S2E4 // "Kazuca 2021" [Original Take]

Ginger, strawberry, rhubarb, and maple syrup. Does that sound like a combination that harmonizes well together? I would not have thought so until I put together this week’s cocktail, the Kazuca 2021. The name comes from combining the names of my two friends, Kazuma and Jessica, who married in 2021. I created this drink for their big day. I ended up batching three bottles of it, which we busted out and nearly finished after their rehearsal dinner.

The combination of flavors were inspired by a book called The Flavor Bible. It is a book that lists ingredients that pair nicely with each other, helping the reader come up with new, classic, or unique flavor profiles. I took into account their preferences in base spirit and flavor preferences in putting this drink together. They requested whisky, specifically Japanese whisky. In addition, they have an affinity for strawberries as well. I flipped through the book and found that ginger, strawberry, rhubarb, and maple syrup all work together beautifully. Using this knowledge, I found ways to hit each of those notes in my “Original Take” on an Old-Fashioned. I made sure to use all the different types of components at my disposal: syrups, bitters, liqueurs, and amaros.

Are you wondering why I muddled fresh ginger into ginger liqueur? Surely the ginger liqueur provides enough ginger flavor, right? Well, the ginger liqueur provides a gingery sweetness that’s a little syrupy and rich. That quality certainly gives body to the drink. What it is missing is a slightly sharp, spicy bite. To provide that, we muddle fresh ginger into the drink to impart some of that intense kick that we associate with ginger.

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