Ki No Bi Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or fill with ice water to chill while you build the cocktail.

Add 60 ml Ki No Bi gin and 15 ml junmai sake to a cocktail shaker. The small amount of sake rounds the gin and adds soft rice sweetness.

Measure and add 15 ml fresh lemon juice and 7.5 ml fresh yuzu juice (or extra lemon if yuzu is unavailable) to the shaker to provide bright citrus backbone.

Add 12.5 ml honey syrup (1:1) for body and gentle sweetness, and 7.5 ml ginger liqueur for warm spice and subtle sweetness. Add 2 dashes orange bitters for aromatic depth.

Fill the shaker with ice (about 4–6 medium cubes). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–18 seconds until the shaker is very cold and slightly frosted. This both chills and dilutes the drink to proper balance.

Discard ice or water from the chilled glass. Double-strain the mixture into the chilled coupe or Nick & Nora using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer to remove ice shards and small pulp from citrus.

Take a thin cucumber ribbon or a single cucumber slice and gently drape it along the inside of the glass or rest it atop the drink for a vegetal, clean note that complements the gin botanicals.

Express a fresh yuzu or lemon peel over the surface to release essential oils, then run the peel around the rim and place it on the drink as a finishing garnish.

Serve immediately. The ideal balance is aromatic citrus and ginger with the delicate rice sake softness supporting the Ki No Bi gin botanicals.