Cocktail of the Week: Sakura

It's April, and that means cherry blossom season in the Washington, D.C. basin area. More than 1.5 million people from all over the world descend on D.C. this time of year to admire the 3,000-plus cherry trees. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival honors both American and Japanese cultures and celebrates the relationship formed when Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki’s donated the first cherry trees back in 1912.

Everywhere you look from the Washington Monument to the Jefferson Memorial is a sea of pink and white blossoms moving in the wind. It's hard to do such a sight justice and finding a cocktail to celebrate the occasion was no easy task. Eventually, after numerous attempts, I decided on this final version of my Sakura cocktail.

The gin and sake come together to make a one of a kind floral experience and the hibiscus syrup together with the egg white foam create a color separation that spans the spectrum of the blossoms in DC. It's a wonderfully light and flavorful cocktail that's perfect for the spring and celebration of the beautiful blooms.

1 oz. Plymouth gin
 1.5 oz. Nigori sake
 0.5 oz. Lemon juice
 0.75 oz. Hibiscus syrup
 2 dashes orange bitters
 Egg white

Combine all ingredients in Boston shaker and shake dry. Add ice and shake again until well chilled. Strain into cocktail glass.

Check out the full recipe page here.