Kotobuki Old-Fashioned
Joshua White’s Japanese-inspired take on the Old-Fashioned is light in color but bold in flavor. Japanese whisky is paired with a Highland malt-blended Scotch as the base, the combination delivering notes of oak, orchard fruit, and baking spice, with subtle undertones of pine sap and citrus from a Douglas fir eau-de-vie. Our housemade sesame orgeat stands in for the usual sweetener, lending a rich nuttiness that rounds out the drink’s layered character. It’s a fitting tribute to Death & Co D.C.’s home city, where cherry blossom season serves as a living tie between two countries—the trees themselves a gift from Japan more than a century ago. The drink takes its name from kotobuki, a Japanese word meaning good fortune, longevity, and celebration: an apt toast for a season as brief as it is beautiful.
Kotobuki Old-Fashioned
1 ounce Compass Box Artist Blend Scotch
¾ ounce Hibiki Harmony Japanese whisky
¼ ounce Sesame Orgeat (see Note)
½ teaspoon Clear Creek Douglas Fir eau-de-vie
2 dashes Bitter Truth aromatic bitters
Garnish: 1 lemon coin
Stir all the ingredients with ice, then strain into a single old-fashioned glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with the lemon coin.
Note: To make Sesame Orgeat, combine 500 grams cane sugar, 500 grams demerara sugar, 500 grams hot water, 1 gram salt, 1 gram orange flower water, and 1 gram sesame oil in a blender and blend until most of the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat and whisk until all of the sugar has dissolved. Let cool, then bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.
RECIPES STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX!
Sign up to be the first to know when we post a new recipe.