Yuzu Sake Gimlet

This Yuzu Sake Gimlet was inspired by a yuzu sake margarita I had at Katla in Oslo. Katla is known for its bold combination of Nordic ingredients with Asian and Latin American flavours, and margaritas are a big part of its drinks offering.

Read our feature on our visit to Katla in Oslo →

I loved the idea of pairing the bright, aromatic citrus of yuzu with sake, but wanted to create my own version at home. Rather than tequila, this one uses vodka for a cleaner base, with sake bringing a subtle savoury depth. Fresh cucumber adds a crisp, cooling note, while pandan syrup gives it a gentle sweetness and an extra layer of fragrance.

The result is a refreshing, citrus forward cocktail that sits somewhere between a gimlet and a Japanese inspired sour. It’s bright, fresh and dangerously easy to drink.

Inspired by a drink at Katla, but very much my own recipe.

Serves: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

For the cocktail

• 50ml vodka
• 50ml sake
• 25ml yuzu juice
• 15ml pandan syrup, or simple syrup
• A squeeze of fresh lime
• 3 slices cucumber
• Ice

To garnish

• 2 slices cucumber
• A strip of yuzu peel

Method

1. Chill your glass

Pop your tumbler into the freezer while you prepare the cocktail. A properly chilled glass keeps everything beautifully cold from the first sip to the last.

2. Build the cocktail

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

Add the vodka, sake, yuzu juice and pandan syrup, followed by a generous squeeze of fresh lime.

Add three slices of cucumber.

3. Shake

Secure the lid and shake vigorously. Don’t be shy here. A good shake chills the cocktail while bruising the cucumber and releasing some of its fresh flavour into the drink.

4. Pour

Fill your chilled tumbler with fresh ice and strain the cocktail over it.

5. Garnish

Add two slices of cucumber to the glass.

Take a strip of yuzu peel and twist it over the surface of the cocktail to release its fragrant oils, then drop it into the glass.

Why it works

Yuzu has an intensely aromatic citrus flavour that sits somewhere between lemon, grapefruit and mandarin, making it a natural partner for a clean spirit and sake.

The cucumber keeps things fresh and cooling, while the pandan syrup adds just enough sweetness to round out the sharpness of the yuzu and lime. If you don’t have pandan syrup, simple syrup works perfectly well.

And while the original inspiration came from a margarita, swapping tequila for vodka gives this version a softer, cleaner profile that lets the yuzu, sake and cucumber do the talking.

Tips

Don’t skip the cucumber. It might seem like a garnish rather than an essential ingredient, but shaking those three slices directly into the cocktail makes a noticeable difference. You get that fresh, almost spa like cucumber flavour running through the drink.

And if you’re feeling fancy, don’t just throw the yuzu peel in. Twist it over the glass first. The burst of yuzu oil will make all the difference to the senses.