Premium vodka made from Japanese rice by a Suntory Holdings Ltd. subsidiary has been on sale in the United States since Monday, targeting luxury hotel bars and Japanese restaurants.
At a kickoff event in New York, bartenders whipped up cocktails made with "Haku," of which a participant said, "It tastes good. I would order it at a bar."
The high-grade vodka comes in a 750 milliliter bottle at a price of $27.99, according to Beam Suntory Inc. Sales in Japan and Europe will follow next year.
The distilled beverage is the second product, following premium gin "Roku," since Japanese whisky powerhouse Suntory acquired U.S. beverage producer Beam, known for the popular bourbon whiskey "Jim Beam," in 2014.
A unique Japanese filtration technique using bamboo charcoal makes the vodka "sweet," the distiller said.
