9 Most Popular Asian Cocktails

Asian alcohols like Japanese sake and Korean soju have become increasingly popular in the West over recent years, with more and more people seeking to buy drinks like this online. We’re seeing this interest spread to other Asian liquors and beverages, too, as many Asian alcohol brands, like Perfume Trees Gin, continue to grow in notoriety and renown.

The Best Asian Cocktails

Enjoying different cocktails offers a chance to experience a range of alcohol in new ways. The best Asian cocktails blend native ingredients for a distinct, delicious experience that does the alcohol justice. If you’re a cocktail lover and are looking to try something new and exciting, this one’s for you!

Gin & Tonic with a Hong Kong Twist

A G and T is a classic go-to cocktail for people all over the world. With countless gin flavours flooding the market, there are so many routes to go down with this basic cocktail. But why not give your usual gin drink an Asian twist with a delicious Hong Kong gin?

Perfume Trees Gin combines floral and citrus notes of white champaca blossoms, tangerine peel and more to evoke the distinctive flavours and fragrances of Hong Kong. Pairing this unique gin with a traditional tonic water and citrusy garnish is the perfect way to enjoy it, ensuring all of the tasting notes can shine.

Perfume Trees Gin & Tonic Ingredients

• 50ml Perfume Trees Gin
• 200ml Indian Tonic Water
• Kumquat or orange peel to garnish

Singapore Sling

Perhaps one of the most well-known drinks with a distinctly East Asian twist is the Singapore Sling. The cocktail was created by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

The base for this cocktail is gin, combined with Benedictine and cherry liqueur. This powerful alcohol infusion is balanced out with the addition of lime juice, pineapple juice and sparkling water for a refreshing drink with just the right blend of sweet and sour.

Singapore Sling Ingredients

• 30ml dry gin
• 15ml cherry liquor
• 5ml Benedictine
• 5ml Cointreau
• 50ml fresh pineapple juice
• 25ml refreshing lime juice
• Dash of Angostura
• Sparkling water to top up if desired
• Fresh pineapple or orange slice to garnish

Haibōru / Japanese Highball

​​Haibōru, or the Japanese Highball, may seem like a simple cocktail on the surface, but the preparation process can be laborious, becoming a true art form that requires skill and precision.

While there are just two ingredients, Japanese whiskey and soda water, the attention to detail with this cocktail makes it an impressive classic. Perfectly carved ice is often used to give the drink that pristine look. Most Japanese highballs will use Kakubin whisky and are served in a tall glass mug.

Japanese Highball Ingredients

• 60ml Japanese whiskey
• Soda water and ice to top up
• Lemon wedge to garnish

Sake Bomb

The sake bomb offers a fun drinking experience and is a great option for parties with friends. The drink incorporated a shot of sake and beer.

The fun comes in when you set up the cocktail. Usually, the shot of sake is balanced on top of the glass of beer with two chopsticks. You must then hit the table your glass is resting on with your fists until the shot drops down into the beer.

Sake Bomb Ingredients

• 25-30ml sake
• ⅓ glass beer
• Chopsticks to set up the drink!

Somaek

Somaek is another beer-based cocktail, this time from Korea. It is a simple drink that combines soju and beer. The ratio usually tends to be around seven parts beer and three parts soju. Somaek is a staple in Korean drinking culture and is a great beverage to pair with ‘anju’, the term used for the kind of food served with alcohol. There are several mixing methods and drinking games surrounding this cocktail, making it another great drink for larger social gatherings.

Somaek Ingredients

• 3 parts soju (flavour of your choice)
• 7 parts beer

Subak Soju / Soju Watermelon Cocktail

If you want to enjoy your soju in a different way, look no further than the wonderfully popular soju watermelon cocktail. This is a great Asian summer cocktail, perfect for those warm evenings.

This cocktail is easy enough for anyone to prepare; you simply blend a watermelon until it's smooth, then combine it with your favourite soju and plenty of ice. This cocktail is often served in a hollowed-out watermelon to further contribute to a fun-filled summer vibe.

Subak Soju Ingredients

• 1 large watermelon (blended and strained)
• 1 bottle of soju (original or a flavour of your choice)
• Lemonade to top up if desired
• Ice cubes

There are countless soju cocktails to explore, with delicious fruity twists being firm favourites. Because soju itself is available in so many flavours, the potential cocktail combinations are endless!

Sabai Sabai

Travelling to Thailand now, this cocktail, also known as the ‘Thai welcome drink’, uses Thailand’s national spirit mekhong, a kind of rum-like alcohol.

The other ingredients of the cocktail nod to the classic flavours of Thailand, evoking the fresh, sweet and sour notes present across the country’s cuisine.

Mekhong is combined with citrus, Thai basil and soda water for an especially refreshing signature cocktail.

Sabai Sabai Ingredients

• 45ml Mekhong
• 45ml Fresh lemon or lime juice
• 22ml Simple syrup
• 2 roughly chopped sweet Thai basil leaves
• 30-120ml Sparkling water or soda water as per preference

Yuzu Chuhai

A chuhai is a drink containing Japanese alcohol, shochu (weaker than vodka, stronger than sake), soda, and fruit juice. You can opt for any kind of fruit depending on your preference, but yuzu is an especially popular option if you are seeking Asian-inspired flavours.

This yuzu variation embraces the sharp, citrus notes of yuzu for a more distinct twist on lemon or lime cocktails. This kind of cocktail is a particular favourite in Japan and is sometimes referred to as Sour rather than chuhai.

Yuzu Chuhai Ingredients

• 60ml shochu
• 20ml simple syrup
• 1 tsp yuzu juice
• 2 tbsp Yuja cha (Korean citron tea)
• 120ml soda water
• Ice cubes
• Citrus slice to garnish

Kamikaze

The Kamikaze is a classic vodka-based martini cocktail that’s origins lie in Japan. This cocktail offers a deliciously fresh taste, combining high-end vodka with triple sec orange liqueur and fresh lime juice.

It’s usually served with a lime twist or wedge on the side of the glass. Blue Kamikazes are a popular variation and use blue curacao rather than triple sec.

Kamikaze Ingredients

• 30ml vodka
• 30ml fresh lime juice
• 30ml triple sec or other orange liqueur
• Lime wedge to garnish

If you want to have a go at making any of these Asian cocktails yourself, you’ll find many of the alcohols mentioned available right here at Oriental Mart. From premium Asian beers to exclusive Perfume Trees Gin, we’ve got you covered.