Kiwi
Fresh kiwifruit, muddled or used as a garnish for its tart-sweet flavor.
Origin
China originally (as the wild "Chinese gooseberry"), commercially developed and renamed in New Zealand in the early-to-mid 20th century.
History
Kiwi fruit grew wild in China for centuries before New Zealand horticulturalists began cultivating it commercially in the early 20th century, eventually rebranding the "Chinese gooseberry" as the "kiwifruit" for export marketing purposes in the 1950s and 60s, tying it to New Zealand's national bird. Its bright green color and distinctive sweet-tart flavor made it a popular addition to fruit-forward cocktails and garnishes once it became a widely available global commercial fruit by the late 20th century.
Flavor profile
Sweet-tart with a bright, slightly tropical flavor, often compared to a mix of strawberry and pineapple.
Tasting notes
Fresh and vibrant, with real acidity balancing its sweetness, muddled into a drink for both flavor and its striking green color, or sliced as a garnish for visual appeal.
Substitutes
- Kiwi liqueur, for concentrated kiwi flavor without fresh fruit to muddle.
- A mix of green grape and a squeeze of lime, as a rough approximation of kiwi's sweet-tart character.
- Star fruit, for a different but comparably exotic, visually striking garnish fruit.
Common cocktails