Big Top Sakura
Big Top Sakura
- 1 1/2 oz Toasted Buckwheat-Infused Hellcat Maggie Irish Whiskey*
- 1/4 oz UV Whipped Cream Vodka
- 1/4 oz Kamora Coffee Liqueur
- 1/2 oz buttered popcorn syrup**
- 1/2 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 oz freeze-dried sakura-infused milk***
- Garnish: sakura-flavored blue cotton candy puff
Developed by: Damon Fabbo
Combine the infused whiskey, vodka, popcorn syrup, lemon juice, and coffee liqueur in a mixing glass. Separately, prepare the sakura milk in another vessel and allow it to steep. Then, slowly pour the cocktail mixture into the milk to begin the clarification process, and strain the liquid through a filter until it is completely clear. Once clarified, stir the cocktail with ice and strain it into a Nick & Nora glass, finishing the presentation by clipping a sakura cotton candy puff above the glass for a floating garnish.
Bartender Technique Notes
* Buckwheat Whiskey: Toast buckwheat 3–5 minutes, infuse 8 hours, strain
**Buttered Popcorn Syrup: Combine 1 cup water and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan and bring to a light simmer. Add 2 cups of buttered popcorn and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to extract the buttery, salty flavor, then strain through a fine mesh strainer (and through cheesecloth if you need extra clarity).
***Clarification: Acid-to-milk order is essential for clean curd formation. Allow 30–60 minutes before filtering.
