The Japanese Cocktail
There are old cocktails, and then there are OLD cocktails. As the written record goes, we can only go back as far as 1862, which is when Jerry Thomas wrote the first bartender’s guide, and thus had the first opportunity to see actual recipes for the drinks that bartenders had already been making for many years. In those days, cocktails were simply one small section of the drinks that bartenders were making, and not even necessarily a very important section. In “The Bartender’s Guide”, Mr. Thomas includes at the very front of the book, a large collection of almost 80 different Punch recipes, followed by Juleps, Smashes, and Cobblers before getting to the Cocktail section.
There are only 10 cocktail recipes included in this volume, a very small number when you consider that there are over 200 total recipes included in this volume. Of those 10 recipes, we see such exciting names as “Brandy Cocktail”, “Fancy Brandy Cocktail”, “Gin Cocktail”, and “Fancy Gin Cocktail”. All fine drinks in their own right, but ones that don’t really reflect the fanciful names that are used to today. Nestled within this set of recipes however, you will see a fascinating cocktail, which unfortunately is rarely seen these days, the Japanese.
Japanese Cocktail
- 2 ounces brandy
- 1/2 ounce orgeat (almond syrup)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
It has been suggested that this drink was most likely created by Jerry Thomas himself, and named in honor of a recent visit by the Japanese delegation to New York.
Orgeat [ohr-ZHAY] is the secret ingredient in this drink, which provides a wonderful complexity of flavor without being over the top sweet. The bitters, a requirement for anything called a “cocktail”, act as a wonderful moderator to just make sure that the sweetness doesn’t get out of hand. Orgeat may be hard to find, even at places that sell coffee syrups, but Almond Syrup should be a lot easier. The main difference between the two is that Orgeat is traditionally cloudy, and includes a little orange flower water, while Almond syrup is clear.
This cocktail is a great introduction to cocktails, and plays well for people that normally prefer sweeter drinks, as well as those who are more apt to tend towards the stronger drinks such as the Martini or the Manhattan. I’d love to see this drink get more visibility and recognition, and if you give it a try I’m sure you’ll agree with me.
If you are interested in getting a copy of Jerry Thomas’ book, it thankfully has been recently republished, you can find it here.
