The Kamikaze shot recipe
for your table
Place the shot glasses in the freezer for twenty minutes.
Add the vodka, triple sec and lime juice to the shaker with plenty of ice.
Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. The lime juice needs to emulsify into the drink, otherwise it will be harsh.
Strain into the ice-cold shot glasses and serve with a lime wedge on the side.
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Send the Kamikaze shot recipe to your own email, so you have it at hand when you make it. You will also receive a € 5 discount code for orders from € 50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
The Kamikaze appeared in American bars in the 1970s, the decade in which vodka overtook whiskey as the country's most consumed spirit. The structure is classic: spirit, liqueur and citrus in equal parts, the same principle as the Sidecar and the White Lady, only with vodka. When bartenders later added cranberry juice, the Cosmopolitan was born, which would become much more famous than its predecessor. The Kamikaze was left behind as a shot, and that is really a shame: served over ice in a tumbler, it is an excellent cocktail.
The right glass
A shot glass of 5 to 6.5 cl is exactly right for this recipe: three times 2 cl comes to six centiliters, and with the dilution from shaking, you fill a glass of this size to just below the rim. Choose thick-walled glass that retains the cold; you serve them ice-cold, and they usually have to wait a little while until everyone has one. If you want to serve it as a cocktail, use a tumbler or a coupe and double all the quantities.
Arcoroc Vigne Shot Glass 6 cl (6 pieces)
Mammoet Budgetline Boston Shot Glass 3.5 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 22,90, in two sizes, for shots and drinks.
The right tools
For a Kamikaze shot, in addition to the glass, use a small shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, and a citrus press. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 55,80.
Variations & twists
Add cranberry juice and you have a Cosmopolitan; replace the vodka with gin and it becomes a White Lady, with cognac a Sidecar. If you serve it as a full cocktail over ice, add half a centiliter of sugar syrup to balance the acidity. Make a blue version with blue curaçao instead of triple sec. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Servingtip
Always use fresh lime juice. This recipe has only three ingredients, and bottled lime juice is the fastest way to ruin it; it tastes bitter and bland at the same time. Really shake it with ice; a Kamikaze that you simply pour is sharp and harsh, while the same cocktail becomes soft and rounded after ten seconds of shaking.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Kamikaze?
A shot glass of 5 to 6.5 cl. View our shot glasses.
What is the correct ratio?
Equal parts: 1 to 1 to 1. If you find it too sour, use 2 parts vodka to 1 part triple sec and 1 part lime.
Is a Kamikaze the same as a Cosmopolitan?
Almost. The Cosmopolitan is a Kamikaze with cranberry juice added, served in a cocktail glass instead of a shot glass.
Can you make a Kamikaze alcohol-free?
Yes: use 0.0 vodka and orange syrup instead of triple sec, and keep the fresh lime juice. The acidity carries this shot, not the alcohol.
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