TOKO sommelier, Canadian, Daniel Jacobson smoothed out my afternoon. At the recent TOKO duck and wine lunch, I’d asked him if he’d give me a bit of a personal cocktail class. So here I was; back again. Daniel’s choice for cocktail hour, was his Smoked Maple Martini (originally created for the 2008 TOKO opening) which was great as it also gave me a chance to learn a bit more about bourbon whiskey. Daniel added a bit of smoke to the natural smokiness of Gentleman Jack. And of course, there had to be maple syrup!
Smoked Maple Martini
45ml Gentleman Jack
15ml sweet vermouth
5ml maple syrup
2 dashes orange bittersThe Gentleman Jack was first smoked using a machine, but you can achieve a similar result at home using a wok.
Stir; pour over ice.
Garnish with orange rind.
“Now the fun part.” I got to drink it. Long after dark, my afternoon delight lingered. Smooth. Round. Smokey. Just that hint of citrus.
If you don’t feel like making it at home, you can always do what I did and prop yourself at the TOKO bar.
Before, during, afterward, Daniel and I had a bit of a chat about cocktails, wine, food. We chuckled about how some punters take it so seriously. “We’re not saving the world,” Daniel said. No, he does that in his ‘other’ job. (Daniel has a Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies with Merit)
TOKO Restaurant & Bar
490 Crown Street Sydney NSW Australia
+61 2 9357 6100
