Fresh and fruity, this low-alc refresher is a lychee triple threat.
About the cocktail
If summer fruits had a battle royale, lychees would come out on top. With the greatest respect to pineapple, passionfruit, peach and others, lychees have the perfect balance of sweet, juicy and tropical flavours that makes them the warm-weather winner for us. That’s why this Lychee Spritz works so well, with our cocktail experts creating a recipe that jams all those summery flavours into the fizzy format of a Spritz. We can already see glasses of this one happily clinking at barbecues and picnics all summer. Here, it’s all about the lychee triple threat. Our Spritz starts with lychee soju (a relatively low-alcohol spirit from Korea), gets mixed with lychee syrup, which you’ll get as an added bonus if you buy lychees in a tin, and we’re garnishing it with a mint sprig-spiked lychee. To top it off, we’re calling for elderflower tonic (although plain tonic is delicious, too). Traditionally, Spritzes use something like an aperitivo or amaro, which will lend the final drink a satisfying touch of bitterness, so tonic is pulling a double shift. It adds that bitter edge while also lengthening the drink and helping to freshen up the intensity of the lychee soju and syrup. A little touch of lemon juice helps temper the intensely sweet and fruity lychees, too, making for a final result that’s juicy, tropical and perfectly balanced. Oh, and with just one alcoholic ingredient, it’s pretty light in alcohol, too.
Ingredients
45mL lychee soju 15mL lychee syrup, from a tin of lychees 15mL lemon juice 90mL elderflower tonic or plain tonic water Glass: wine glass Garnish: lychee spiked with a mint sprig
Method
Fill a wine glass full of ice Add all ingredients and top with the tonic Give the drink a quick stir to incorporate everything together Garnish with the mint-spiked lychee
Dan’s top tips
A good whack of the lychee flavour comes from the soju – this Korean spirit is typically low in alcohol, usually around 12.5%. Although only just catching on in Australia, soju is one of the world’s most popular spirits, so we’re seeing more lychee versions come through. If you can’t track one down, there are also a few quality lychee liqueurs around. Just keep in mind these may add extra sweetness and will almost certainly bump up the alcohol content. Speaking of the alcohol, you can definitely sub out the tonic for prosecco, which is often the case in a Spritz. You’ll lose a little of that bittersweet profile (not to mention the lightness of the original Lychee Spritz), but it’s worth considering if you’re looking to experiment with the flavours and body. If you’re sticking with tonic, as mentioned, regular tonic water works nicely, but we recommend trying an elderflower version when you first mix this up – the fruity, floral complexity of elderflower adds beautiful depth and complexity.
What is in a Lychee Spritz?
Our Lychee Spritz uses lychee flavoured soju, lychee syrup, lemon juice, elderflower (or plain) tonic water and a mint-spiked lychee to garnish.
What is soju and what does it bring to the Lychee Spritz?
Soju is a Korean neutral spirit that is often lower in alcohol than many other spirits. It is also often flavoured, and lychee soju brings a sweet, intense lychee flavour here.
Can I use prosecco instead of tonic water in the Lychee Spritz?
You can definitely use prosecco instead of tonic water in our Lychee Spritz. Just keep in mind that you will be increasing the alcohol content of the cocktail.
