The Sicilian Samurai

The Sicilian Samurai is a dessert-style cocktail created by Joshua Junnier, a sommelier and mixologist at the Firetower at Blackberry Mountain, and Thomas Jackson, a Firetower assistant dining room manager. This unique spin on an espresso martini was first introduced to the Firetower last Winter, and it quickly became one of the most popular cocktails on the menu, says Joshua. It remained on the menu until mid-Spring, when the team determined that the flavors best suited the cooler months of the year.

With Fall just around the corner and Wintertime to follow, the Sicilian Samurai is about to make its return to the Firetower menu for the second year in a row. Discover what Joshua has to say about bringing this inspired sip to life. Then, learn how to create it yourself at home, or order it on your next cool-weather getaway to Blackberry Mountain!

Crafting the Sicilian Samurai

Before I came to work at Blackberry, I was attending Maryville College to pursue my lifelong interest in studying the Japanese language and East Asian cultures. I try to express that interest of mine in the cocktails and spirits that we offer at the Firetower. Gins, vodkas and whiskeys from Japan are popular on the American palate, and they are some of the most interesting spirits on the market currently. I wanted to use them for our Winter cocktail menu last year and came up with a cocktail we've lovingly called the Sicilian Samurai.

The Sicilian Samurai uses Iwai Japanese whiskey, a traditional style of Japanese whiskey passed down since the 1940s, as the expression of modern whiskey-making culture in Japan with the intention of crafting an espresso martini without the inclusion of espresso.

Instead of espresso, we use Mr. Black, a coffee-flavored liquor made with vodka and coffee in Australia, in pursuit of creating a non-sugary alternative to Kahlúa. We also use Lustau Solera "cream" sherry. The sherry adds a little body to the cocktail and is made in a style that is a touch sweeter, which helps soften the bitterness from the Mr. Black.

Beyond the whiskey, the most important part of the cocktail is Amaro Averna, a bitter Italian liqueur made in Sicily of a secret recipe with predominant flavors of citrus and Mediterranean roots. Additionally, we include a dash of cocoa bitters from the Angostura brand for just a touch of chocolatiness.

At the Firetower, we typically like to include an ingredient that we make in house. For the Sicilian Samurai, we decided to include a touch of oleo saccharum ("oily sugar" in Latin). We make it by taking the peels of citrus fruits – most often oranges – and adding them to a bag with white sugar and letting it rest. Natural oils from within the skin of the fruit will be extracted and absorbed by the sugar, creating a natural fruit "syrup" that we use in the cocktail to augment the bitterness with a touch of fruity softness.

When Tom and I started working on this cocktail, we were both impressed with how exceptionally well the coffee liqueur worked with the Averna and, even more so, how the fruitiness of the oleo saccharum really helped to soften the drink on the palate. The inclusion of the cream sherry also added a full, luxurious body to the drink.

– Joshua Junnier, Sommelier and Mixologist at the Firetower at Blackberry Mountain

Sicilian Samurai Recipe
Ingredients:

• ¾ ounce Iwai Japanese Whiskey
• ¾ ounce Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur
• ¾ ounce Amaro Averna
• ¾ ounce Lustau Solera Style
• ¼ ounce oleo saccharum
• 1 dash cocoa bitters
• Orange peel, for garnish

To make:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Serve with an orange peel cut and placed on the rim of the glass.