Chinese Inspired Cocktails

There is a trend towards cocktails that use Asian flavors instead of just straight alcohol concoctions. This trend has seen a rise in Japanese Inspired Cocktails, Vietnamese Inspired Cocktails and also Chinese Inspired Cocktails. Of course the Chinese inspired cocktails also came to the fore during the lead up to the last Olympics at Beijing when people wanted Chinese inspired cocktails to serve at their Olympic parties.

Most of the time when people think of Chinese cocktails they think of the Lychee Martini, but other flavors are often used in China such as sweet and sour and sesame and these flavors can provide a base for some delicious Chinese inspired cocktails.

Chinese Mary

1 ½ oz Vodka
3 oz sweet and sour sauce
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 drops Tabasco
½ tsp lemon juice
1 pineapple wheel

This is a take on the traditional Bloody Mary cocktail, but uses the sweet and sour sauce instead of the tomato juice to give it a Chinese twist. Simply place the vodka, sweet and sour sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour into an old fashioned glass to serve and garnish with a pineapple wheel.

Chinese Cocktail

1 ½ oz Jamaican rum
½ oz grenadine
1 dash bitters
¼ oz triplesec
¼ oz maraschino liquor

The Chinese Cocktail is (apparently) a traditional Chinese drink and is very easy to make……now I personally don’t see what makes it Chinese except for the name, but to make it you simply place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve and enjoy!

Now any drink that combines Lychee liquour with anything will definitely be a Chinese inspired cocktail in my book and here are a few –

Canton Delight

2 parts Lychee Liqueur
1 part Ginger Liqueur
1 part Grapefruit Juice

The Canton Delight combines Lychee with ginger for a very fresh taste. This cocktail is another very easy to make one simply combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

Lychee Martini

There are a few different twists on this martini and this is just one of them.

2 shots vodka

½ shot Lychee liqueur

2 shots lychee syrup (from the tinned fruit)

Shake all of the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass to serve.

Lychee and Rose Petal Martini

If you can get rose petal vodka liqueur this is a really nice martini to make……I have problems finding it near where I live, but it’s really worth the trouble of finding it as you can also make Turkish Delight inspired cocktails with it….but I’m getting side tracked!

1 ½ shots gin

1 ½ shots rose petal vodka liqueur

1 ½ shots lychee syrup (from the tinned fruit)

Pop all of the ingredients into your trusty cocktail shaker along with some ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass to serve. I like to pop a lychee in the bottom of the glass, but if it’s for a romantic occasion I’d float a rose petal on the top instead!

You can find more Chinese Inspired Cocktails including another version of a Lychee Martini and one called Sesame Delight which incorporates the Chinese love of sesame seeds with alcohol at Asian Inspired Cocktails –