Saké Stars in Summertime Cocktails

Summertime has us feeling free-spirited, and we’re looking to sip something more exotic. Local bartenders must be feeling the same way, given the spate of cocktails made with Japan’s favorite alcoholic potion, saké. At Mai Lee in Brentwood, owner Qui Tran has worked with mixologist Jason Main of The Wine Merchant to develop two saké cocktails for the Vietnamese restaurant’s summer drink list. The first is a basic but primo saké Martini featuring fruity Karen “Coy” junmai saké with Bombay gin and Cointreau. A flamed orange peel lends an extra touch of citrus to this dry yet sneakily smooth cocktail. Also available is a green tea saké Martini made from Matsunoi “Wishing Well” Tokubetsu honjozo saké, which Main described as an “almondy, whiskey-like sake.” It also includes Yazi ginger-infused vodka, the very floral Charbay barrel-aged green tea vodka and fresh ginger on the rim of the glass. Miso on Meramec is also offering some brand-new tipples that include two saké cocktails created by bar manager Marc Sandt and general manager Frank Romano. The Sakito is an Asian spin on a Mojito that features the new-to-St. Louis Moonstone Coconut Lemongrass Saké, a milky saké infusion by Oregon-based craft saké brewer SakeOne, and fresh lime and mint, crisp lemongrass, and creamy coconut. The Zen Martini puts a spotlight on Miso’s best-selling saké label, Sho Chiku Bai. “It’s delicate, silky smooth and dry with a fruity aroma,” said Sandt. Add muddled cucumber, Hendrick’s gin and Thatcher’s cucumber liqueur, also a product that’s only recently hit the St. Louis market, and you’ve got the perfect balance of yin and yang. While previewing the extensive cocktail menu for Ginger Bistro, The Loop’s new Asian spot debuting this summer, we encountered several saké cocktails. A few of the drinks, like the Gingered Pineapple Martini and the colorful Asian Fetish (gin, grenadine, sweet and sour, 7-Up and Chambord raspberry liqueur), call for floating half an ounce of unfiltered saké – it’s earthier, shaggier and more complex than filtered saké – atop the poured drink. You’ll also find premium saké shaken or stirred in numerous cocktails. The Kanpai, a fruity martini that uses Harushika Tokimeki sparkling saké, caught our eye. And the tangy, fizzy Peach Clouds, a combination of premium unfiltered saké, ginger liqueur, peach purée and ginger beer, could be another summer sensation.