Strawberry Roku Gin and Tonic Cocktail

The Strawberry Roku gin and tonic cocktail is the perfect drink to add to your cocktail menu! The combined ingredients of an aromatic Roku gin compliments the sweet and lightly tangy taste of tonic and strawberry simple syrup so beautifully. It's a delicious cocktail for all seasons!

Jump to:

• What Is Roku Gin?
• Why This Recipe Works
• What Goes Into This Recipe
• How To Make This Recipe 
• Helpful Kitchen Notes And Expert Tips
• Helpful Tools & Cocktail Kit
• FAQs
• More Recipes You’ll Love
• Strawberry Roku Gin Cocktail

What Is Roku Gin?

Roku gin is a Japanese craft gin produced by the House of Suntory artisans, a Japanese brand with a long history of producing quality top-shelf gin like Roku gin and Suntory whiskey. The Roku gin, one of their best Japanese spirits, has unique flavors, added floral notes, and a hint of citrus taste.

Roku, in Japanese, means 6, the number of Japanese botanicals used in the gin. Those six ingredients are sakura flowers (cherry blossoms), sakura leaf, Gyokuro tea, Sencha tea ( both green tea), Yuzu peel (a type of citrus fruit), and Sansho pepper (Japanese pepper).

This premium gin is made with meticulous attention using ingredients specifically grown and sourced from different regions of Japan. All the ingredients are grown and cultivated by Japanese artisans only in Japan during all four different seasons! 

Why This Recipe Works

• It's light and tasty, a great drink to start or finish your dinner with.
• Use your favorite herbs to muddle and infuse herbal notes into the drink.
• You can easily adapt the flavors of the cocktails with any other flavored syrup of your choice!
• The strawberry flavor is a good cocktail for a holiday drink. The red is very festive!
• It's a good gin and tonic recipe any time of year. It's a perfect cocktail for the warmer weather especially during hot summer days, or for a fun happy hour party with friends.

What Goes Into This Recipe

• Roku Japanese gin. A perfect crisp gin, fragrant and refreshing. Find Roku gin at your local liquor store like Total wine and more.
• Kaffir lime leaves and ginger. These two fresh herbs are used for muddling to add a Thai twist to the drink.
• Strawberry simple syrup. It adds a nice floral sweetness to this cocktail. For different flavors, use any of your favorite syrups.
• Aromatic bitters. Use sparingly. A little bit goes a long way. Add more or less as preferred.
• Fresh lime juice. Fresh lemon juice will work too.
• Tonic water or club soda. Use your favorite tonic to add. Or you can skip it entirely. The drink is great, with or without it. 
• Ice 4-5 cubes. For chilling, put the drink in a shaker before pouring it. 
• Cocktail sugar. Optional but adds a very festive feel to your drink! 
• Garnish options: Sliced ginger, kaffir lime leaves, fresh sweet strawberries, lemon or lime wedge, cucumber ribbon, orange peel.

How To Make This Recipe 

Step 1. Squeeze lime for fresh juice and set aside.

Step 2. Muddle the ginger and kaffir lime leaves. Choose any other fresh aromatic herbs of choice here if preferred. Rosemary, sage, or thyme work great for the holidays. 

Step 3. Add Roku gin, strawberry syrup, bitters, and sweetened lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, then shake until the shaker is cold. (15-30 seconds).

Step 4. Remove the top lid and pour it into a cocktail glass.

Step 5. Add tonic or bubbly water. That's it!

Enjoy! Garnish with ginger, lime wedges, citrus peels, fresh strawberries, or your favorite fruit. It's so refreshing! 

Helpful Kitchen Notes And Expert Tips

• Use the bitters minimally since you'll also muddle herbs that can add extra bitterness. (Lime leaves, particularly.)
• For an added tang, add more lime juice or lemonade.
• Use any tonic or bubbly water to adjust and adapt!
• Use cocktail sugar for a more decorative feel!
• Skip the bitters if you want a lighter and sweeter cocktail.

Helpful Tools & Cocktail Kit

• Cocktail shaker
• Ballon glass for cocktails or wine
• Vintage Copa cocktail glass
• Orange slices for garnish

FAQs

Can this Strawberry gin cocktail be made ahead of time?

Yes. You can make a big batch for a party ahead of time. Decide on the amount you need, and mix the ingredients except the tonic water in a large pitcher. Let sit in the fridge for a few hours. Before serving, add the drink mixture to a shaker with a few pieces of fresh ice, strain, pour into cocktail glasses, top with tonic water last, and garnish with your favorite herbs.

Can you drink Roku Gin straight?

Yes, you can. You can drink it neat over nice. (Just gin and ice, nothing else). Or add a splash of tonic water to it to make a classic gin.

What is similar to Roku Gin?

Hendrick's gin and Komasa Tangerine Gin are good substitutes if Roku gin is unavailable. Both have wonderful botanical notes that are perfect for mixed drinks.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Empress gin with lavender (with egg white foam)
• Roku Gin with Orange blossom syrup
• Creamy coconut lime mojito
• Butterfly pea flower lemonade- non-alcoholic
• Hibiscus tea recipe non-alcoholic
• Butterfly pea flower tea, hot or cold, and non-alcoholic

** Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star ?rating in the recipe card below and a review in the comments section further down the page. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram! **

Print