The Kamikaze cocktail screams zero prep time. It’s a fantastic choice for vodka lovers who want a refreshing and citrus-flavored drink to enjoy at any time.
If that’s you, learn how to mix a Kamikaze below.
Kamikaze Cocktail Recipe
Here are the cocktail’s ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces of vodka
- 1 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce triple sec
- Lime wedge to garnish
Follow these simple steps to mix a Kamikaze cocktail:
- Gather all your ingredients.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour the vodka, triple sec, and lime juice.
- Shake vigorously, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy!
Some recipes also use equal parts vodka, lime juice, and orange liqueur. If you follow this ratio, just know you’ll have a stronger cocktail on your hands.
Nutrition Facts and Alcohol Content
One glass of Kamikaze comes with:
- 174 calories
- 7.8g carbs
- 6.2g sugars
- Around 25% ABV
Kamikaze Serving Tips
The classic Kamikaze cocktail can be enhanced with a few things:
- Smooth vodka: Kamikaze doesn’t have lots of powerful ingredients, so the quality of your vodka will come through in the flavor profile. Choose a bottle that offers a smooth drinking experience to make this cocktail tick all your boxes.
- Triple sec replacement: Many drinkers swap the triple sec with other types of orange liqueur, such as blue curacao. While this is certainly an option, be sure to choose an orange liqueur with a pleasant taste before mixing it in.
- Food pairing: Consider serving this refreshing cocktail with heavy foods that go well with something sour, like white sauce pasta or curries.
- Use a shaker: The Kamikaze should be chilled using a shaker. If you don’t have one, use a bottle or mason jar instead. Adding it to a cocktail glass with ice can dilute the drink as you’re sipping, in which case you’re losing out on its signature taste.
Recipe Variations to Try
The Kamikaze has been around since the 1940s and was invented in Japan. The name means divine Wind in Japanese.
But over the years, bartenders and vodka lovers have experimented with the recipe to get new flavor combinations, such as:
- Flavored vodka: You can use lemon, peach, apple, or any other type of flavored vodka to add new dimensions to the Kamikaze. This type of booze adds subtle hints of flavor.
- Replace the lime juice: You can replace this ingredient with grapefruit, orange, or cranberry juice to make a fruitier alternative. Choose a juice that works well with the district flavor of the triple sec.
- Use frozen fruit instead of ice: If you can’t shake the cocktail, chill it with some frozen fruit and not plain ice. As the fruits melt, the vodka cocktail will get extra aromas. You can use cherries, strawberries, pineapple, or any other fruit you like best.
Isn’t the Kamikaze Also a Shot?
Yes! The Kamikaze Shooter uses equal parts vodka, lime juice, and triple sec, just like the Kamikaze, except you cut the quantities in half.
You still need to shake the drink with ice, strain it into a chilled shot glass, and garnish it with lime. The taste is the same; only the drinking experience changes.
Summing Up
The secret to a great Kamikaze cocktail is having the right ingredients. Opt for top-shelf vodka and triple sec, and use fresh lime juice whenever possible.
Strain it into a chilled cocktail glass, and enjoy this delicious beverage with a couple of friends. Have fun!
