The Spirit World

There are some liqueurs that make a splash in the market via great taste that fills a need that no others to date can touch and there are many who make that splash via innovative marketing. It’s increasingly more rare that both of these aspects are successfully pulled off in one product. The new TY KU liqueur is an exception.

The liqueur is a lovely new addition to the liquor shelf, filling another space right next to Hpnotiq with a colorful and fruit-flavorful spirit. The base is Shochu (Asian vodka) and sake, which are flavored with a variety of fruits billed as “healthy.” The list is big and each ingredient has their own purpose and it includes pomegranate (antioxidant), Asian pear (hangover remedy), honeydew, yuzu, plum, fuji apple, white cranberry, oolong and green teas, elderflower syrup. The result is a completely new blend that creates some intriguing new drinks.

Ty Ku’s cocktail list is immense and one of my favorites is the Killer Blowfish because it pairs a variety of sweet fruits, including a passion fruit puree, with some spicy hot sauce against a vanilla vodka and Ty Ku background. Another favorite, which finds a place in October because its pink color is perfect for Breast Cancer Awareness Month fundraisers, is the Blushing Geisha. It’s a dramatic and sensuous cocktail that is light on the alcohol and has a seductive flavor.

Blushing Geisha

• 2 oz TY KU liqueur
• 1 oz pomegranate juice
• 2 oz Sence rose nectar
• lime wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir well. Strain into a stemmed glass or over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

So, what’s up with the green glow in the bottle? Although it is reminiscent of some toxic spill, it’s an innovative and simple bottle design that makes a very big impression, especially in a dark bar. When the button under the bottle is pushed the LED light in the base is turned on and when you set the bottle down the light turns off. Go to pour a shot and that luminous green returns. As gimmicky as it may seem, the spectacle is just that and it’s fun to surprise those who have never seen this before. With Halloween around the corner, I can see this bottle making a great addition to any monster bash.