My Bar Bible / Cocktails / Improved Japanese Cocktail

Improved Japanese Cocktail in a coupe, drawn with its ingredient layers

Improved Japanese Cocktail recipe

ShakenCoupeNo ice16% ABV

The Improved Japanese Cocktail is a shaken brandy cocktail, made with Peychaud's bitters, orgeat, lemon juice and more, served in a coupe. It is citrusy and tropical.

Strength: about 16% ABV in the glass, roughly 15 g of alcohol and about 180 calories per drink (an estimate; brands, sugar and dilution vary).

Recipe from Toby Cecchini.

Improved Japanese Cocktail ingredients

Peychaud's bitters2 dashes
Orgeat22.5 ml (¾ oz)
Lemon juice22.5 ml (¾ oz)
Cognac45 ml (1½ oz)

Measures for one serve. Open the drink in Bar Bible to scale it to a batch or switch to ounces.

How to make an Improved Japanese Cocktail

  1. Add everything to a shaker and fill with ice.
  2. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Glass
Coupe
Ice
None, served up
Garnish
Lemon twist
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Improved Japanese Cocktail: quick answers

How strong is a Improved Japanese Cocktail?
About 16% alcohol once the ice has melted in, roughly 15 g of alcohol per drink. That is an estimate: brands and dilution vary.
How many calories are in a Improved Japanese Cocktail?
About 180 calories per drink, from the alcohol and the sweet and fresh ingredients. An estimate: brands and the amount of sugar change it. Compare every drink in the cocktail calorie chart.
What glass is a Improved Japanese Cocktail served in?
A coupe, with no ice in the glass.
How many ingredients does a Improved Japanese Cocktail have?
4 in total: Peychaud's bitters, orgeat, lemon juice and Cognac. Simple enough to make at home.

Cocktail calorie chart: compare all 1,308 drinks

Improved Japanese Cocktail variations

Old Fashioned variations

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