A silky boozy milkshake combining banana amazake ice cream and whisky.

From Fermentation to Cocktail

This cocktail was the inspiration behind our Banana Amazake recipe. Rather than creating an amazake and then searching for ways to use it, we started with the challenge of pairing one of Scotland's most distinctive whiskies with an ingredient that could soften its intensity without losing its character.

With unmistakable peat smoke, maritime notes and medicinal character, we chose Laphroaig 10 for this drink's core. Alongside the smoke aroma lie subtle notes of vanilla, oak and a hint of banana that creates a beautiful tie for our amazake.

By structuring the amazake with barley koji in place of the traditional rice, it carries gentle malt character that mirrors the whisky grain, and with enzymatic fermentation, we’ve created a rich, naturally sweet amazake that complements rather than competes with the spirit. That amazake is then transformed into an ice cream before finally becoming the centrepiece of this cocktail, bringing the entire recipe journey full circle.

Banana Amazake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 350g sushi rice (cooked and cooled to 40°C)
  • 150g barley koji
  • 1kg Pectinase Clarified Banana Juice
  • Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Method

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients together.

Pour into a Enzyme+ set to 58°C and hold for 8-10 hours, stirring a few times throughout.

Once complete, remove for the Enzyme+ and place in the fridge in an airtight container to infuse for 12-24 hours.

To split the amazake mixture, pass through a chinois and reserve the porridge.

Put the resulting liquid into a Centricook and spin for 20 minutes at 4000RPM.

Bottle and chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Banana Amazake Ice Cream

Ingredients

Method

To a pan, bring the milk, double cream, toasted vanilla bean and banana skins to a simmer and leave to infuse for 20-30 minutes. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk the horlicks, sugar and egg yolks together.

Pour infused the milk over the yolk mix and whisk well.

Place back on the heat and cook out to 78°C, stirring often.

Pass through a chinois. 

Hand blend in ice cream stabiliser, fresh banana and banana amazake porridge and check for seasoning.

Place in the freezer.

Banana Hard Shake Recipe

Ingredients

Method

Mix all together and put into a Ninja Slushi machine.

Select the Frozen Cocktail preset and allow to churn, adjusting as desired.

Once frozen, serve in a Julep cup.

Garnish with whipped cream, freeze-dried banana amazake ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate crackle crystals, a griottine cherry and a sparkler.