Relax with Herbal ice and Sake

Heal your tired body and mind with a herb x Sake arrangement

Herbs are plants that are used for their fragrance and medicinal properties. They are not only used to flavor food and cocktails, but in recent years they are also used for beauty treatments at salons and skin care products, for beauty and relaxation purposes.

These herbs also go great with drinks. Adding them to juices, cocktails, and other drinks instantly transforms the look and feel of the drink, and changes the flavor.

Herbal tea, a drink made with herbs, is especially popular. Its refreshing aroma can refresh you, while its gentle aroma can soothe you, providing a sense of refreshment and healing that you can't get from black tea or other drinks, so many people enjoy it during their relaxation time.

This time, we arranged these herbs as ice and enjoyed them with Sake.

Just as adding bay leaves to curry and rosemary to fried foods will elevate the flavor, adding herbs to Sake will give it a more refined taste.

We recommend this easy cocktail recipe that just requires you to tear up some herbs and add them to the drink, but this time we took the extra step of making "herb ice" to enjoy Sake. The cold ice with the refreshing scent of herbs looks and smells great on a hot day!

Delicious even with ice! The appeal of "Sake on the rocks"

When it comes to drinking alcohol on the rocks with ice, most people probably think of whiskey or shochu. Sake has a image of being something to drink straight, so some people may be reluctant to add ice. However, putting ice in Sake to drink "Sake on the rocks" is also a way to enjoy it. It has a lighter flavor that is different from chilled sake, and is a way to try it when you want to drink well-chilled Sake.

In addition, adding ice to Sake lowers the temperature, making it smoother to drink. As the ice melts little by little, the alcohol content becomes lower than usual, which is another nice point about sake, as it helps you sober up quickly.

How to make herbal ice that is both fragrant and visually soothing

Herb ice that traps herbs not only gives off a faint herbal scent as it melts, but by squeezing lemon or lime onto the ice, you can overcome the disadvantage of the flavor becoming weaker as it melts.

・Your favorite herbs (mint, rosemary, lemongrass, etc.)

・Lime/Lemon

·water

1. Pour water into the ice tray

2. Cut the herbs into bite-sized pieces and place them in an ice cube tray.

3. Squeeze lime or lemon into the juice to add flavor.

4. Freeze in the freezer

If you like, you can also add edible flowers to make it look even more beautiful.

Introducing the combination of herb ice and Sake for a different taste than usual

From here, we will introduce Sake that goes particularly well with herb ice.

"Kubota Suijyu" x Herb Ice: A refreshing experience

This unpasteurized daiginjo sake is stored at low temperatures without any heat pasteurization, and is characterized by its fresh taste and elegant sweetness. It has a refreshing apple-like flavor, and drinking it chilled brings out its freshness and sharp flavor.

Suijyu also blends well with the unique scent of herbs. The combination of Suijyu's elegant scent with that of herbs is perfect for refreshing your body and mind, as it invigorates the body and mind when they are exhausted by the heat.

Mojito-style flavor "Kubota Senjyu Junmai Ginjo" x lime juice herb ice

The next sake we would like to recommend is "Kubota Senjyu Junmai Ginjo," which is characterized by its clean mouthfeel and moderate sharpness. This product was made to go well with any dish, and its clear aroma and flavor allow you to directly feel the flavor of the herbs.

We especially recommend enjoying it with herb ice topped with plenty of lime juice. The herb aroma and lime flavor bring out the sharpness of Senjyu Junmai Ginjo, transforming it into a refreshing drink like a mojito.

If you're someone who doesn't like sweet cocktails with juice or syrup, but would like something a little more flavorful, be sure to give this a try.

Use your favorite herbs to relax

We tried using various types of Sake with herbal ice, and found that the ones that seemed to go best were sharp, crisp sake or sake that could be described as "light" or "elegant."

Conversely, when herbal flavors are added to deep-flavored sake or mellow, sweet Sake, the herbal aroma can overwhelm the gentle flavor of the Sake, or the bitterness of the herbs can stand out. Even with the Sake or herbs, compatibility will vary depending on the brand and type, so be sure to find your favorite combination.

Enjoying the cool, refreshing green herb ice together with Sake made with pure water is sure to make you feel refreshed.

With the summer heat still lingering, why not try soothing your body and mind with some herbal ice?