Yuzu · Zero proof
Kochi Spritz
Yuzu and honey, the same pairing as Korea's yuja cha winter tea. Zero proof, full aroma.
GlassWine glass, cubed ice.
- 25 mlyuzu juice
- 20 mlhoney syrup (see Sourcing and syrups)
- 120 mlchilled sparkling water, to top
- 1sprig of shiso, or rosemary
MethodStir yuzu and honey syrup in the glass until combined. Add ice, top with sparkling water, one gentle stir.
GarnishThe herb sprig, slapped once between your palms to wake the oils.
Cost estimateRoughly CHF 3 in yuzu juice alone (25 ml of 100 percent juice), per the booklet's own balance note. Honey syrup and sparkling water are not priced in the source material, so a full drink cost cannot be given.
What to expect in the glass
Bright and floral, with honey rounding the edges rather than sweetening the drink outright. Yuzu and honey is one of those pairings that predates cocktail culture entirely, which is why it feels immediately familiar even to people who have never tasted yuzu.
The herb choice is not a detail. Shiso is green, minty and faintly anise like, and it keeps the drink inside its own region. Rosemary is resinous and Mediterranean and will quietly relocate the drink to a terrace in Provence. Both taste good. Only one of them tells the story on the page opposite.
Slap the herb rather than muddling it. Muddling releases bitterness along with the aroma, and there is nothing here to hide it behind.
Balance note
Printed as written, with a note on cost and a note on acid.
At European prices, 25 ml of 100 percent yuzu juice is roughly three francs of ingredient in a single zero proof drink, which is more than the spirit costs in most of the alcoholic recipes here. Dropping to 20 ml of yuzu against 25 ml of honey syrup gives a rounder drink and a saner cost.
On acid: yuzu runs near 4.5 percent citric acid, above lemon. Twenty five ml against 20 ml of honey syrup is on the tart side of balanced. If it puckers, add syrup before you add water.
Simon's note after tasting
Aroma: fragrant yuzu, fresh herbs and delicate floral citrus, with a soft honeyed sweetness underneath.
Palate: bright, sparkling and lightly sweet. Yuzu brings vivid acidity with notes of grapefruit, mandarin and lemon, balanced by the rounded floral sweetness of honey. Shiso adds a fresh green character with subtle mint, basil and spice.
Finish: clean, aromatic and refreshing, with lingering citrus peel, soft honey and fresh herbs.
Overall: light, elegant and highly refreshing. Tart citrus and gentle honey lifted by sparkling water and a fragrant herbal finish.