Suntory Haku Vodka The Japanese Craft Vodka

Haku is made by Suntory, the Japanese house better known for its whisky, and it leans on the same care. The base is 100% Japanese white rice, a choice that matters: rice ferments into a spirit with a rounder, subtly sweet character rather than the sharper edge of grain. The first distillation happens in Kagoshima, the spirit is triple distilled, and it is then filtered through bamboo charcoal in Osaka. That bamboo charcoal step strips the last of the harsher compounds and is the main reason the texture turns out so smooth. It is bottled at 40%.

The nose is delicate and floral, with rice powder and a soft sweetness. The palate is gentle and clean with a silky feel and a touch of vanilla, and the finish is long, mild and quietly sweet. Its clarity suits a clean highball, so pour it long with chilled soda over ice and a wide ribbon of cucumber: the cucumber meets the floral, rice-led sweetness without burying it, which a heavier garnish would.