Amami Island Colada

Chris Bostick | Austin, Texas

Amami Island Colada

During Shochu Week, bar tastemakers showcase their individual flavor and cocktail flair by incorporating shochu from different Japanese regionalities and ingredients into a special, limited-time cocktail menu—learn more and find a bar near you.

As the name alludes, this tropical-leaning drink is inspired by the Amami Islands, an archipelago in the Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan, where Jougo shochu is made. Inspired by the subtropical, high-humidity climate, “I thought a spin on a colada would work perfectly here,” Chris Bostick notes. Since apricots grow well in the region, he added a touch of apricot liqueur, which “really brought this cocktail together.”

Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 ounces Jougo shochu
  • 2 1/2 ounces Jougo shochu
  • 1/2 ounce matcha brown sugar coconut cream (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/2 ounce matcha brown sugar coconut cream (see Editor’s Note)
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/4 ounce apricot liqueur
  • 1/4 ounce apricot liqueur
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Garnish: matcha-dusted dehydrated lemon wheel

Directions
  1. Shake all ingredients with several nuggets of crushed ice.
  2. Pour into a frozen double Old-Fashioned glass.
  3. Fill with crushed ice and pack down, creating a dome of ice above the surface of the drink.
  4. Garnish with a matcha-dusted dehydrated lemon wheel.
Editor's Note

Matcha Brown Sugar Coconut Cream
15 ounces full-fat unsweetened coconut cream
4 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
3/4 tablespoon high-quality matcha green tea powder

Blend together all ingredients with an immersion blender.

Tagged: partner, shochu week