Testimonials
WRITTEN BY: Founder WRITTEN ON: January 1. 2007
Tell us what you think of our Haamonii Smooth shochu. Good or bad, we want to hear it. Your honest feedback is always welcome.
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Comments: (46)
All of us at Young Hollywood.com love Haamoni – it’s so smooth and makes a super light and lo‐calorie cocktail that is perfect for summer… it’s been a great addition to the suite here at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills.
@selenawrites: @NyBarfly you should try @haamoniismooth best shochu i’ve had!
‘Haamonii (harmony) Smooth Shochu’ was not what I expected at all. As the clear liquid cascaded over the ice cubes I became aware of a slow treacle like flow to the liquid and an almost magical quality to it as it swirled in my glass. My research into Shochu had led me to believe that this would be a heavy spirit with over powering earth and nut notes to its nose however instead I was intrigued by a freshness and and softness of the glass contents.
What really excited me about Haamonii Smooth was it’s versatily when simply added to fresh fruit juices or substituted for vodka. I found it an easy drink to have on the rocks but also enjoyed playing around with it as a replacement to vodka in a few of my favourite cocktails. In the Cosmopolitan it softened the harshness of the acidic cranberry while in the White Russian it helped hold the drink together in a complimentary way.
Aroma- Fresh, cool, alluring – not sour, almost sweet nose. Gives an impression of escapism.
Palate– Haamonii was, as the label described, ‘smooth’ but also had a vitality and freshness that went beyond the expected ‘nuttiness’ or earth qualities I might have imagined it to have. It was lighter then first thought and not in the least over powering like some of its competitors.
Impression– the perfect drink for mixed company. This is drink for friends of all tastes due to the adaptability of Haamonii to be drunk in several different ways without jeopardizing its essential characteristics.
Suggestions for drinking:
- On it’s own – place in the freezer and serve in cocktail glasses for fun.
- On the rocks.
- With water
- Mixed with oolong tea or fruit juice
- Used in cocktails for a softer edge.
Conclusion:
This is a perfect summer drink – throw a bottle in the freezer and look forward to sharing with all company who might come your way.
I have never been one for drinking straight spirits, I try and in some cases I am mildly surprised but in most cases I am overtaken by a sensational burning as the liquid slides down my throat so it was with trepidation I steeled myself for this latest tasting. But STOP THE PRESS I am a convert, Shochu and this particular brand Haamonii (pronounced Harmony) which is stunningly bottled, slips down your throat like a whisper. You can drink it neat and my goodness it is sexy, sexy, sexy.
3 floors of drink stands, oh yeaaaaaaa, HAAMONII was amazing. (http://bit.ly/nsO8k)
I would’ve totally bought some clothes and accessories if my wallet was fatter. …or if I had about 5 more of those tasty Haamonii grapefruit cocktails. (http://bit.ly/nsO8k)
The drinks did not disappoint, which is always an important thing in my book. I especially liked the husband and wife team who made the Haamonii Shochu. I chose to have it mixed with grapefruit juice and it was an excellent drink. I hope to see this in bars around SF soon! (http://bit.ly/nsO8k)
3rd floor = (Haamonii shochu sampling – either on the rocks or mixed with grapefruit juice or oolong tea. Yes please. All three. Twice – then rinse and repeat then on the rocks – FTW) (http://bit.ly/nsO8k)
Haamonii Shochu…my fave was the cocktail with grapefruit juice and didn’t taste like alcohol at all. (http://bit.ly/nsO8k)
I’ve tasted many shochus during my time in asia and this one is fab.
just tasted some absolutely delicious haamonii soju at their launch party. might be my new favorite. you can buy it @TowerATL !
Sipped neat, I found the Haamonii truly lived up to its name–it’s so incredibly smooth, that the words “liquid cashmere” came to mind. It’s faintly sweet and bright with virtually no alcohol burn. Haamonii also offers a lemon-flavored variety made with natural lemon juice, which is also lovely on its own. Haamonii, or “Harmony,” encourages drinkers to pour for others and not the self, so that you’ll never drink alone.
My wife and I tasted the lemon last night. I have to say. It’s the smoothest thing I have ever tasted. It would have been easy to drink the whole bottle. I really look forward to sharing it.
Nice work.
Just got a bottle of your lemon shochu last night…Great stuff
@haamoniismooth sochu is the greatest…
Talk about smooth! Love Haamonii!
@haamoniismooth Shochu is the best!!!!!
…enjoyed it” is quite an understatement! seriously, it’s really astonishingly good! i made a watermelon cocktail (and tasted it straight, of course) that blew our socks off- even had someone who usually only drinks wine ask me to make a second batch! :^) i’m working on coming up with a similarly fab cocktail for the lemon version!
My @haamoniismooth lemon shochu review is up! This stuff is awesome. http://bit.ly/ZbnIe
I like the lemon haamonii, and kick it up with a bit more citrus. On the rocks, perfect summer drink.
James the tasting went well!! I had three close friends try it with me and everyone enjoyed it. Thank you.
Hi Aaron, unfortunately we’re not distributed locally in New York yet. You can however purchase Haamonii online at http://www.dandm.com or http://www.klwines.com (simply search for ‘haamonii’). If you have any suggestions for venues that you would like to see Haamonii at in New York, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Thank you for your comment.
Is Haamonii available in NYC?
Shochu, so smooth, it’s refreshing without trying. Drink it straight and it won’t bully you for attention; instead, its alluring presence invites you to taste. Mix it and it becomes the life of that party-in-a-glass, not too loud, but proud. Its quiet elegance and strength makes it a top choice for any occasion.
Hi Diane. Great that you’re enjoying shochu. I hope many people have a positive experience with shochu just like you have (regardless of brand). We are expanding our distribution this year and hope to have Haamonii in Sacramento as well. In the mean time, you can order online and have it shipped from http://www.dandm.com. If you like, tell us what retailer you want to see Haamonii in Sacramento and we’ll do our best to have it there soon. Thank you for your thoughts.
Since I won several bottles of quality shochu it has become my favorite spirit. Is there any place to get haamonii in the Sacramento area? We don’t go to the bay area very often and it is such a refreshing drink.
Very easy on the palette, Almost too easy to drink.I expected a stronger spirit, it was even a little sweet. You could taste a bit of the grain.
This would make a good aperitif.
We toasted to a new 2009 with Haamonii and everyone loved it!
Thank you Suzi for sharing Haamonii in Australia! Our Haamonii Smooth Lemon is actually made by blending 100% natural lemon juices into our ultra premium shochu and is directly inspired by how shochu is commonly enjoyed in Japan where the shochu is poured over ice and fresh fruit juice (lemon, grapefruit, etc.) is squeezed right on top of the shochu. It’s delicious! Thank you again for your support.
Our bar just got your fantastic product on board. Yippee! I am now a big fan of Haamonii Smooth, in particular the lemon… I was wondering exactly how exactly does the lemon infusion occur? Been told there are different ways.
Thank you for the question Edward. It’s a great question that is commonly asked. In fact, there are both Korean and Japanese shochu producers. As an example, Takara is a big Japanese shochu distiller. The reason why we are shochu is due to the fact that our recipe is from Japanese shochu rather than Korean soju. Note that a short time ago, the spelling would be a way to tell if it was Korean (soju) or Japanese (shochu). More and more today, however, the two words are being used interchangeably and no longer a way to tell the difference. I hope this answers your question. Thank you again for your question. We love feedback and questions.
Why did Haamonii call it shochu instead of soju? It appears that the distillers have Korean, rather than Japanese names.
Best decision I ever made was to stop drinking Gin, and start drinking Haamonii Sochu.
Haamonii is our premium liquor of choice whenever we are entertaining guests! It is very smooth – both males and females will enjoy the neutral flavor. I highly recommend Haamonii to anyone looking to impress their guests. Remember, always pour for others and then yourself!
I enjoy vodka and this is the only Sochu I’ve tasted that satisfies my craving. Normally with Sochu you need to mix it with something in order to drink it. Haamonii tastes great straight from the bottle on the rocks!
The best Soju i’ve ever had…excellent after taste
It has a nice kick to it, but goes down fluidly!!!
It’s very smooth! It goes down like VOSS!!!
oh so smooth, as the name proclaims. i love busting out the haamonii not just for its taste but also for the slick design of bottle and label. they’re so chic that we permanently have two bottles on display in our dining room (and two bottles chilling in the fridge for instant gratification after a hard day’s work).
I loved the smooth taste of Haamonii! I served it to friends on the rocks and it was a big hit! Later, I used it to make Lemondrop cocktails and it made a better drink than the usual vodka-based. I would definitely have it again!
Getting loose off the goose is so 2007. Haamonii on the rocks is what all the hipsters in 2008 are drinking. Get with it.
crisp cool libations…chillin’ out
Great Mojitos
Sooo tasty. Loved the Shochu mixed drink. Cant wait to pick it up at K&L…thanks!
Very smooth, like sweet gin or vodka. Should be pretty good straight and cold.
The neutral flavor is really smooth! Goes down super easy! The lemon flavor smells good and taste like a “lemon drop”, just sugar the rim! I definitely would recommend this!