Recipe

• 1.5oz green tea vodka (St. Royale)
• .5oz lemon juice
• .25oz mint syrup
• .25oz blanco vermouth (Dolin Blanc)
• Dash of floral bitters (I used Bittercube Bolivar, which has jasmine/chamomile/cinnamon)
• Splash of soda water

Shake all ingredients except the soda water with ice and directly dump into a glass. Top off with soda water and garnish with some dried nori seaweed. The longer you let it sit, the more seaweed-y it’ll be, so adjust to taste, from no seaweed, to a quick dip, or let it sit the whole time as you sip.

About

I don’t see nori (dried salted seaweed) used in cocktails too much, but it adds a nice ocean-y savoriness that balances perfectly with fruity and crisp flavors. Here’s an asian-inspired punch, using a green tea vodka, mint syrup, and nori. The seaweed is optional as the drink is still tasty without it, but it really adds an awesome flavor dimension for the more adventurous drinker.

PS it was also my first time making mint syrup. I followed Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s method. Blanch some mint by dipping it into boiling water for 15s then dunking into ice water (it helps to retain the green color). Remove and put the leaves into a blender along with simple syrup. Blend on high for a minute, then strain and bottle.