Highball
"Suntory's Toki is made in Japan and it's a blend with both malt and grain whiskey from three different distilleries in Japan," said Beam Suntory's Haley Holman.
With Suntory's Toki, Holman suggests a Toki Highball, an effervescent cocktail that is really refreshing for summer.
TOKI HIGHBALL RECIPE
- 1 part Toki
- 3 parts Soda Water
"We recommend using a really high-quality soda water. You want those tight bubbles to be extra carbonated. That's going to make the cocktail more refreshing and going to show off the aromatics of the whiskey."
To make your drink extra refreshing, put in ice cubes in the glass after the whiskey and give it a stir. Add more ice after the whiskey is properly chilled, and top it off with soda water and a lemon twist.
"Toki is a really light style whiskey, but it's still very complex so it's really approachable even if you're not a huge whiskey drinker. said Holman, "Even if you are a whiskey drinker, you also get those complexities that's really delicious."
Suntory Vesper
What sets the Suntory Vesper apart is the vodka and gin spirits.
SUNTORY VESPER RECIPE
- 2 parts Roku Gin
- 1 part Haku Vodka
- 1/2 part Lillet
Start with 2 parts Roku Gin. Roku means 'six' in Japanese which represents the different botanicals Roku Gin uses to create its distinct flavor, "We've got Sakura, which is cherry blossom and we harvest in the spring, two different types of green tea, a sansho pepper which is a little bit spicy on the finish and then some yuzu citrus peel, which is a native citrus from Japan that gives it this really bright fresh high note." .
Add 1 part Haku Vodka, "Haku means 'white' in Japanese or can be read as 'brilliant' so it's referring to the Japanese white rice that we use to distill with," said Holman. "It's a rice distillate and it's actually filtered with bamboo charcoal which makes it really creamy and soft with a nice, rich mouthfeel."
Mix the Roku Gin and Haku Vodka together and add the Lillet last. Then add ice and stir. This helps to chill and dilute the cocktail.
A cocktail shaker is not recommended as the action of shaking changes the texture of the drink. It will add more aeration and cause the drink to dilute even faster than stirring.
Compared to the Toki Highball, the Suntory Vesper is recommended after a hard day's work and perfect for martini drinkers.
This segment sponsored by Beam Suntory. Watch New Day Northwest 11:00 weekdays on KING-TV Ch.5 or streaming live on KING5.com. Connect with New Day via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.