Honshu Punch (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

According to the Death & Co. book, Honshu punch was a regular offering with an ingredient makeup that changed depending on who was bartending when it is ordered. The recipe the book provides, however, is one that intentionally makes use of Japanese Yamazaki 12 whiskey. This was a great idea back in 2008 when demand for this fabulous whiskey was low, but not at the prices it is going for right now. 

I've been using Catoctin Creek Colossal X--a barley malt whiskey--which is not too different from the barley whiskies of Japan. They are like scotch without the smoke, and this is also true of Colossal X. The rest of the cocktail is necessarily simple, given that it is a punch that is batched before each shift. 

• 2 oz. Yamazaki 12 (Catoctin Creek Colossal X used)
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. cane sugar syrup
• 2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters (Angostura used)
• 2 dashes Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters (Hella Aromatic bitters used)
• 1 oz. club soda

Combine all ingredients except soda in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a large snifter with a single large format ice cube. Top with club soda.