A shochu-based Bloody Mary with nam pla (a fish-based Thai sauce) and fresh coriander? You have got to be joking. But no, Bob Sliwa is not -- and he insists that such strange cocktail combinations can be real winners.

An industrial designer with bartending experience, Sliwa has been creating original shochu cocktails for 20 years. Although the recent trend is toward otsu-rui shochu, which has a strong flavor and scent, it is its odorless ko-rui cousin he favors for his mixes.

"Speaking as someone who throws regular parties, I think shochu is the ultimate Tokyo party drink," says Sliwa, who arrived from America two decades ago. "It is a great mixer, and you can offer a wide variety of flavors to match the varied tastes of a Tokyo crowd -- from sweet to spicy."

For shochu lovers or those ready for a challenge, Sliwa gives The Japan Times readers a few of his cocktail recipes. Try them out, and let them give you pointers for other ideas.

So, get shaking -- or stir yourself into action with:

Tokyo Tea

Make 300 ml of Earl Grey tea using two tea bags, then chill it. Add 200 ml of ko-rui shochu (25 percent), a dab of maple syrup or pinch of brown sugar, 100 grams of crushed ice and a slice of kabosu (a citrus fruit) or dash of kabosu concentrate.

Shinokubo Mary

Put three sprigs of coriander in a tumbler and bruise slightly. Add 200 ml shochu, four drops of nam pla, a dab of tobanjan (Chinese miso with hot pepper). Mix well. Add 300 ml tomato juice and two ice cubes and stir.

Namagure Ball

Cut a ruby grapefruit in half. Squeeze juice from one half and set aside. Extract meat of fruit from other half and cut into pieces. Put half the juice and meat in emptied grapefruit half, mix in 60 ml of shochu and serve with a sprig of peppermint. After drinking a bit, crush more of the meat to work from a strong start to a sweet, fresh finish.