I recently got my hands on locally produced sugar kelp flakes from my friends over at @nauticalfarms and of course my first thought was: how do I incorporate this into a cocktail? Given its salty flavor using it in a rim was my first instinct. ⁣

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I decided to use Japanese whiskey as my base spirit. Generally when utilizing whiskey in a sour format cocktail you would go for lemon juice, but I had a feeling lime juice would pair better with the salty kelp flakes. The decision to muddle a few blackberries in was somewhat spontaneous. ⁣

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I am pretty amazed at how well the blackberries pair with the Toki whisky. The blackberry flavor is nuanced, adding a sense of freshness. The Toki was the star. My choice of souring agent worked fabulously, especially aided by the addition of the blackberries. At first I wasn't sure the kelp flake rim did much apart from being a fun addition, but as I drank it became clear that they absolutely helped sharpen the flavors and even lingered a bit on the finish. It won't win any award for complexity, but it is damn tasty. The whisky is light bodied with a flavor that sort of sits in between scotch & Irish whisky. Those lighter, fruitier notes pair so well with the blackberries with a whisp of smoke that plays well with the salty kelp and lime.

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