With its deep, jewel-toned color, the Ogon-ike (“Golden Pond”) cocktail brings together the mellow sweetness of umeshu, the vibrant character of cherry brandy, and the crisp lift of ginger ale for an elegant, easy-drinking glass. Named after a moss garden pond in Kyoto, it’s a refined cocktail worth savoring slowly.
Recipe & Instructions
Ingredients
Recipe no.010
- Umeshu (Japanese plum wine) ー 5/6 oz (25ml)
- Cherry brandy ー 1/3 oz (10ml)
- Blue curaçao ー 1/3 oz (10ml)
- Ginger ale ー Full
- Full = fill the glass about 80–90% full
Instructions
Fill an Old Fashioned glass (rocks glass) with ice and stir to chill it, then discard any excess water.
Add the umeshu, cherry brandy, and blue curaçao, and stir well to combine.
Gently top with ginger ale, being careful not to create foam, then give it a light, slow stir to finish. When mixing in carbonated ingredients, stir slowly with just one or two rotations, lifting and lowering the ice to combine everything evenly.
- Technique ｜Stir
- Glass ｜Old Fashioned Glass
- ABV ｜approximately 5–6%
- Best Enjoyed ｜Daytime
About Ogon-ike (Golden Pond) & Video
Origins
Photo ｜ Ogon-ike, Saiho-ji Temple, Kyoto
This creative cocktail takes its name and inspiration from Ogon-ike, a pond within Saiho-ji, a temple located in Matsuo-Kamigatani-cho, Nishikyo Ward, Kyoto.
Shaped in the form of the Japanese character for “heart” or “mind” (心), Ogon-ike is also known as Shinji-ike (“Heart-Shaped Pond”). The temple itself is more widely known by its nickname, Kokedera — the “Moss Temple” — thanks to the thick carpet of moss covering its grounds. In many ways, this cocktail is an attempt to capture a piece of that scenery in a glass.
The mellow, distinctly Japanese sweetness of umeshu meets the fruity character of cherry brandy, while blue curaçao lends the drink its deep, jewel-green hue. A crisp pour of ginger ale ties everything together, giving the whole glass a light, refreshing finish — and with it, a hint of the quiet, moss-covered mystery of Ogon-ike itself.
In that sense, Ogon-ike isn’t just a sweet cocktail — it’s something closer to a “drinkable garden,” blending Japanese natural beauty with careful craftsmanship. It’s a rare kind of cocktail, one meant to be experienced as much as tasted.
Characteristics & Flavor
Photo ｜ Japanese Plum Tree
Ogon-ike is a liqueur-based cocktail that captures a distinctly Japanese sense of harmony, where visual beauty and flavor come together in balance. In short, it strikes a graceful balance between sweetness and refreshment, making it a cocktail that appeals to a wide range of palates.
That balance comes from how the mellow, Japanese-style sweetness of umeshu meets the fruitiness of cherry brandy and the vivid color of blue curaçao, all tied together by the crisp lift of ginger ale. The result is a cocktail that’s sweet without feeling heavy — clean and easy to drink.
On the first sip, umeshu’s gentle sweetness comes through, followed by the bright, fruity character of cherry brandy. Then the ginger ale’s carbonation moves lightly across the palate, before the deep green color of blue curaçao lingers in the aftertaste. That progression gives the drink a sense of depth — almost like gazing quietly at the pond itself.
In short, Ogon-ike is a lightly sweet, refreshingly finished cocktail — a modern take on Japanese elegance, as beautiful to look at as it is to drink.
Points, Twists & Food Pairings
- Best Pairings・・・Pair with mochi, green tea sweets, or salty rice crackers — the umeshu’s fruity sweetness complements delicate Japanese desserts beautifully.
- Mixing Tip・・・Add the blue curaçao last, drizzling it slowly over the back of a bar spoon so its color settles gently without muddying the layers.
- Easy Twist・・・Swap ginger ale for tonic water for a drier, more herbal finish, or add a splash of soda for an even lighter, crisper glass.
- Drinking Note・・・This cocktail’s ABV is fairly light, but its sweetness makes it easy to drink quickly — pace yourself and pair it with water.
Recipe Videos
- Recipe Videos ｜ Muse Amuse Channel Home
