Iichiko

Not only healthier breakfasts, but alcohol can also be a part of  New Year’s food related resolutions. At least it is one of mine! No, I haven’t vowed to stop drinking alcohol, since I have never believed all the dubious studies suggesting it is always unhealthy or carcinogenic and carried out with groups of alcoholics. I have simply decided to limit seriously the quantity of “ordinary” wines and opt either for shochu, a recent Japanese low-calorie delicious revelation, or for only really good wines instead. The second option is unfortunately difficult to practice on a daily basis, given the cost and other complications  (cooling the wine, finding a company to drink the whole bottle or leaving it partially drunk overnight and risking a loss of its flavour…). My staple alcoholic drink will be shochu based then.

Apart from sweet potato shochu and shochu with shiso I discovered practically at the same time, my newest discovery is Iichiko shochu. Iichiko is produced from barley, is rather a brand name than a specific kind of shochu and has different versions, all with 25-30% alcohol (see here the Iichiko producer’s website). “Iichiko” is a word the producer took from Oita dialect meaning “fine” or “good” and it certainly is good! In the shop I was a bit put off by the modern design, more commercial and Western customers – oriented, but at home the first sip made me realise the “less risky” tiny 300 ml Iichiko “Person” will not last for a very long time…

Even though the alcohol percentage of the Iichiko I have bought is similar to the sweet potato and shiso flavoured shochu I already know, this one has an even lighter, mellower, straighter, “crystal clear” taste as claims the producer. Iichiko “Person” is so sophisticated and pure, that in my opinion adding anything apart from water and ice would be unforgivable (even though the producer suggests several drinks with juice). Even a thinnest slice of lime hasn’t come to my mind! Iichiko (at least the version I have) is simply best either with ice or with the same amount of sparkling water and ice. I am impatient to see what other Iichiko versions taste like and most of all if they are available here…