Review: Zeitaku Shibori Vodka & Sparkling Sodas

Zeitaku Shibori is one of Japan’s top-selling RTD brands, and this year producer Asahi brings it to the U.S. — its first RTD in the States. The concept is extremely simple: vodka, “sparkling soda” — their term — and 10% fruit juice. A 12 oz can has just 100 calories and hits a mere 4% abv.

The product is produced in Milwaukee — as all Asahi beer sold in the U.S. is, by the way — and comes in two flavors, lemon and peach. We were fortunate to get a chance to sample them both. Thoughts follow.

Each is 4% abv.

Zeitaku Shibori Vodka & Sparkling Soda Lemon – The lemon is bright and lively, and it exists here pretty much to the exclusion of everything else. There’s perhaps the lightest of bitter quinine notes to the soda as the sweet-tart fruit fades a bit, but that all works out just fine, giving the finish a cleansing note that tempers any overt sweetness. The level of fizz is just enough to gently enhance all of the above, making for a grown-up version of your favorite lemon-lime soda (sans the lime, that is). A

Zeitaku Shibori Vodka & Sparkling Soda Peach – Same approach here: Soda, a light splash of hooch, and peach flavor instead of lemon. Peach is, of course, trickier to pull off than lemon, and sure enough it’s not as delightful in this rendition, which tastes a little too candylike, evoking thoughts of melted peach ring gummies. The finish is not nearly as cleansing as the lemon version and feels a touch artificial, though the level of fizz is again just about right. It’s certainly not lacking in flavor, however, and fans of bolder seltzers may gravitate to this one. B+

each $10 per four-pack of 12 oz cans

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