Cocktail stories: The Name of the Samurai, Nightjar
As London stalwart Nightjar celebrates its 15th anniversary, we look at a drink that has been part and parcel of the venue since day one.
*This feature was originally published in the November 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
London’s Nightjar celebrates its 15th anniversary this year – a milestone that is worryingly rare in today’s climate. It has thrived for so long for various reasons, one of which is its talent for constantly innovating while staying true to its roots.
The Name of the Samurai summarises that ethos. Marian Beke created the cocktail for the bar’s inaugural menu in 2010, and it has remained a fixture ever since – just one of four drinks that have stood the test of time.
The bar’s current manager, Sebastiano Cristofanon, explains: “It’s always been one of the best-sellers. We try to keep a signature that people recognise – for our regulars – so we can’t really take it off.”
Its solid position on the menu doesn’t mean it has remained the same since day one, though. “We always like to change it,” he adds. “We need to update it to the new day’s tastes. We keep the ingredients, but we change the way we process the ingredients, and we’ve slightly adapted their balance.”
One example he gives is that the original recipe called for bee pollen syrup; this has since been swapped for a bee pollen tincture. Previously, the genmaicha was infused with “not much control. Now we try to have more consistency,” he says.
Cristofanon thinks the drink’s theatrical presentation has been the key to its longevity. The serve is presented in a sake box – a nod to the cocktail’s base – which is filled with what the team call Japanese Blossom: a spice blend that is burnt for dramatic and olfactory effect. “When people see this fancy presentation, they want to order one,” he explains.
Nightjar was also forward-thinking with its ingredient choices for this serve, with many of its elements being on trend in 2025: sake, genmaicha, umeshu and Japanese whisky. Whether the cocktail will survive another 15 years is anyone’s guess, but we suspect the Japanese Blossom will keep The Name of the Samurai’s candle burning for a while yet.
The Name of the Samurai
Ingredients
- 25ml Nikka From the Barrel whisky
- 40ml Kay Sake Junmai Daiginjo
- 20ml Akashi Tai Umeshu
- 5ml Fresh galangal juice
- 10ml Rice mirin
- Genmaicha tea
- 5ml Bee pollen infusion*
- Juice of half a fresh lime
- 5ml Sugar syrup (1.5:1 honey and water, infused with bee pollen)
- Japanese Blossom aromatic blend, for presentation*
Combine the whisky, sake, umeshu, galangal juice, and rice mirin. Infuse the blend with genmaicha tea (10g per litre of liquid) for 15 minutes, then fine-strain. Add lime juice and the bee-pollen infusion. Throw the mixture between tins six times to chill and aerate. Strain into a teacup.
*For the bee pollen infusion
Combine 10g bee pollen with 500ml Nikka in a vacuum-sealed bag. Sous-vide the mixture then fine-strain.
*For the Japanese Blossom
Combine equal parts of oak chips, lavender, orange blossom, Sencha tea, nutmeg, and mace. Place a small handful into a masu (sake box) and light it to create smoke. Place the teacup into the masu, allowing the smoke to perfume the drink. Garnish with a small rice cake.
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