Shochu Cocktail Recipe: Day Break

Nankai Imo Shochu Cocktail by Kendra Hada

The “Day Break” shochu cocktail is by Japanese-American bartender and Nikaido brand ambassador Kendra Hada, whom we featured in our Bartender Interview series. Showcasing Nankai’s imo shochu and barrel-aged kokuto shochu, Day Break was originally released in 2024 during the SF AAPI Cocktail Week at a cocktail collaboration pop-up with Kendra. (Incidentally, Kendra’s cocktail pop-up was one of the only events to completely sell out.) Kendra recently re-designed the Day Break so that beer & wine on-premise restaurants in California and New York can sell the cocktail.

Kendra Hada began her journey in bartending by working the front of house at a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, but soon joined up with cocktail legends Dave Arnold and Don Lee to open Existing Conditions. She also honed her skills alongside another legend, Lynnete Marrero, before moving to San Francisco. In 2023 she won the Japanese Sake and Shochu Association’s shochu cocktail contest. All this to say that Kendra truly knows how to craft a shochu-based cocktail.

Day Break is a delicate but flavorful highball-style cocktail combining Nankai’s sweet potato shochu and barrel-aged kokuto shochu with an orange liqueur from Mommenpop, smoked salt and pepper bitters, and homemade banana syrup (oleo saccharum). Kendra’s approach to cocktails is to balance flavors and ratios, especially when it comes to low ABV shochu cocktails. The result is stunning and sure to be a hit with drinkers and diners alike.

What makes Day Break further interesting is that Kendra likes to blend different shochus to complement flavors. In this case, she uses Nankai Imo Black, a flavorful and rich imo shochu, and Nankai White Oak, a fragrant barrel-aged black sugar shochu. The result is a perfect balance of flavor and aroma, further enhanced by the additions of orange, banana, and smoked salt.

Nankai Imo Shochu Cocktail by Kendra Hada
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Day Break

A craft highball cocktail created by Kendra Hada and featuring Nankai Imo Black Shochu, Nankai White Oak, and a homemade banana syrup.
Prep Time1 day
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time1 day 5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Cocktail
Keyword: amami kokuto spirits, banana, imo shochu, nankai imo black, nankai white oak
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 99.5kcal
Author: Kendra Hada

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Nankai Imo Black
  • 0.5 oz Nankai White Oak
  • 0.5 oz Mommenpop Seville Orange
  • 2 dashes FloraLuna Smoked Salt and Pepper Bitters
  • 0.25 oz Banana Syrup
  • 3 oz Soda Water

Banana Syrup

  • 250 g Banana Peels
  • 250 g Sugar
  • 250 g Water

Instructions

Make Banana Syrup

  • Combine banana peels and sugar in a container. Make sure peels are covered by sugar.
    250 g Banana Peels, 250 g Sugar
  • Let banana peels and sugar rest for a minimum 4 hours to overnight.
  • Add hot water to the banana and sugar mix.
    250 g Water
  • Stir until sugar is dissolved.
  • Strain and store in refrigerator.

Day Break Cocktail

  • Combine shochu, bitters, Mommenpop liqueur, and banana syrup in a highball glass over ice.
    1 oz Nankai Imo Black, 0.5 oz Nankai White Oak, 0.5 oz Mommenpop Seville Orange, 2 dashes FloraLuna Smoked Salt and Pepper Bitters, 0.25 oz Banana Syrup
  • Top with soda water.
    3 oz Soda Water
  • Stir and agitate to mix everything well.
  • Garnish with a shiso leaf and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 5.25oz | Calories: 99.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.25g | Sugar: 4.5g

If you’re interested in other highball cocktails featuring Nankai, try these:

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