Review: Kai Lemongrass Ginger Shochu, Lychee Vodka, and Coconut Pandan Vodka
Review: Kai Lemongrass Ginger Shochu, Lychee Vodka, and Coconut Pandan Vodka
Vietnam’s only vodka comes from Kai, which distills rice into both vodka and shochu (aka soju — it puts both names on the bottles), in a variety of flavors. Kai (slogan: “Taste the pleasure”) sent us three expressions of its Asian-inspired spirits for our investigation. Thoughts follow.
Kai Lemongrass Ginger Shochu/Soju – Very light and fragrant. The shochu starts with lemony notes and a heavy floral character on the nose. The body is moderately sweet, with plenty more of that flower-meets-citrus character throughout. The ginger kicks up at the end, but it’s more candylike than fresh ginger root. At just 24% alcohol, the spirit is lacking in heft but it makes up for it with that punchy, powerful fragrance. 48 proof. B+ / $30
Kai Lychee Vodka – Milder on the nose than expected, but the body is a fruity and largely authentic recreation of lychee fruit. Similar to, but not as sweet as elderflower, it offers perfumy aromatics and a surprisingly chocolaty finish that creeps up on you in time. Some mild astringency keeps this with one foot solidly in the vodkaverse and firmly away from the world of liqueurs. 70 proof. B+ / $35
Kai Coconut Pandan Vodka – Technically this reads “rice alcohol,” not vodka, but it’s really the same thing (and newer bottles appear to be updated to read vodka). Pandan is a tropical, palm-like tree that bears a fruit with some vanilla characters. The pandan gives this vodka a bit of an edge, turning the straight coconut notes into more of a savory, grilled-coconut affair, the equivalent of the coconut flavor you get in a Thai curry rather than an Almond Joy. More almond-focused than vanilla, it’s got a uniqueness you won’t find in other coconut vodkas, or even most coconut rums. 70 proof. A- / $35
Kai Lemongrass Ginger Shochu/Soju
$30
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Looks like a great batch of different types of oriental alcohols that look like they would taste good and also be relaxing. The wine and spirits store that I usually go to always runs specials on a lot of these types of booze and I will eventually try each one of them.
the Kai is fantastic have tried most all of them and l love this stuff my new favorite vodka. simple you fill a glass with ice add an inch or two then some form of sparkling water. have yet to get any type of hangover even when consuming mass quantities like a half or 3/4 a fifth that speaks volumes.
where can you purchase Lemongrass ginger. Dan Murpy no longer stocks