In the bottle: Velvety smooth right out of the gate, with a flood of those beautiful awamori flavors: vanilla, caramel, custard, cocoa—all there in full force. Once it opens up and breathes a little, you can find some nice funky aged notes like clay and wet stone; additionally there’s a really pleasant sweetness that reminds me of a bowl full of hard candies. At 43% the alcohol is almost completely muted, and more serves as a carrier of flavors than anything else. The nose is rich, layered, and deeply inviting.

On the rocks: Deep, rich, and almost pungent—this is a bit like a condensed awamori. In that sense, Zanpa Premium is really powerful right out of the bottle, before the ice melts a little. A few seconds after that first sip you get a really nice finish full of sweetness, vanilla, and custard; there are also some floral notes that stick around at the end, reminding me a bit of lavender and honeysuckle. Once the ice melts, the intensity drops a bit, allowing the earthy notes to come to the surface a little. There’s a really nice dry funk that gives a good sense of the aging of this awamori.

Straight: That pungent earthy funk is right up front; however, after a couple of seconds Zanpa Premium switches over to some absolutely amazing sweet notes of vanilla and custard. The balance between these two contrasting flavors is perfect, with neither side being too heavy or overpowering. Just like on the rocks, the finish has some nice floral vapors, with the 43% alcohol acting as the perfect carrier, allowing you to really enjoy this for a long time.

Enjoy Straight or On-the-rocks