Junshan Sake Spritz
Junshan Yinzhen cold brew stirred with junmai sake, yuzu, and a splash of sparkling sake—an ultra-delicate, almost-floral spritz that drinks like silk.
Pairing Junshan with sake instead of a Western spirit is the right move: both are gentle, both are aromatic, both reward attention. A clean junmai (rice-only) sake has the same restrained, slightly sweet, mineral character as Junshan, and the two layer instead of clashing.
Avoid bold spirits entirely for this tea. Gin would erase it. Vodka would dilute it. Whisky would steamroll it. Sake meets Junshan as an equal—a pairing rather than a power play, much like fine sashimi with a precisely cut radish.
Yuzu juice (or a careful blend of lemon and mandarin if yuzu isn't available) adds the only citrus note this drink wants—floral, sharp, but never aggressive. A splash of sparkling sake at the end gives lift; champagne or prosecco would be too dry and assertive here.
Mocktail variant: increase the Junshan cold brew to 90 ml, add a splash of non-alcoholic yuzu cordial or lemon-honey syrup, and top with chilled sparkling mineral water and a few drops of orange blossom water. The mocktail is genuinely as good as the cocktail—Junshan needs so little support that taking the alcohol out costs almost nothing.
Ingredients
- 45 ml Junshan Yinzhen cold brew concentrate
- 60 ml junmai sake (chilled)
- 10 ml fresh yuzu juice (or 7 ml lemon + 3 ml mandarin)
- 10 ml honey syrup (1:1 honey and warm water)
- 60 ml sparkling sake or chilled mineral water
- 1 thin slice of fresh pear or yuzu peel for garnish
- 1 small edible flower (optional)
- Ice cubes
How to make it
- 1Make the Junshan cold brew concentrate ahead: steep 6 g Junshan in 100 ml cold mineral water for 12 hours, then strain.
- 2In a chilled stemmed wine glass or coupe, add 2–3 ice cubes (not too many—you don't want heavy dilution).
- 3Pour in the Junshan cold brew, chilled sake, yuzu juice, and honey syrup. Stir very gently with a bar spoon for 5 seconds—just to combine.
- 4Top with sparkling sake or chilled mineral water.
- 5Float a thin slice of pear or twist of yuzu peel on top. Add an edible flower if using and serve immediately.
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