Kokuto Liqueur, Kokuto de Lequio

Are you bored with sweetening your cocktails with simple syrup, agave, or fruit infusions? If so, look no further than Kokuto de Lequio Liqueur, a shockingly delicious liqueur made from two types of kokuto, or raw cane sugar, on the island of Okinawa. The liqueur is the brainchild of Shingo Gokan, one of the world’s top bartenders, and Mizuho Shuzo, one of Okinawa’s most revered distilleries, who teamed up to create something alchemic: they dissolved kokuto in a base spirit made from a combination of rum distilled from kokuto and awamori, Japan’s oldest distilled beverage. The result is sui generis: aromas of toasted walnut, raisin, candied plum, and ripe banana transition to a velvety palate of brown sugar, palm sugar, toasted coconut, and date with a dry, nutty finish reminiscent of dark soy sauce. Time to mix things up.