Silky, vibrant and fragrant, meet the matcha cocktail from the man behind Sydney’s Bar Sumi.
About the cocktail
If you’ve been to Japan, South Korea or any hot new coffee shop in a big city, you’d be familiar with matcha tea. A green tea powder made from finely ground tea leaves, matcha has exploded in recent years, even squirreling its way into cocktails around the world. We’ve previously worked with matcha in cocktail recipes like our Matcha Fizz, but to really jump on the matcha wave, we’ve enlisted someone who knows his senchas from his hojichas – Sydney bar owner, Wen Wang. Originally from Taiwan, Wen has worked in some of Sydney’s best bars, mixing up incredible drinks at the likes of Maybe Sammy, among others. Now, he’s heading up his own venue, Bar Sumi, which doesn’t actually have a cocktail menu. “This encourages a genuine connection between the bartender and the guest, transforming the drinking experience into a journey of discovery rather than a simple choice,” Wen says. Wen clearly loves what he does, and that includes introducing people to the flavours and complexity of tea. “What makes tea so fascinating is its diversity and the stories it tells,” explains Wen. “Each tea leaf carries the memory of the land, the changing seasons and the effort of the tea maker.” This love of tea also carries through at Bar Sumi. “We aim to convey an experience rooted in trust, curiosity and immersion, reflecting the essence of East Asian bar culture,” he explains. Wen has created a delicious matcha cocktail, the Emerald Dove, which heroes those delightful fragrant flavours of matcha tea – and its incredible vibrant green colour. “I love the satisfaction of serving a cocktail that is not only delicious but also visually stunning, like presenting a work of art to the guest.” So, what to expect from matcha tea? It has an unmistakable flavour. It’s punchier than your run-of-the-mill teabag greens, but it still retains a delicate and soft sweetness, depending on the quality. Here, Wen mixes honey, lemon juice, coconut water, matcha and vodka, and the matcha component adds a delicate texture and silky mouthfeel to the cocktail. “It’s refreshing and complex,” explains Wen. “The deep richness of Japanese matcha, the nutty and natural sweetness of coconut water, the floral notes of honey, and the smooth body of vodka, with a touch of lemon juice for balance – it creates a harmonious mix of modern and classic styles.” Up for the challenge? Have a read of Wen’s tips and tricks below.
Watch: How to make an Emerald Dove
Ingredients
1 barspoon or tsp of honey
20mL sugar syrup 10mL lemon juice 45mL coconut water 1 barspoon or tsp of matcha powder 45mL vodka Garnish: skewered watermelon ball
Method
Prep your watermelon garnish using a baller scoop, skewer the ball and set it aside Place ice into a tumbler or coupe and give it a stir to chill it down Put all your ingredients into a shaker with a healthy serving of ice Shake until the cocktail tin is nice and frosty Strain the mix into your chilled glass filled with fresh ice Garnish with skewered watermelon ball
Wen’s top tips
Working with tea takes patience and practice. Extracting the right flavours and knowing when to rest the leaves requires a bit of skill and know-how. Luckily, Wen has shared some pointers to help. First off, Wen suggests getting to know the tea leaves you’re using. “Instead of jumping straight to the best leaves, I recommend starting with high-quality, commercially available ones,” says Wen. “They’re easier to control in terms of flavour and less likely to fail, making them perfect for beginners experimenting with tea-based drinks.” If you’re after a great matcha, you can follow Wen’s lead – he like to work with Ryuoen matcha, Kuon No Shiro. Matcha, like many powdered ingredients, tends to clump. To avoid this, Wen suggests mixing the matcha powder with a small amount of vodka before preparing it. “Stir thoroughly to create a smooth, concentrated matcha liquid, then add it to your shaker.” As with any cocktail ingredient, the fresher the better, so try to use fresh matcha. “High-quality matcha, like 'first harvest' leaves, usually has a smoother, more fragrant taste,” Wen explains. “Lower-quality matcha can result in bitterness and a rough, grainy mouthfeel.” Finally, Wen recommends enjoying this as a digestif, especially after a hearty meal. “It helps soothe the stomach and provides a relaxed, pleasant finish.”
