Roku Recipe

Chill glass

Place a coupe or old-fashioned glass in the freezer for several minutes or fill it with ice water while you build the drink to ensure it is well chilled.

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass or shaker (not for shaking, but for stirring), add the Japanese whisky, dry vermouth, yuzu liqueur, maraschino liqueur, one dash Angostura bitters and one dash orange bitters.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with 6 large ice cubes. Using a bar spoon, stir the mixture briskly but smoothly for 30–40 seconds (about 20–30 full turns) until the outside of the mixing glass becomes very cold and the drink is well diluted and slightly silky.

Prepare serving glass

If you chilled the serving glass with ice water, dump it now. If using an old-fashioned glass, add one large clear ice cube. If using a coupe, simply ensure it is chilled and dry.

Strain

Double-strain the stirred cocktail from the mixing glass into the prepared serving glass using a hawthorne or julep strainer and, if desired, a fine mesh strainer to catch any small chips of ice or solids.

Garnish and finish

Express the oils of a lemon twist over the surface of the cocktail by holding the twist peel-side down about 2–3 inches above the drink and giving it a sharp bend. Run the twist around the rim, then drop it into the drink as garnish.

Serve immediately and enjoy. Tasting notes: balanced whisky backbone with bright citrus yuzu, light herbal dryness from vermouth and a hint of cherry from maraschino.