Cocktail of the week: Bow Bar Yakawa – recipe | The right blender

Summer is finally here, we've dusted off the barbecue and are on the lookout for the next refreshing drink. Here's a nifty solution, combining something you might just have in your home bar in the form of that perennial British favourite, apricot brandy, with fresh citrus and some Asian ingredients from the East in umeshu and sparkling sake. The idea is to do something to break the silence with an explosion of flavors, and it was inspired by Sessue Hayakawa, one of Japan's first Hollywood silent movie stars.

Yakawa

Serves 1

30ml umeshu – we love Akashi-Tai's Shiraume Ginjo Umeshu30ml apricot brandy10ml fresh lime juice10ml fresh tangerine juice20ml sparkling sake (optional – again, we like Akashi-Tai's)

Add everything except the sake fizzy in a shaker or pitcher filled with ice, shake (or stir) for just five seconds, to make sure the alcohol content doesn't dilute, then strain into a chilled martini glass; otherwise, serve it on the rocks. Garnish with a wedge of lime and add the sparkling sake for a great cooling effect.

Pietro Fania and Francesco Betti, Bow Bar, London W2