What we’re drinking: The Harmony Collection from On the Rocks Premium Cocktails
Where they’re from: The ready-to-drink brand, founded in 2015, teamed up with The House of Suntory and acclaimed Japanese bartender Hidetsugu Ueno to create these two limited-edition bottled cocktails.
Why we’re drinking these: I like the previous releases from On the Rocks, which include a Cosmopolitan and an Old Fashioned. But I’d also love to see these bottled cocktail brands craft something unique — classics with ingredients that maybe you couldn’t easily replicate at home, coupled with the ease of pouring from a bottle (maybe with a quick shake with ice first).
Working with Ueno certainly helps differentiate these releases — two very different cocktails — from the average RTD. The world-renowned bartender, a previous winner of the World’s Best Bartender Award at Tales of the Cocktail, is the proprietor of Tokyo’s Bar High Five.
Why start with these drinks? “To be honest, I submitted several drink ideas, and these are the two they picked,” says Ueno (who has a sense of humor). “But I have a story. A few years ago, I had Keanu Reeves visit. It was the 100th anniversary of Suntory, and he was filming a movie with a scene at my bar. He asked for a drink, and I tried to make something interesting for him. I know he likes Hibiki and whisky, but I tried to do something different and made something with yuzu and matcha. It was the first time I combined them.”
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Incredible food, cocktails and hospitality are on the menu at these 9 establishmentsWhich explains the Yuza Matcha Martini. As for the Boulevardier, Ueno utilizes Toki Suntory whisky instead of bourbon. “Japanese whisky is very smooth, elegant and fragrant, so it’s really difficult to combine with very strong flavors,” he says. “I didn’t use vermouth or Campari. But I did use a sweet wine and a local amaro.
Admittedly, when drinking these, you won’t be able to replicate Ueno’s most famous skill — ice sculpting, particularly when he turns blocks of clear ice into cool diamond shapes. Or his hard shake technique (he uses cobbler shakers and special ice), which allows for maximum aeration, which you can see in plenty of cool YouTube videos.
How they taste:
- Yuzu Matcha Martini (20% ABV): Made with Haku Vodka, this blend features yuzu and green tea that’s proven to be very popular with bartenders. It’s kind of scary how easy this one goes down — a little bitter and tangy with a nice mix of citrus and tea, it’s balanced and sessionable.
- Japanese Boulevardier (32.5% ABV): Crafted with Toki Suntory Whisky and infused with Port wine and bitters, this is lighter yet more complex than most Boulevardiers I’ve tried, offering bittersweet and dark fruit notes. It’s a Boulevardier for people who wouldn’t normally like Boulevardiers or stronger whiskey cocktails.
Fun fact: Forget double straining: Ueno is a fan of having a bit of chipped ice in his shaken drinks. “It’s not only me — it’s also [the preference of] the usual Japanese customer,” he says. “But it has to be very tiny chipped ice, not big pieces.”
Where to buy: This On the Rocks collaboration is available for a limited time in select markets nationwide, featuring two 375ml bottles in a two-pack for $29.99.
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