Vodka is an evergreen spirit when it comes to a shot. Combining it with certain other beverages could make a cocktail, right? Well, here is a cocktail cum shooter in the play – The Kamikaze Drink! An invigorating drink that resembles lime water, this is also a great aperitif. Something simple and good on alcohol content, a Kamikaze Drink is all you need kick you off when you are feeling low.
What is a Kamikaze drink?
As mentioned before, the drink serves a dual purpose on this earth. Folks serve it straight up sometimes and like a shot the other times. As the bartenders like to call it an ‘All day cocktail’, the kamikaze drink has grown popular since its discovery. ‘Kamikaze’ which is a Japanese word meaning ‘divine wind’ seems a little off the rails for a cocktail?
With a lot of complicated history behind it, this cocktail has made its roots deep in the cocktail and the shooter section. Every bar around the bar proudly has it on the menu and each bartender happily serves it because of the ease in making it.
Let’s dig a bit deeper into its origin.
The story behind the shooter:
The drink clearly carries a hint of Japan in its name. According to the cocktail historians it has been around since the late 1970s and 80s. The drink first made a documented appearance in the era of World War II. It happened at a bar in Tokyo near the Yokosuka base when Japan was under the American occupation. The Japanese bombers executed a suicide mission and destroyed the American ships. The drink was an homage to them.
Another version of the story by the historian David Wondrich says that the drink was invented in 1975-76. At the Canoga Park California when the workers of a bar were affected by the flu, they discovered this cocktail which gave them a dose of energy.
Well, history is always complicated and there are many stories behind the discovery of a particular thing. Nothing can be said for sure about the real discovery unless backed by solid proof.
What is in a Kamikaze drink?
Till now you must have probably guessed by the title that this cocktail has only three ingredients in it. Served straight up without ice in a cocktail glass, this is a Margarita with vodka instead of tequila. Following is the list of ingredients that goes into the drink.
Kamikaze drink ingredients –
For one serving-
- Vodka – 1 oz premium vodka
- Triple sec – 0.5 oz triple sec liqueur
- Lime juice – 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
Apart from these, you’ll need a cocktail glass, a cocktail shaker, and a lime wedge.
How to make a kamikaze drink?
A white semi-transparent liquid which not only looks refreshing but also tastes amazing, the kamikaze drink is indeed very easy to make. Here’s is a traditional simple recipe to make the shot at your home.
Kamikaze drink recipe –
- First mix vodka, triple sec and lime juice in a shaker with ice in it.
- Next, shake it well for around 10 seconds.
- At last, strain the liquid into a cocktail glass or a shot glass as you like.
- Finally, garnish it with a lime wedge.
Some preparation tips –
- Since the vodka holds the majority of the drink so it is necessary to put in a premium one. Use good quality vodka like grey goose, skyy vodka; chase vodka, etc.in the cocktail.
- Triple sec comes as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, so it’s your preference which one to use. Some of the good brands of triple sec are Combier, Cointreau, and Curaçao. It is important to keep up the quality of the triple sec so that it goes well with the premium vodka.
- This cocktail is also considered as a shooter so you can serve it in a shot glass or even in a cocktail glass.
- The freshly extracted lime juice will give it more flavor rather than the bottled one. You should consider squeezing a lime every time you prepare the Kamikaze drink.
What does the shot taste like?
With triple sec liqueur in it, the kamikaze tastes fruity like the orange. Additionally, a sour-sweet taste from lime does a brilliant job on the taste buds. Since vodka has no taste as such, so these two juices are the main constituents that hold all the sweet-sour fruity taste in the kamikaze drink. The fruity punch will make you want more of it, but two shots are enough to get you high, so beware!
Kamikaze drink Alcohol content
The shooter is quite high when it comes to the alcohol in it. With a 25% ABV in one standard serving, the kamikaze drink can give a good buzz in a single shot. However, if the quantity of vodka and triple sec is increased it may give you some more buzz, just in case you want some!
Kamikaze drink Nutritional facts
So good on alcohol this drink performs quite well in the calories section. One standard sized cocktail of kamikaze drink contains 178 calories. Moreover, it has 0.16g of total fats and 15.4g carbohydrates comprising mainly of sugars. The protein level is low at 0.09g per serving. It has a lot of Vitamin C too because of the lime juice.
Blue Kamikaze drink
A twist of the color is what makes this variation different in appearance. It has a royal blue color that is so pleasing to the eyes. Now this one is served in a shot glass with blue Curaçao replacing the transparent triple sec liqueur. Also called as the blue kamikaze shooter, this version can stun your senses very well.
It has a 30% ABV which is a medium alcohol content but can give you a good kick. Also, it contains 100 calories per shot which are the reason why it’s one of the favorite drinks so far. Blue Curaçao is a little on the bitter side and so the shot will taste somewhat fruity and tart.
Preparing it is quite simple, just like the traditional recipe mentioned before, by using Curaçao instead of triple sec. Easy to prepare and easy to get high on, these shots are a night saver indeed!
Kamikaze drink variations
Apart from the Blue kamikaze drink, there are several other variations of the traditional cocktail. Each one of them has something new or extra that makes it unique and enhances the taste. Here are few simple recipes of such variations that you can easily make at the ease of your home –
1. Melon kamikaze shots
Neon green in color these shots have a twist of melon in It. To prepare it, first, take a cocktail shaker and add ice to it. Now add 1 oz vodka, 0.5 oz melon liqueur and 0.5 oz lime juice to it. Shake well. Strain the liquid in a shot glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
2. Cranberry kamikaze drink
This variation has a lot of cranberries in it. In a cocktail shaker with ice add 1 oz cranberry vodka and 0.5 oz cranberry juice. To it add 0.5 oz triple sec and 0.5 oz lime juice and shake well. Strain the liquid in the desired glass, garnish it and serve.
3. Strawberry kamikaze shots
With a punch of strawberry in it, this cocktail can be prepared by using strawberry vodka. In a shaker filled with ice add 1 oz strawberry vodka and 0.5 oz triple sec. Then mix a few drops of strawberry liqueur to it. Don’t forget to add 0.5 oz of lime juice to the mix. Now shake well and strain the liquid in a shot glass. Garnish it with a piece of strawberry or a lime wedge.
4. Raspberry kamikaze drink
This one’s quite different from the other kamikaze shots. The ingredient replaced here is the lime juice. Moreover, it’s served straight up with ice in old-fashioned glasses. To prepare it add 2 oz vodka, 2 oz triple sec and 2 oz Chambord in a glass. Drop some ice cubes in it. Stir it and serve.
The fact that the traditional Kamikaze drink involves few ingredients has made it easier to make many new variations. You can make one of your own too. All you need to do is mix 2 parts of vodka with 1 part each of the other liquids, that’s it. Simple right?
Also known as the original ‘shooter’ cocktail, the kamikaze drink has traveled the world and evolved a lot. Today, it is a favorite drink of almost every cocktail lover. With an easy recipe and few ingredients, it is the best shooter to make with no expert knowledge. So grab your shot glasses, mix it all and try this shooter drink the next time you want to get drunk. Maybe you’ll fall in love with it!
