Awamori

[nakji]

I was in an Okinawan-themed izakaya last weekend, and decided to try Awamori for the first time, attracted by the extensive selection of bright bottles behind the bar.

The barkeep seemed doubtful that we would enjoy it, but was game enough to serve it to us liberally cut with ice. I had no idea what it would taste like, so imagine my surprise on taking the first sip and .....

....was transported back to Vietnam. The whole bar staff jumped when I slammed the glass down on to the bar and shouted, "Xeo!" excitedly to my husband, who had been waiting to see my reaction. (I can handle much stronger drinks than he can, usually.) Xeo is the fuel that runs the hill tribes of Northern Vietnam, kept in paper-corked old Tiger beer or Coke bottles, and brought out to ring in the new year and other various auspicious occasions, such as the arrival of 20 or so foreigners on the backs of Soviet motorcycles. Mornings spent quelling the resultant Xeo shakes with banh trung, Trung Nguyen coffee, and lightly filtered Vinataba smokes came back in flashes.

The staff asked me, quite worriedly, if it was okay, and I immediately ordered another round, of course. Fortunately for my health, the price of a glass of Awamori in my local izakaya could buy the three or four bottles of the stuff in Vietnam, and still have money left over for dinner, so I was finished after two rounds.

Does anyone have any brands they could recommend? I've seen it for sale in the liquor store, but I don't know where to start. I'd like to take a bottle back with me when I go to Vietnam in the summer, I'm sure my friends there would get a real kick out of it.