Craft gin cocktails anyone? The team at Tokyo Bird and premium Japanese craft gin brand Roku, created by the House of Suntory, are joining forces for a menu of autumn cocktails that capitalise on the art of ‘shun’. This is the Japanese way of enjoying the best of every season when ingredients are at the peak of their flavour and freshness.
’Roku’ means six in Japanese and refers to the number of handpicked Japanese botanicals in every bottle – sakura leaf, sakura flower, sencha tea, gyokuro tea, sansho pepper and yuzu – each harvested in ‘shun’ style at the peak of its season. Together with eight traditional gin botanicals, the premium spirit delivers a complex and crisp taste, complemented by a floral and sweet aroma.
So what’s on offer? Take your taste buds on a journey to Japan with a cool and crisp Roku Gin and Tonic freshened up with ginger, or perhaps a Japanese Negroni, which combines Roku Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth with orange umeshu.
Aki Re-Fashioned is a Roku Gin with applejack, honeyed dates and black walnut bitters, while a Matcha Hard Shake is Roku Gin, matcha green tea, uji green tea umeshu, cacao and cream.
If you’re feeling quite fancy go the Momiji. This evocative cocktail combines Roku Gin with port wine, pomegranate, rose, apple, coconut and lime and comes single serve or in a shared teapot. Meanwhile the Tea Lady has Roku Gin, pear, sencha green tea, star anise syrup, lemon and egg whites.
All are highlights of Tokyo Bird’s Roku Gin Autumn High Tea. Following the success of the spring edition at their sister venue Banchō, the Surry Hills small bar is delivering a memorable autumn afternoon with a selection of Japanese-styled savoury canapés including tuna tartare with nashi pear and nori cracker; tamago egg finger sando with sansho pepper; and karaage chicken bao with lettuce and Kewpie mayo.
Sip on your boozy tea while enjoying buttermilk scones and bite-sized autumn sweet treats including a Japanese chestnut mont blanc, apple pie bites with miso caramel, and chocolate fudge mousse with orange gel. For the full experience, upgrade your high tea with a selection of black, green and herbal teas.
Prices for the high tea start at $77pp for seatings at 2pm and 4pm on Saturday, May 6, 13 and 27, and June 3. Or you can simply experience Tokyo Bird’s bespoke menu of Roku seasonal cocktails, which are exclusively available until June 3 at $12-$24.