Recipe

• 2oz Japanese whisky (Hibiki Japanese Harmony)
• 2 sugar cubes (about 2tsp)
• Half a yuzu, cut into 4 pieces
• 1oz soda water

Muddle the yuzu with the sugar cubes until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add the whisky, and stir well to combine. Finally, fill the glass with ice, add a splash of soda water, and stir well.

About

Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that falls somewhere along the lines of a Meyer lemon and a lime – super fragrant, floral, and tart. It’s often used to create the popular ponzu sauce (like a citrus-y soy sauce), and is known for its fragrant zest.

Looks-wise, it’s similar to a lime with slightly rougher skin (I hear it turns yellow as it ripens in winter months). And it has a lot of large seeds. Like, A LOT (note all the holes). The seeds were traditionally used for medicinal purposes.

To take advantage of the entire fruit (peel and pulp), I decided to deploy it in a caipirinha-inspired drink. Instead of using the native Brazilian spirit cachaça, I stuck to the theme and used a Japanese whisky. Did you know that Brazil has the highest population of Japanese people outside of Japan? The flavor is so warm and complex from the aged whisky, yet floral, tart and sweet from the yuzu. Delicious.