TOKYO — We often hear tell of chefs who dream up new dishes. But bartenders new cocktails? Yes, indeed.
In Tokyo, one of Japan’s most illustrious bartenders, Naomi Takahashi – herself a remarkable countryside-obscurity to big city-fame story – will debut three new cocktails at the Palace Hotel Tokyo’s Lounge Bar Privé Sept. 1. The three new drinks?
• Pallone. This cocktail won Takahashi the overall Nippon Bartenders Association (NBA) champion prize in 2012. It’s a fruity cocktail made of pear-flavored premium vodka, as well as a scent of peach and apricot.
• Plumage. This cocktail won Best Original Cocktail in the 2011 NBA. It’s made with an orange-flavored premium vodka and passion-fruit liqueur.
• Wisteria. This is the cocktail Takahashi is planning to prepare at the 2013 World Cocktail Championship. The ingredients include rum, muscat liqueur, dry vermouth, and Grand Marnier.
After winning the NBA in 2012, Takahashi relocated from the city of Kochi to Tokyo, where she began cultivating space in the Palace Hotel Tokyo. This month, she will travel to Prague where she’ll represent Japan in the 2013 World Cocktail Championship.
