In this cocktail series by Japanese legend Nikka and VisitChef magazine, in which selected bartenders create original cocktails, today we present a drink by Tomáš Gawlowski from Prague’s Hemingway Bar. “I wanted to make people stop for a moment. We’re always rushing towards some goal and often overlook the beauty around us. With this refreshing drink, I believe it’s possible to slow down,” says its creator, Tomáš Gawlowski.
The Bonsai cocktail is based on the symbolism of its individual ingredients, which together create the image of a miniature tree. The wooden trunk represents whisky, the roots ginger, the fruit mandarin, the flowers orange blossom water, and the leaves dill. The drink thus combines Japanese inspiration with a Prague setting and transports the guest into the atmosphere of a spring hanami.
Like the other cocktails at the Hemingway Bar, Bonsai works with the moment, emotion and memory. It offers refreshment not only for the palate, but also for the mind.
Name: Bonsai
Recipe:
A splash of orange blossom water
25 ml Nikka From The Barrel
60 ml mandarin & ginger soda
5 ml lime cordial
5 ml Lillet Blanc infused with fresh dill
Garnish: fried dill
Taste profile
Nose: floral and dill aromas underpinned by wood and ginger
Palate: woody, fresh flavour with citrus notes and a subtle vegetal hint
Texture: light body, gentle effervescence, clean and refreshing finish
This is a long, sparkling cocktail featuring elements of the Japanese favourite: the whisky highball. Bonsai represents an unusual way of bringing Japan to the Czech Republic through taste, aroma and the atmosphere of the moment.
Creator: Tomáš Gawlowski, Hemingway Bar, Prague
