I visited the Soda Jerk bar in Verona last week. What you see in my attached image is probably one of the best #cocktails I've ever had. Let me tell you why.

First point: ingredients. This thing was made of miso, katsuoboshi (bonito flakes), Mandarine liqueur and vanilla-pepper as garnish. If you can't imagine those flavours working: fair enough. I could, or at least I thought. And boy, they did. It was awesome.

Everything came together in layers. The miso was quite upfront, together with the umami from the bonito, paired with a slight sweetness. All of this was enhanced by the vanilla-pepper garnish, the spicy/mellow smell cuts right through the umami and creates a nice contrast. To top it all off, the mandarine liqueur imbues the whole creation with a slight tang, perfecting this somewhat counterintuitive masterpiece. Savoury, sweet and delicious.

I've been a fan of somewhat unconventional flavour pairings for some time now, and some people have really delivered on quenching that thirst. Soda Jerk has put itself on the top of the list with their creation. If you happen to be in Verona, visit them! Their cocktail game is spot on!