‘Haamonii Smooth Shochu’
‘Haamonii (harmony) Smooth Shochu’ was not what I expected at all. As the clear liquid cascaded over the ice cubes I became aware of a slow treacle like flow to the liquid and an almost magical quality to it as it swirled in my glass. My research into Shochu had led me to believe that this would be a heavy spirit with over powering earth and nut notes to its nose however instead I was intrigued by a freshness and and softness of the glass contents.
What really excited me about Haamonii Smooth was it’s versatily when simply added to fresh fruit juices or substituted for vodka. I found it an easy drink to have on the rocks but also enjoyed playing around with it as a replacement to vodka in a few of my favourite cocktails. In the Cosmopolitan it softened the harshness of the acidic cranberry while in the White Russian it helped hold the drink together in a complimentary way.
Aroma - Fresh, cool, alluring - not sour, almost sweet nose. Gives an impression of escapism.
Palate – Haamonii was, as the label described, ‘smooth’ but also had a vitality and freshness that went beyond the expected ‘nuttiness’ or earth qualities I might have imagined it to have. It was lighter then first thought and not in the least over powering like some of its competitors.
Impression – the perfect drink for mixed company. This is drink for friends of all tastes due to the adaptability of Haamonii to be drunk in several different ways without jeopardizing its essential characteristics.
Suggestions for drinking:
- On it’s own – place in the freezer and serve in cocktail glasses for fun.
- On the rocks.
- With water
- Mixed with oolong tea or fruit juice
- Used in cocktails for a softer edge.
Conclusion:
This is a perfect summer drink – throw a bottle in the freezer and look forward to sharing with all company who might come your way.
