Japanese Cocktail

The Japanese Cocktail Cocktail

Lightly sweetened and diluted cognac flavored with almond and a hint of spice. The Japanese Cocktail is accompanied with no explanation of its namesake, nor do its ingredients lead one to believe it is of any Asian persuasion. This vanguard cocktail perhaps had something to do with a visit (or four) paid to Thomas’s New York City bar on Broadway by a member of Japan’s first diplomatic mission to America, Tateishi Onojirou Noriyuki, or “Tommy,” as he was known among the ladies.

Bartender Tip:

The grape distillate adds more fruit aromas and flavors. And in place of simple syrup, there is the all-too-tasty orgeat, an almond-based sweetener. These changes make the drink taste rich with hints of fruit along with a nutty sweetness and thicker mouthfeel.