Haamonii Smooth | World’s smoothest shochuWorld’s smoothest shochu

Thanks to Midori Willoughby, Producer of kontentreal, we are proudly participating in the world premiere of The Art and Science of Renzo Piano and New Orleans: The Water Line both part of the critically-acclaimed PBS series: e²: the economies of being environmentally conscious

Kontentreal

kontentreal is a multidisciplinary production company whose films and documentaries are principally concerned with contemporary environmental issues and sustainability. Karena Albers and Tad Fettig founded the company 2004 with the aim that, through film, they could awaken a sense of environmental stewardship in viewers. The company is based in New York City.

Can’t thank the Wish Bar enough for featuring Haamonii Smooth in not only one of their signature cocktails, but now TWO of them! Knowing how valuable ‘bar menu real estate’ is, it’s quite an honor. So if you’re ever in SOMA in the city, be sure to stop by the Wish Bar and sample one of ‘em (or better yet, both of ‘em;)!

The latest cocktail list at Wish Bar in SOMA. Haamonii x 2

If you read TheLiquidMuse.com, you’ll see that Natalie mentioned Haamonii Smooth today. Take a look. Natalie knows her cocktails and it is a honor to have her taste Haamonii and to get her feedback. As always, we encourage anyone to try Haamonii Smooth ultra premium shochu (soju ) and give us their sincere feedback. Good or bad, we’d love to hear it since we can always improve.

Please note: you will need to click on the ‘Blog’ link on the site and simply scroll down to the blog entry. The entry does not have a unique link.

We wanted to thank Connie, Fiona from the Computer History Museum and the Yelp Elites for having us at the recent Summer Bash in the Silicon Valley.

Check out our photos by clicking on the image below.

Here is some of the feedback that we got from the event that can be seen on Yelp.com:

“LOVED the Haamonii Smooth pure and lemon sochu. Kind of like vodka, but smoother.”
“Haamonii Smooth Shochu: you were my favorite tasty drink. Friendly, informative servers, yummy yummy lemon shochu.”
“Haamonii Smooth - “World’s Smoothest Shochu”.  I had a drink of the yellow-label bottle and it was damn good & smooth.”
“Top picks for the night were the bruschetta from Zucca and various pizzas from Pizzaria Venti. However, hands down go to the Pure Shochu from Haamonii Smooth Shochu. As a faithful Grey Goose/Ciroc Vodka gal, I’ve always had very unpleasant experiences with Shochu (maybe a bad combination from the All-You-Can-Eat-Korean-BBQ or Karaoke Bars?). However, I must say that their Pure Shochu was extremely clean and well distilled. That could be dangerous! :)”

Thank you again. We look forward to pouring and sharing again.

We’re proud to announce that we will soon be distributed in Australia. More details to come. We wanted to share with you the news as soon as we could. We’ll be sharing in Melbourne and Sydney to begin.

Come join us at Yelp’s ‘Computer Love Summer Bash‘!. Complimentary Haamonii Smooth ultra premium shochu for VIP guests.

Before leaving for Costa Rica on another bachelor send off, I was told to visit the Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort (a member of the Leading Hotels of the World). After a few days of non-stop partying, my fellowers and I took our friend’s advice and made the trip to Tabacon. The hotel was tucked away in the lush foliage found in the neighboring rain-forest, and mere miles from the active Arenal volcano. The staff was friendly and ready to cater to our every need.

We took a few moments to tour the grounds, and then we were off to relax at the spa. We were shuttled down to the neighboring spa a few minutes down the hill. At first glance, it appeared to be your usual tropical resort with a full-service restaurant, infinity pool, and a swim-up bar. It wasn’t until we explored the rest of the resort that we discovered the resort’s true beauty.

The cascading waterfalls set amidst the natural foliage of the rain-forest was breathtaking. It was so picturesque.

I couldn’t imagine my experience getting any better until I took a dip in one of the many pools scattered throughout the grounds. The water was so warm. It was as if I had stepped into a freshly run bath. The power of the falls felt like many jets helping to massage away the pains of the many miles of driving and the days of partying the nights before. All stress and worry washed away as I settled into a nice spot under the falls. It was a majestic place…paradise on earth.

Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort

If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, you must check out this resort, even if it’s just for the day. You won’t be disappointed.

San Francisco Magazine’s annual ‘Best of’ issue is always a long anticipated event. This year, we’re happy to have been included after being a part of a recent event with San Francisco Magazine at SFMOMA.

Thank you San Francisco Mag!

I’ve been away from my Haamonii Smooth family over the past few months doing a bit of traveling. During my travels, I came across a cool magazine I have to share with you. The magazine is Antenna.

Antenna - Summer 2008 Issue

It’s a great source to keep up with what’s hot in streetwear and fashion, food, and the arts. The format is highly visual and the articles share just the right amount of information for those like myself with short attention spans.

Check it out.

ARTICLE: Shochu’s growing appeal has its early proponents in high spirits

EXCERPTS:

“Shochu hasn’t yet followed tequila and cachaca into the mainstream of American spirits, but proponents say it’s just a matter of time until the eminently mixable Japanese liquor makes the jump from ethnic obscurity to bar staple. It has a lot going for it–boutique image, versatility, relatively low alcohol content, purported health benefits and even snob appeal, with some brands fetching triple-digit price tags. It also seems poised to flow along with the growing interest in authentic Asian foods and beverages.”

“Shochu mixes like vodka, gin and tequila,” said Wallack, who ticked off shochu mojitos, shochu Bloody Marys and shochu mimosas as a few of the cocktail ideas. “It also goes well with purees, muddled fruits and just a splash of simple syrup or soda. It mixes great with just about anything.”

“It is made from a variety of starches, including barley, wheat, rice, sweet potato and sugar cane, fermented and distilled into a clear spirit that Westerners liken to vodka. There are big differences, however. Shochu is less potent -usually around 25 percent alcohol, compared with 40 percent for vodka–and it retains more of the flavor of the raw materials than ultra-refined vodkas.”

” Japan’s shochu craze encourages proponents. Since 2004, shochu has outsold sake there.”

“More and more people there are drinking shochu instead of sake,” said Monica Samuels, sake ambassador for Southern Wine & Spirits in New York and former corporate sake sommelier for Sushi Samba, a Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian restaurant chain based there. “It lends itself better to the nightlife scene.”

“In contrast to sake, which a lot of people consider a drink to pair with food, this is a drink to have as a cocktail or after-dinner drink, so it really can go with any cuisine,”