ZEN Green Tea Liqueur

There are some products with first impressions about as demure as a slap in the face. There's something rather confident about a product that doesn't feel the need to overstate its case. ZEN Green Tea Liqueur is delectably understated, yet brimming with nuance and appeal. Only a handful of products on the market can match the allure of this green tea marvel.

Produced in Kyoto, Japan by spirits giant Suntory, ZEN is the first liqueur of its type. Its primary ingredients are ultra-premium green teas, cultivated by one of Japan's finest tea brands, Marukyu-Koyama-En. The liqueur is crafted from a carefully balanced blend of fresh green tea leaves, both whole and ground. The teas, along with a proprietary mix of botanicals that includes exotic herbs, lemongrass and spices, are steeped in neutral spirits for an extended amount of time. The liqueur is bottled at 40-proof.

ZEN is a class act with the look of brewed green tea and a tantalizing bouquet redolent of floral and spice. Its rounded body sports substance without weight, an attribute you'll greatly appreciate when devising cocktails.

The liqueur has a light, delicate mouth feel and a complex palate of long-lasting flavors ranging from the sublime to the exotic. Its initial approach is semisweet and floral, but that's quickly replaced by the lingering flavors of herbs, anise and green tea. The liqueur warms the body and revitalizes the mind without drawing undue attention to itself. From start to lip-smacking finish, ZEN is a bonafide hit.