This is a twist on the Japanese Cocktail that dates back to the mid-1860s. Cocktail historian David Wondrich (author of books Imbibe! and Punch) suggests that the name of the original stemmed from the frequent visits to Jerry Thomas’s bar by a member of Japan’s first diplomatic mission to America. The key “improvement” here comes by way of the addition of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice and Peychaud’s bitters.
There are many competing theories on creating the best eggnog, and it’s tough to separate fact from fiction. If you have the patience, Alton Brown’s 3-week recipe from his website is an excellent example of the aged approach (although some suggest aging for a year!). Jeffrey Morgenthaler serves an añejo tequila version at his bar Clyde Common in Portland. The version below is more traditional and also comes from Morgenthaler. Try them all!
Brandy just feels like Fall, and the addition of some homemade pear syrup and Woodford Reserve cherry aromatic bitters came together in this original drink I created last year.
