A small bar sets the stage for a unique experience…
Faint whispers of smoke hang in the air of an intimate, dimly lit bar, as the bartender turns a flashlight on. It illuminates the cocktail like a spotlight. “The muscat liqueur symbolizes the eternal bond and trust he has with his mentor. Another word for a mentor is a patron, so we floated Patrón Silver on top, mixed with Elderflower syrup, to reference [the character’s] title as the ‘magician of flowers’,” the bartender explains. A gentle mix with a stirrer embellished with a sword charm, and what comes together is a refreshingly sweet cocktail that leaves a floral note lingering on the tongue.
Bar Kirin, located in the Suginami prefecture of Tokyo Japan, served the standard bar favorites, but what made this spot unique was the cosplay-friendly atmosphere and the custom cocktails inspired by fictional characters, or relationships between them. Here’s how it works: Customers fill out a form regarding their flavor profile dislikes, then draw a picture, or write a little (or a lot) about a character or character dynamic. Taking these elements into consideration, the bartenders use wordplay, visual allusions and Japanese floriography to express them through adult beverages.
The original bar has sadly closed its doors, their staff have opened inf, a reservation-only bar that has expanded its custom-cocktail building concept to include drinks that honor loved ones, personal relationships and even pets.
Bringing the “Image Cocktail” Concept Home
Even if you aren’t a Japanese media fan, you can use the same principles behind image cocktails to make your own drinks. The first two rules apply to building any cocktail.
1. Taste everything individually. Just like any other dish, a cocktail is only as good as the ingredients you use, and that doesn’t always mean expensive is best. Identify elements that you like and dislike. Mixing similar aspects together will enhance (and occasionally, muddy) them. Contrasting aspects may highlight each other’s differences or clash.
2. Preparation matters. How you prepare your cocktail will affect the flavor. Stirring the drink will dilute it less than shaking. Shaking will also aerate the cocktail in addition to diluting it and chilling it, which will mute the alcohol flavor. Most of the drinks at Bar Kirin were layered for presentation, then stirred by the customer before drinking.
3. Dive deeper. This is where the symbolism comes in: colors, flowers, fruits, have varying meanings across cultures. Even the unique qualities of the spirits themselves can provide meaning. An image cocktail I had incorporated Calvados from a bottle that had a whole apple inside the thin necked bottle, symbolizing “surprise” and “the illusion of something impossible happening.”
4. Be flexible. Ultimately, a cocktail is going to be about taste. Even if some aspects work symbolically, they may not make an appealing drink.
5. Trial and Error. Taste, adjust repeat. Even when substituting ingredients in a known recipe, the flavors may not develop as you expect, and that’s okay. Keep trying until you find a formula you love.
Traveling to Japan may not happen for a while, but until then, we can celebrate the characters and people we love through drinks of our own creation.