Enthusiasts of classic cocktails and sake will enjoy this post. The Sake Old Fashioned is a light, savory, complex drink and easy to make at home.
This post will cover several variations that have different flavor profiles. Give them a try and let me know what you think by sharing your thoughts below.
Umami Old Fashioned
The umami Old Fashioned is a rich, sake-forward drink. You’ll need a powerful or barrel-aged sake to make one. The meaty Tamagawa and Kenbishi brands come to mind. And so do cedar-aged sake like Choryo Yoshinosugi.
- 1 oz whisky
- 1 oz sake
- dash simple or muddled sugar cube
- a few dashes each Angostura and orange bitters
For my palate, this is the ultimate sake Old Fashioned. The savory and nutty character of the sake melds perfectly with the backbone and barrel-aged spice in the whisky. This version of the drink is lighter and more drinkable than the classic version but also more complex.
The above recipe also works with other genshu sake brands. Narutotai, Kamoizumi “Red Maple”, and “Cowboy” are a few excellent brands that I recommend trying.
Kijoshu and Whisky
Kijoshu is a sweet style of sake that makes an excellent sugar substitute in an Old Fashioned. But it can be pricey and hard to find.
Look out for Hanahato Kijoshu. Lengthy aging has made this sweet sake rich, savory, and nutty. It makes for a killer after-dinner Old Fashioned. Lighter kijoshu work too. Hakkaisan and Mizubasho make cleaner, less intense kijoshu.
A Simple Sake Old Fashioned
Making sake simple syrup is super easy.
Simply mix a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of sugar and warm sake. Stir the mixture until all the sugar dissolves and store in the fridge. You can use any sake. And it also works as a substitute for regular simple syrup in other classic cocktails like the Mojito, Daiquiri, Frech 75, and the Tom Collins.
- 1.0 oz whisky
- 0.5 oz sake
- 0.5 oz sake simple syrup
- a few dashes each Angostura and orange bitters
This recipe makes a smooth and refreshing sake Old Fashioned. The sake adds complexity is also light and drinkable. I highly recommend making this with a koji whisky like Ohishi or Fukano, if possible.