Blossoming trees brought on by the ever-so-slightly warmer climes are the universal reminder that it’s time to leave hot toddy season behind and embrace the approaching spring with fresher flavours in our home bartending trolleys. Depending on where you’re based, you might be in the midst of what cherry blossom enthusiasts call ‘Peak Bloom’ – so it would be remiss of us to let the opportunity pass by without asking some of the UK’s top bars for their best cocktail recipes celebrating the short and sweet cherry blossom season.
Why should we toast to the occasion (other than as an excuse to drink something delicious, of course)? Cherry blossom season is most famously celebrated in Japan with a ceremony called Hanami, where viewers gather to drink in the floral views, and when sake is often drunk in celebration of the arrival of the cherry blossom (known as Sakura). So good drinking and spring blooms really do go hand in hand. That’s also true at a spread of bars, where tenders have been busily creating cocktails in honour of blossom season; drinks that channel some of the flavours, colours and aromas of Sakura.
Below, find cherry blossom cocktails to try from a trio of UK bars, who have also shared their recipes with us, should you want to bring the pink drink party to your home.
Three UK bars share their cherry blossom cocktail recipes
Hampton Manor’s Flower
- 20ml Cambridge Japanese Gin
- 25ml Mancino Sakura Vermouth
- 10ml cherry blossom cordial
- 50ml London Essence Co. White Peach & Jasmine Soda
- Pour the gin, vermouth, and cherry blossom cordial into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and shake.
- Pour the mixture into a chilled wine glass and top with soda.
- Garnish with foraged seasonal blossom.
Find out how to visit Hampton Manor here
Warehouse’s Cherry Blossom
- 15ml Bulleit Bourbon
- 10ml raspberry eau de vie
- 40ml cherry blossom kombucha
- handful of ice cubes
- 30ml rosé Champagne
- 4 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters
- In a mixing glass, add the bourbon, the raspberry eau de vie and the kombucha and gently stir together.
- In a highball glass, add ice cubes and pour over the combined mixture before topping with the Champagne, and finish by adding 4 dashes of bitters.
- Garnish with a seasonal blossom.
Find out how to visit Warehouse here
Mei Ume’s Saku
- 40ml Haku vodka
- 20ml Mancino Sakura Vermouth
- 5ml sugar syrup
- 20ml cherry blossom tea
- sparkling sake, to top
- Pour the vodka, vermouth, sugar syrup and cherry blossom tea into a cocktail shaker and stir well.
- Pour the mixture into a chilled coupe glass and top up with sparkling sake.
Find out how to visit Mei Ume here
