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Epicurious

Japanese Cocktail

Japanese cocktail in short stemmed glass with lemon twist.
Photo by Colin Price

One of the oldest and most perfect of three-ingredient cocktails, the Japanese Cocktail first saw print in 1862 but remains stubbornly unknown and underappreciated, though it’s widely respected among bartenders. Perhaps it is too intimidating to be truly beloved. The combination of strong brandy and thick, rich orgeat can knock you on your heels at first sip if you’re unfamiliar with it—hell, even if you are familiar with it. It is the ultimate nightcap. It is also a rare cocktail that was actually invented by that paragon of mid-19th-century mixology, Jerry Thomas. If this drink alone had been his legacy, it would be enough for us to honor his name.

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