Japanese Maple
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 16.7% ABV ∙
The Japanese Maple is a whisky sour made with Japanese blended whisky, lemon juice, maple syrup and egg white, double-shaken and finished with a bitters mist. The dry shake builds a plush, cloud-like foam that cushions a bright, tangy core, finishing soft and faintly toasted where the bitters mist settles.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Japanese blended whisky 50 mlLemon juice 20 mlMaple syrup 15 mlEgg white 15 ml
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice)
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with an aromatic bitters mist
Tips
- Shake with ice first, then strain back into the shaker and dry-shake without ice — that order sets the foam after the drink is chilled and diluted.
- Fine-strain after the dry shake to leave any ice shards and pulp behind for a smooth, glossy surface.
- Pre-chill the coupe glass so the foam sets and holds its head longer once poured.
History
The Japanese Maple is a modern whisky sour created in 2009 by bartender Damian Windsor at The Roger Room, a cocktail bar in Los Angeles. The drink pairs Japanese whisky with maple syrup, giving the cocktail its name, alongside lemon juice and egg white in a riff on the classic whiskey sour format. It has since been widely reproduced in cocktail recipe collections as an example of Japanese whisky's use in contemporary American bartending.
FAQ
What is in a Japanese Maple cocktail?
Japanese blended whisky, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and egg white, double-shaken and finished with a mist of aromatic bitters. It is served up in a coupe glass with no other garnish.
What does a Japanese Maple cocktail taste like?
It tastes sweeter and softer than a standard whisky sour — the maple brings a caramel roundness where a plain sugar syrup would be sharper, and the finish stays dry rather than cloying. The texture is silky and lightly foamed, with a faint toasted note from the bitters misted over the top.
Is a Japanese Maple cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken twice. It is first shaken with ice to chill and dilute it, then dry-shaken without ice to build a stable foam from the egg white before fine-straining.
