Kamikaze

Equal parts vodka, triple sec, and lime juice — the Kamikaze is a cocktail stripped to its essence. Named after the Japanese ‘divine wind’ pilots of World War II, the drink’s actual origins are less dramatic: it likely emerged in the 1970s, with one credible claim tracing it to New York bartender Tony Lauriano at Les Pyrenees restaurant in 1972. Originally served as a shooter in a shot glass, it evolved during the disco era into a full-sized cocktail served up in a Martini glass. Sharp, tart, and bracing, the Kamikaze proves that three well-chosen ingredients need no embellishment.