How to make a sake martini (saketini)

The sake martini, often called a saketini, is one of the easiest ways to bring sake into a cocktail. It takes the shape of a classic martini and uses sake where the vermouth would go. The result is smooth, cool, and a little softer than the original, with the gentle fruit and rice notes of the sake coming through.

What is a sake martini?

A classic martini is gin (or vodka) stirred with dry vermouth. A sake martini keeps the spirit and replaces the vermouth with sake. Sake brings its own aroma and a soft, savory roundness, so it plays the same supporting role vermouth does while giving the drink a different character.

There's no single official recipe. Bars use anything from a splash of sake to an equal pour. We like an equal split, because it lets the sake actually show up in the glass.

One thing to keep in mind: like any martini, this is a spirit-forward drink. It's stronger than a glass of sake on its own, so we suggest a modest pour, served in a small glass and sipped slowly, ideally with something to eat.

The recipe

Makes 1 drink

• 1.5 oz (45 mL) gin or vodka
• 1.5 oz (45 mL) chilled Junmai Ginjo sake
• Ice for stirring
• Garnish: a thin slice of cucumber, a lemon twist, or a single green olive

How to make it

1. Chill a small coupe or martini glass in the freezer for a few minutes.
2. Fill a mixing glass (or any large glass) with ice.
3. Add the gin or vodka and the sake.
4. Stir for about 20 to 30 seconds, until the outside of the glass feels very cold.
5. Strain into the chilled glass.
6. Add the garnish and serve right away.

Stir, don't shake. Stirring keeps the drink silky and clear. Shaking adds tiny air bubbles and more dilution, which can flatten the sake's delicate aroma.

Gin or vodka?

Both work, and they make quite different drinks.

Spirit	What you get
Gin	Botanical and bright. Juniper and citrus meet the sake's fruit.
Vodka	Clean and neutral. The sake takes center stage.

If you want to taste the sake, start with vodka. If you love a gin martini, try gin with a cucumber garnish, which bridges the herbal notes of the gin and the soft melon and pear tones common in Junmai Ginjo.

A lighter, sake-forward version

If you'd like something gentler, flip the ratio so sake leads:

• 2 oz (60 mL) chilled Junmai Ginjo
• 1 oz (30 mL) gin or vodka

Stir and strain the same way. This version tastes more like sake with a little backbone, and it has less spirit in the glass than the equal split. It's a good place to start if you're new to the drink. Another easy option is to skip the spirit entirely and serve the sake well chilled in the same glass with a lemon twist. It looks just as good and is a pure sake serve.

Which sake to use

Pick a sake you enjoy on its own, served cold. Light, aromatic styles work best:

• Junmai Ginjo is the sweet spot: aromatic, smooth, and clean enough to stand next to a spirit. Read what is Junmai Ginjo to see why.
• Junmai Daiginjo gives a more delicate, perfumed martini.
• Fuller Junmai styles make a rounder, more savory drink, which some people love with an olive.

Keep the sake cold. A warm sake will melt more ice and make a thinner drink. If you're unsure about temperature, our guide to hot or cold sake explains why aromatic styles taste best chilled.

A can of WESAKE holds 180 mL (about 6 fl oz), enough for four equal-split martinis or three sake-forward ones. That means you can open one can for a small group, pour as you go, and not have a big bottle to finish. The can's light, smooth character, soft umami, and crisp finish suit both gin and vodka.

Garnishes that work

• Cucumber: fresh and cool, our favorite with gin.
• Lemon twist: express the oil over the glass for a bright aroma.
• Olive: a single olive adds a savory edge.
• Shiso leaf: a small leaf floated on top gives a fresh, herbal Japanese note.
• Pickled ginger: a thin slice adds a gentle bite, great next to sushi.

Serving tips

• Small glasses. A 4 to 5 oz coupe holds this recipe neatly and keeps the drink cold to the last sip.
• Food on the table. A sake martini is lovely with oysters, sashimi, salted almonds, or anything crisp and salty. Our sake food pairing guide has more ideas.
• Water alongside. Keep a glass of water next to each cocktail.
• One at a time. Because it's spirit-forward, enjoy one slowly rather than lining up a round. For something lighter and taller later in the evening, switch to a sake highball or a sake spritz.

If you want to understand how the strength of sake compares to spirits, see how strong is sake.

Make it with WESAKE

WESAKE is a Junmai Ginjo brewed in Itoigawa, Niigata, from Gohyakumangoku rice polished to 60%. It's dry and light, which makes it an easy partner for gin or vodka. Find the full specs on our sake page, and more ways to use the can in ways to serve the can.