The Japanese Cocktail is not Japanese - old vs new
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
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Today we’re making two versions of the Japanese Cocktail! I know what you're thinking - it's not actually Japanese. This one goes way back - originally created by Jerry Thomas, we first see the recipe in 1862. Well over a century later, Toby Cecchini makes the Improved Japanese Cocktail. Though the category of “improved” cocktails isn’t new, rarely do we see the addition of one ingredient change the style of the original drink all together! In this case, it’s citrus juice (turning the drink into a sour). I thought this would be an interesting comparison, and to keep things fair, I’m staying true to each bartender’s original ratios. Is the modern drink really an improvement? Is it too far removed from the original to share its name? And why’s it called the Japanese Cocktail if nothing about it is Japanese? Let’s talk about this over a drink. Cheers!
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TIME STAMPS
Intro: 0:00
Original Grain: 0:42
The History: 1:55
The Booze: 3:51
The Original Recipe: 5:13
The Improved Recipe: 5:27
Sips: 6:03
THE JAPANESE COCKTAIL (Jerry Thomas) 5:13
2 oz. (60 ml) Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1/2 oz. (15 ml) Orgeat
2 dashes Boker’s style (cardamom) bitters
Expressed lemon oil for garnish
THE IMPROVED JAPANESE COCKTAIL (Toby Cecchini) 5:27
1.5 oz. (45 ml) Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
3/4 oz. (22.5 ml) Orgeat
3/4 oz. (22.5 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
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Good to be back! You take one week off and it feels like eternity. So how are things?
I made some eggnog to age until the holidays, so things are prettttty good at the moment!
Super good :) just bought some new rum bottles like 20th anniversary plantation and few bottles of havana club 😊
I am working on a maracuja/chocolate cocktail that was more Old Fashioned style and instead turned into a sour, which feels appropriate for this video.
Glad you’re back! I really wish I enjoyed alcohol because all of the cocktails you make look delicious! Also, when you make your home made grenadine, do you use pomegranates and juice them, or do you buy the Pompom juice? I think you would have a much brighter more vibrant grenadine if you use actual pomegranates.
Welcome back!!! I just started following your channel a couple of weeks ago, I’ve gotten more into cocktails as I approach and get into my 40s( I’m getting old). Learn new things all the time from you. Orgeat?!?! An almond syrup?!?! Who knew. Always enjoy your videos and learning new liquors/ cocktails. How do you make that homemade Orgeat syrup?
Unless I'm mistaken, the original cocktail is stirred with a lemon peel. It's a technique that shows up in a lot of Jerry Thomas cocktails and in that era (along with shaking with citrus peels). Personally I think it's a very valid technique which has gone by the wayside without good reason. It's a great way to incorporate citrus oils *into* the drink, without using juice and not just garnishing on top. I highly recommend trying it in this, and other Jerry Thomas cocktails, when he calls for it. Also, when I make the Japanese cocktail, I serve it on rocks in a rocks glass. In that case, I think the extra dilution you get as you sip it slowly helps cut the sweetness.
Agree. I like doing this^ method for the rusty nail in particular. As I feel lemon zest is aromatic overkill for that drink - but stirring with the peel in is just right and changes flavor slightly for the better. Cheers!
Stirring citrus peels in a cocktail is super underrated
that's interesting. I've often had the thought of shaking lemon peel but am like "well I never see this maybe there's somethin gwrong with it..." gonna have to try...
Makes sense to me as a reformer drummer who stood out from that crowd because I like cocktails more than shooters okay a lot more than shooters
I like using this technique you mention AND shaking with citrus. Both do add something that simply expressing the citrus oil on top of the drink doesn't. Love it when people do the special little things that make a drink noticeably better.
Best feeling ever is seeing a new Anders video where I already have all the ingredients
About the three names, samurai of the period would have their family name, given name, and also a courtesy name.
Calling someone by their given name was basically declaring that you were their superior, so the courtesy name was the most used one (though this custom might have been somewhat obsolete by the time of the mission.)
Az might be familiar with the names Oda Saburo Nobunaga or Kinoshita Toukichirou Hideyoshi for instance, though being daimyo they had at least three more names in addition to that!
So, Tateishi was supposedly only 17 at the time of the embassy and a translator-in-training under his father. "Noriyuki" could have been a family pet name that was only picked up because of a relative being around. It wasn't uncommon in per-modern Japan to have a birth name that would be mostly used by family members and then adopting a new name or a variation on your birth name on reaching adulthood. It also was pretty common to adopt additional given names after studying under a particular teacher or religious institution, not terribly unlike taking a saint's name as your middle name after being consecrated in the Catholic church.
Interesting tidbit!
This channel has legit become my fav on YT rather quickly. Thanks for all the work you put into creating these videos!
I'm so glad you made one of my favorite vintage cocktails. I read the recipe and actually it was built in the glass like an old fashioned where you put an lemon peel and stirred it as an ingredient. It really is great. I invented a drink with it substituting arak for cognac, which is an anise liquor drink that originated in Lebanon, spread to Syria, Jordan, and the palestinan territories and brought by syrian jews to Israel where it has become the national drink as well as the national drink of the others(it's really the only thing we can agree upon) and an orange peel for the lemon peel. It really is summer in a glass and I could sip it all day. Much love Anders.
Cheers, Daniel! Love the Arak addition - will have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!
Ok, this is weird - I've just made a Japanese cocktail for the first time ever (I'm having an evening of making cocktails new to me), had one sip and refreshed UA-cam and this video is at the top of the list!
Hahaha it was meant to be. This one's for you, Darren - Cheers!
@@AndersErickson I liked the old recipe although it is quite sweet and syrupy. I just made and tried the improved version and I have to agree, it is very much improved! Love your channel, keep up the great work!
Anders. My dog can tell time.
Every morning at 7am he starts whining until I get up.
Every evening at 7pn he starts whining until I give him his dinner.
Its seriously like clockwork. Scruffy dude just knows.
Always love the trips into the history behind the cocktails! I’ve only got a small hole bar so couldn’t make the original with the cardamon bitters but made the improved version, substituting peychaud’s for angostura. The colour might not be as nice but it’s still an incredible cocktail! Reminds me of a French 75, suppose because of the brandy and lemon juice, but looking forward to more sips, tips and recipes!
I really like how your recent videos have been presenting the drinks with variants. I typically watch for cocktails that I already enjoy, so having an avenue of exploration pointed out is really nice! Well done as always!
as a person with Japanese ancestry, i appreciate Az's thoughts on Tommy's name. the three names made me do a double-take (haha) too. i'd love to know the story behind how he got three names! (i can guess how he got his americanized name)
Love the texture and taste of the improved version!!
I just finished following your recipe for Orgeat and looked for a new drink to try it on! So thanks for both!
I enjoy the Improved version; it's in the rotation. I like Az-san's idea of trying some Cardoman bitters in the mix (maybe just one dash and keep the Peychaud's for the color). We shall see! Kampai!
Just tried the improved cocktail and am loving it! Thanks for sharing! I'm now thinking I need to make a spot to save all the cocktails you make that I want to try. So I can actually find the right one at the right time. The notes laying around my kitchen are no longer working. You've expanded my curiosity in food to cocktails. Cheers.
Hands down the best Food&Beverage channel. Keep up the amazing work
Wow, Anders, I thought your Japanese pronunciation was good … ‘til I heard Az! 💯
Both of these cocktails look super interesting. I'll give them a try this weekend! Thanks Anders!
Good way to enjoy the weekend!
Yessss!!! I was hoping this would come to the channel!!!
According to Japanese Wikipedia Tateishi Onojirou Noriyuki isn't his real name. I am not sure where the Noriyuki comes from, but Tateishi Onojirou (立石斧次郎) is one of seven(!) Japanese names and aliases in addition to the English Tommy said to be used by him in the article. Tommy apparently came from one of the Japanese names he used, Tamehachi Tame. Tateishi is after his maternal uncle. The name Japanese Wikipedia list him under is Nagano Keijiro, but that is not the name he had as a child. Seems like that is just the one he ended up with later in life.
Always fun and interesting, great episode!
As for the three name question... I don't know if this will apply to this case but Japanese immigrants to South American countries often adopt the double last name convention found in Spanish. The former president of Peru, for example, is Alberto Fujimori Fujimori as both his parents had that surname. His daughter's full name is Keiko Fujimori Higuchi.
That's most likely not the case. By 1860, the time this cocktail was developed, Japan was still ruled by the Tokugawas. It was only the previous year that they were compelled, or rather forced, to open their borders and allow some of their citizens to travel abroad. Japanese immigration and the subsequent westernization is more of a Meiji phenomenom. Maybe this dude just had some excentric parents. After all, the shogunate wouldn't let some random peasant to travel to the US.
Happy weekend 😊
Missed you last week, thanks for the content, always love your posts!
Cheers, Kevin!
WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THE DOG ! ❤🐶
Thank you, Anders! I tried the cardamom bitters in this last night and it was lovely.
Just made the improved and I have to say it's one of my new favorites. Thanks for the recommendation!
Glad you're back this week. Great video.
Good to be back!
Good to have you back! 👍👍👍👍
Thanks Sean! Good to be back 🍻
I did not know the name of this one, but I stumbled onto the Improved Japanese Cocktail about a year ago when i was just messing around with drinks.
We always have a bottle of brandy on hand for my mother's Wisconsin Old Fashioneds. I had recently read Smuggler's Cove, and realized that brandy and orgeat go fairly well together. I ended up tossing in some Peychaud’s because it was new to my collection at the time and I wanted to try it. It went over fairly well in my house.
Thank you for finally giving me the name for it.
Nicely done! I know that feeling of creating a new cocktail only to learn it's been created before. Shows you know what you're doing and are in good company!
Tried improved one with Angostura bitters and loved it! Never even tried other aromatic bitters, but even with Ango it is a DREAM! Thank you so much for this video! Спасибо!
It was a very long week for me waiting for new your video. I made the “Improved” Japanese cocktail - (I also used your orgeat recipe). Delicious! The fresh lemon juice helps balance the cocktail which would otherwise be cloying sweet.
Welcome back! Hope your week was restful. Great video
Thanks Mark! Cheers!
Great video, I'll probably just try the improved. Also always happy to have Oz on the show.
Yay! Az is back! Great video. 🙂
Pretty sweet Cocktails my friend, love the video and you just got a
Another subscriber! I need to watch more of your content, for sure.
Good to see you back!
Oh, that's good! Just made the new version, had everything on hand for a change 😁 Normally, with cocktails with that much lemon juice, I don't like the brightness. I dialled the lemon WAY back in the Aviation to 1/4 oz. because it takes liked alcoholic lemonade to me, but this new Japanese is delicious! Miss your artwork dancing across the video Az, but always happy to see you appear too! Cheers!
I hope you had a relaxing break! I'll try the improved version next time I'm making drinks.
Thanks for the video Anders and I need to get meself some cardamom bitters!
Cheers, Joonha! It was a nice break, and it's good to be back. Hope you enjoy this one!
Got home from work and wanted a cocktail. Checked my notifications and bam! Made the improved one and I love it. Great use of my Peychauds and orgeat.
I made the original Japanese cocktail with Bogart's Bitters from Bitter Truth (they claim to have recreated original Bogart's bitters) in a rock glass with ice and lemon peel, stirred, and I must say that I much prefer it to the improved version. I used 2 teaspoons of orgeat, 1/2 tsp of bitters and 1.5 oz of Armagnac. Thank you Anders for this lovely cocktail inspiration and the whole story. Your videos are the best! ❤
Hey Anders, just wanted to say that I have been following a plethora of cocktail channels on UA-cam for several years now but your channel truly is the most enjoyable, most relaxing, and most engaging channel that I have discovered so far. I have learned so much and created so much because of your content!
後、オーズはこのチャネルでほんまに大切追加です。二人がチカラの夫婦だ！オーズ、ありがとうございます！
Appreciate the kind words! Thank you so much!
Improved for the win. This classic gave me a reason to order another type of bitters. Thank you.
If you are ever in SE Florida we would love to set up a meet and greet with you.
I haven’t bartended in 10 years….and all of your videos makes me want to jump back into the field!!
Another great video. Another cocktail that I'm going to have try. The improved sounds delicious.
Cheers Nathan!
Just made a Japanese at home a few days ago! Can't wait to try the 'Improved' version!
Nice! Hope you enjoy the change!
Hi Anders! I really love your videos and your joy for all things cocktail! I am hoping you could find a recipe for me for a Blanket (Blank?) Statement. I had one at the Barrel Thief, here in Seattle, and it was FAB U LOUS. Ardbeg's Wee Beastie, Pomplamousse, lime and Aropol. Ever hear of it? The Ardbeg smoke combined with grapefruit is a beautiful thing. Thanks!
Anders..glad to see you back..keep it up…your channel is my #1 channel to come to for advice and ideas (along with Kevin Voss ;-) ) …this looks like a good one. Brandy/cognac ..sounds like original needs to back off the sweetness as the orgeat and biters are what set the tone . Maybe a rye would be a better base .? For sure I feel I need to get me some orgeat 😉
Just made the improved version and added a dash of cardamom bitter along with the Peychaud’s! Great drink!
I've only had this one with Angostura bitters. I'd be curious to try it with Boker's style bitters now that I have a bottle. I would try the improved version with them too.
Great video, Anders! The Improved version definitely sounds like it fits our modern palate better, it's definitely the one I'm more interested in trying. Cheers man!
Thanks! Cheers to you!
Love your video's, best wishes from UK
I recently made some walnut orgeat and I'm convinced it'd be awesome in this cocktail. I'll give it a shot tomorrow!
Hi Anders! Do you have any recommendations for a substitute to Peychauds Bitters? I cannot get this bottle in my country (Norway)
Super cool! I didnt know Toby cecchini did an "improved version" of the Japanese. Have you heard of the "Japonaise"? also by Toby! its an inspiration between a Mai tai and Japanese, with a special ingredient that i am sure Az would know about! ;)
Anders, thanks so much for highlighting these cocktails and their history. Picked up orgeat just to try the Improved Japanese Cocktail and I was not disappointed!
Made the New and Improved today! Wish I could share the photo! CHEERS!
love you guys!
anders amazing cocktail man. thank you and a question please. i am searching to find the video that you show us the garnish tou make i dont find it for a long time now,.can you help me?
I tried it with Fee Brothers Cherry bitters but not quite... added the Peychaud bitters and super delicious.
@anders erickson while we are discussing classic cocktails that no one drinks... I bought a bottle of Creme de Noyaux to make Pink Squirrels. Looking for other Creme de Noyaux cocktails I found the Jockey Club. No one has done it. It is in the Savoy book. Please.
the improved version reminds me of an Almond Blossom Crusta, the added gin is a nice touch, definitely recommend!
I can't find Boker's style bitters in Canada but I do have Peychaud's, gonna give the improved version a try this weekend, thanks Anders.
Hope you love it! Cheers!
Hey I love your videos. You should do a video of like your bar tour. Show us how you've built your home bar so that we could take inspiration for our own home bar setup. Would love to see how you've setup everything including the refrigerator and the Ice maker and everything. Hope you consider. Thanks.....
I just made the improved version and ❤ it!! I just may need to have two😂… don’t want the rest of that lemon to go to waste!
😂😂
Fantastic episode! I have a bottle of Bogarts Bitters that I just recently found so I can test it in this cocktail. What is your opinion on the Pierre Ferrand Cognac? I Noticed you have been using it quite a lot recently for mixing. Also, happy Friday Anders and Az, cheers! 🥂
Thanks, Dimitar! I was hoping to find a bottle of the Bogarts Bitters for this, but had no luck. Hope you enjoy it! As for the cognac - I really like the Pierre Ferrand for mixing. My go-to has always been Maison Rouge, but I haven't seen it on the shelves in over 6 months. I don't get it - seems all my standard bottles are disappearing!
@@AndersErickson Maybe it is a blessing in disguise, sometimes it's good to explore and experiment! I really love seeing you use both new bottles and new glasses on the channel!
@@AndersErickson Have you seen their renegade barrel collections? I see the nr 2 is available to me. A little expensive and feels a little wrong (as there are only 7000 bottles), but I think ill try it for mixing anyway.
This is one of my favorite "combination that doesn't seem like it would work cocktails". I started making a version of the improved a few months ago, Kevin Kos made a video suggesting that the Japanese would work as a sour and I was like "yo, I love sours", turns out I was pretty much making a spicy improved:
"The Japanese Sour" (really just a spicy Improved Japanese)
1.5 oz Brandy
.5 oz Rye
3/4oz Orgeat
3/4oz Lemon Juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Same sour build as the "improved" and I serve it on a big rock because it's my preference. I swear, when I made this I had some precedent for adding the rye, because there's no way in hell I'm smart enough to just go "I bet a little rye would make this better".
Anyway, great video.
Months later I remember I added the rye because of brandy and rye being the spirit combination in the sazerac.
I used my last lemon earlier this week and now I regret it... Looking forward to trying it though. Cheers!
Maybe the improved version could do with the addition of a small dash of cardamom bitters?
Welcome back! I need to make my own orgeat syrup or buy a better brand than what I did. I'll use your recipe for sure! 😉 👌
what is your opinion on the Elevated Craft Hybrid Cocktail Shaker?
Nice Drink! THANKS 👍😁👍
The original Version 👍
Refreshing and entertaining vids
Just made the Improved as I happened to have the ingredients. V good.
Seeing Fee Brothers bitters in these cocktail shows (Local company) is honestly awesome.
I found a recipe that uses lime insted of lemon. I think the flavor of lime goes surprisingly well with orgeat.
The Japanese cocktail was actually a huge inspiration for a cocktail I made a few years back called an unknown mother goose, cool to see it getting a bit of attention now, I was underwhelmed by it but lemon was one of the things I use in my cocktail to so now might be the time to retry it.
I appreciate this channel.
The feeling’s mutual 🥂
Thumbs up... the couple "at work" again... I like it!
5:32 The dexterity!!!
Thank you Anders for you amazing content. So far I've tried japanese cocktail just once, with Monin's orgeat and it was so terribly bad and artificial in taste that I thought would never love it again. However, will give it another chance with homemade orgeat! Cheers!
Great Video!
Cheers Julius!
Hello from Milwaukee! You know I have to say, I actually really like the original japanese cocktail with E&J XO brandy. E&J XO is pretty cheap and simple, but has this really nice butterscotch flavor. Most times I've tried mixing it in other drinks you lose out that flavor but in the OG version of this one you can taste it and It really is complemented well by the nuttiness of the orgeat and and my case the baking spices of angostura bitters. Cardamom bitters sound really good, I just didn't have any. Actually I think this would be a great drink to showcase the flavors of different bitters (ango, cardamom, mole, etc...) if you're using this particular brandy. Haven't tried it with others yet, but for E&J XO it works at least. It is on the sweeter side but I didn't find it to be overly sweet, and this is from a person who generally prefers food and drinks that are less sweet. Would highly recommend to try it out, a bottle by me is only ~$12. I guess I should mention the orgeat I used was homemade, with 2:1 ratio of sugar to almond milk and a few drops of orange blossom water. Haven't use any store bought orgeats.
Will try the improved Japanese cocktail, only because I can't find cardamom bitters here in New Zealand. I wonder if a little ground cardamon sprinkled over the top of the improved version just to give a little of that flavor would work?
I used the Liber & Co orgeat. And I think cause the color is darker than yours my coctail turned out light brown. Not pink at all. That is the improved that is. It tasted pretty good though.
Can I replace Peychaud’s bitters with Angostura bitters in this cocktail?
My fav Cognac/ Brandy cocktail.
The improved variation i came across long ago used lime not lemon, which is delicious btw. Cant wait to try lemon!
Anders, would you recommend substituting Angostura Bitters in this drink if needed?
You certainly can, but I’d scale it back - the Angostura has a stronger flavor and can easily take over.
Great video Anders (as always). I made the newer recipe and it was still way too sweet for me. Could have been my store bought orgeat. Had to drink a gin cocktail afterward to straighten things out. 😅
Happiness is a new Anders Erickson cocktail recipe, and you have all the ingredients! The Improved Japanese Cocktail is fantastic.
What are your ideas for holiday cocktails???
The improved is a great cocktail and I love it as is. I find swapping out the cognac for Rum Agricole makes a slightly better cocktail.
I made the Improved Japanese last night as soon as I watched this video. It's one of my new favorites! Anders, how do you think it would taste with a nice wheated bourbon instead of brandy?
I bet that’d taste great! Cheers!
@@AndersErickson On deck for next weekend, then. Thanks, Anders! Cheers!
The improved looks and sounds lovely. The air definitely helps make the drink more enjoyable. Or at least to me. Perhaps I'll just have to try it to prove my theory. Bartender Anders... I'll have one!! Hahahaha! Have a great weekend you two. Enjoy the weather before the evil "S**W" comes.
You mentioned shaking the cocktail with a citrus.. Why is that? I'm getting into mixology and I'd love to learn more.
Once more a cool video your channel is one of the best cocktail channel on UA-cam I'm planning to making some of the cocktails 🍸 for a birthday party and I'm planning on ordering some of the cocktails whan I'm out .
Cheers Raymond! Thanks!
I would love to see your top 20 person favorite drinks video...
Love the improvement! Yummy!
A nice! I'll make this shortly. And for my go-to store bought orgeat, I like Fee Brothers. Not at all bad in a pinch!
Off to crush citrus!
I tweaked this what an orange bitters. It was a coin toss between Rubar or Orange bitters.