In the bottle: Smooth, slightly sweet with a hint of freshly steamed rice, caramel, custard and vanilla which are backed by a very subtle earthiness that adds a bit of complexity to the entire experience. Additionally, there is a beautiful fresh note that carries just a hint of alcohol which is not surprising at 30 percent ABV, certainly not overpowering. Overall, Zampa Black is beautifully fragrant and comes across as very well made but also very accessible, especially the price, so time to pour a glass.

On the rocks: For me, this is where the magic happens. All of the amazing notes of rice, caramel, cacao and vanilla spread across the palate, melding into a rich, smooth, and uniquely awamori experience. As the ice melts a bit Zampa Black mellows out nicely as the key flavors remain up front while the intensity is toned down a little. The alcohol does a great job of carrying those beautiful sweet/earthy Awamori notes through to the finish, which here is also a standout and makes Zanpa Black a good bottle to introduce someone to. Overall, highly recommended for a hot summer night, especially when you are looking to have a couple glasses which this is the perfect bottle for.

水割り Diluted with water

4:1 ratio: If you are planning to enjoy more than a couple of glasses, then diluting it a little is recommended; it is just too easy to drink too much.

Straight: Sweet, rich and a bit chocolatey which I did not catch on the first tasting and was a pleasant surprise. The smoothness when enjoyed neat in the glass is really exceptional and without the melting ice you truly get the full Awamori flavor profile that comes through with nothing being masked or diluted. Zanpa Black is still one of the best easy access bottles you can find for the money. 

Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's Chocolonely 70% cacoa. This is one of those pairings where you just feel the world is missing something when it comes to using alcohol in desserts, just amazing. Zanpa Black takes the chocolate and turns it up to 11. This becomes so cacao rich and the Awamori add such a nice backdrop for the whole experience, absolute winner.