10 Asian Cocktails That Burst With Flavor

In the world of Asian-style cocktails, there's more to it than sake. Although, knowing how to enjoy a nice glass of sake is important. But think Japanese whisky, lychee, and pears. If you don't yet, you will after browsing these Asian drink recipes.

This Asian pear riff on the classic mule is a great and easy way to explore something new: by keeping it simple.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces pear vodka
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Ginger beer to top off
• Cinnamon stick, star anise, and Asian pear slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a copper mug or rocks glass, add ice, pear vodka, and lime juice.
2. Top off with ginger beer.
3. Stir briefly to mix.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, star anise, and a slice of Asian pear.

Perhaps even simpler than the Asian pear mule is the Japanese highball. A two-ingredient cocktail, three if you include the garnish, that's an excellent drink any day of the week.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Japanese whisky
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice and Japanese whisky.
2. Top off with club soda.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Move past enjoying sake on its own, and instead, mix up a memorable and balanced sake cocktail.

You're going to want to go French with this cocktail, and by that I mean mise en place. Clocking in at seven ingredients, the product is worth the grocery list.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce gin
• ½ ounce cherry brandy liqueur
• ¼ ounce Bénédictine
• ¼ ounce orange liqueur
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Orange slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, Bénédictine, orange liqueur, cherry brandy liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, and bitters.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a highball or hurricane glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with club soda.
5. Garnish with an orange slice.

Soju is a popular drink of choice in Korea, quite close in comparison to vodka but sweeter, and an excellent reason to try it out in a refreshing watermelon cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces soju
• 4 ounces watermelon juice
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Watermelon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, soju, watermelon juice, and lime juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a watermelon wedge.

Yuzu, a tasty citrus fruit that tastes like a marriage between grapefruit and mandarin oranges, originated in East Asia, but the rest of the world caught on to the magic. And, obviously, it makes for delicious yuzu cocktails.

This Asian mule riff uses sake to give it a twist, but you could also use Japanese whisky in the place of the vodka and sake. It's your cocktail!

Ingredients

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce sake
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Ginger beer to top off
• Cucumber wheel, lime wheel, and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a copper mug or rocks glass, add ice, vodka, sake, and lime juice.
2. Top off with ginger beer.
3. Garnish with a cucumber wheel, lime wheel, and mint sprig.

Japanese whisky and a hint of cherry transforms a regular whisky highball into an Asian-inspired drink.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces Japanese whisky
• ¾ ounce cherry liqueur
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Ginger ale to top off
• Mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice, Japanese whisky, cherry liqueur, and grenadine.
2. Top off with ginger ale.
3. Briefly stir to mix.
4. Garnish with a mint sprig.

You may already love the Asian pear mojito, and if you don't, then consider this your formal introduction to the perfect mojito riff.

Ingredients

• 3-5 fresh mint leaves
• 1½ ounces rum
• ¾ ounce pear liqueur
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Mint sprig and Asian pear slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, lightly muddle mint leaves with simple syrup.
2. Add ice, rum, pear liqueur, and lime juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into a rocks or highball glass over fresh ice.
5. Top off with club soda.
6. Garnish with a mint sprig and Asian pear slice.

Few martinis are as crisp and fruity without cloying flavors like the lychee martini. As good on a Friday night out as it is on a Sunday afternoon, it should be a staple in your martini rotation.

The ticket to exploring the world is just behind a cabinet door, or down the road at the liquor store. Grab your bag, lace up your shoes, and begin your adventure of trying out Asian-inspired cocktails.