Cocktail of the Week: The Sake Mojito

Who doesn’t love mojitos, the icy Cuban treat that’s the official drink of summer? Recognized as the Latino mint julep, this refreshing concoction of white rum, fresh mint leaves, sugar cane juice and lime is chilly enough to bring a little bit of arctic air on a sweltering hot day. Although this crisp, fizzy, tropical drink is a must-have for sun worshippers, mojitos are often a bartender’s worst nightmare. Unlike other cocktails which usually just require simple syrup and some shaking, adding too little or too much of the mojito’s basic ingredients can make this favorite overly bitter or teeth-shatteringly sweet. However, as temperatures continue to rise, mixologists are discovering new ways to enhance the mojito’s delicious flavor, and with some help from the East, anyone can prepare this yummy classic.

Like the mojito, sake, known as Japanese rice beer (some consider it wine), is becoming a widely demanded staple drink by those wanting a quick getaway without leaving their pools. Sake, which is light, highly alcoholic and brewed with warm spices, can be savored with typical summer dishes such as sushi or salad. Therefore, as a way to enjoy the tropics with Japanese flair, we’re combining two cocktail trends in one with a sake mojito. Made in Manhattan’s Benihana, the exotic sake mojito takes it up a notch with sweet rum and a blend of freshly squeezed citrus juices. For a cocktail that’s complex in taste, not in preparation, make the sake mojito your ultimate summer companion.

The Sake Mojito Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. rum
½ oz. sake
1 oz. mint syrup
2 oz. sour mix
4-6 lime wedges
6-8 fresh mint leaves
Club soda

PREPARATION:

Start by squeezing lime wedges into a cool, tall mixing glass. Then add fresh mint leaves. Gently muddle lime and mint leaves to extract juice and flavor. Add rum, sake, sour mix and mint syrup. Afterward, add ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds with a cocktail shaker. Top with a splash of club soda. Finally, garnish drink with a lime wedge and a mint sprig.