Flirtibird Cocktail Recipe

The Flirtibird is a Japanese-inspired bitter that pairs barley shochu with vivid yuzu juice, a contact of agave syrup, and aromatic contemporary shiso. Plum salt gives the savory-sour rim. Created by bartender Shingo Gokan on the pioneering New York Metropolis speakeasy Angel’s Share, the drink has usually been described as a Japanese tackle the Tommy’s Margarita.

When Angel’s Share opened in 1993, it launched one thing solely new to the US: a Japanese-style cocktail bar outlined by meticulous approach and an virtually reverential consideration to element. In its early years, it was a hidden gem recognized principally to devoted cocktail lovers. As phrase unfold, the bar turned a touchstone of the trendy cocktail motion, influencing a era of trailblazing spots, together with Sasha Petraske’s Milk & Honey.

Whereas the precise yr of the Flirtibird’s debut is unclear, the drink rose to prominence round 2014 as considered one of Angel’s Share’s signature serves, sealing its standing as a contemporary traditional.

Why the Flirtibird works

Natural, juicy, and well-balanced, the Flirtibird follows the traditional bitter template. Japanese distilled spirit shochu types the bottom of the cocktail, and Angel’s Share’s authentic recipe requires barley shochu. Generally known as mugi shochu, this model is prized for its gentle, earthy profile and refined nutty notes. It’s usually lighter and extra versatile in cocktails than richer varieties produced from candy potato or sugar.

Yuzu — usually described as a cross between lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin — brings a posh, extremely fragrant acidity to the drink. That brightness is gently rounded by clear, understated agave syrup. Muddled shiso leaf provides a refreshing carry paying homage to mint, layered with basil-like natural complexity and hints of licorice and clove. A lightweight dusting of plum salt on the rim ties all of it collectively, delivering a savory-tart edge that makes every sip pop.