Rating
This Should Not Be As Good As It Is
Sights: Rickey’s a bit befuddled by the lemon wheel garnish since the drink has lime juice it. However, you will probably be too distracted by the lovely, vibrant purple to care.
Smells: One of Rickey’s oh-so-astute traveling companions commented that the Violet Sake smells like Soarin’. If you don’t know what that means, just imagine grassy, earthy notes with a slight sweetness.
Tastes: This drink seems like its going to be overly sweet, but it’s not. The purple pear and lime work together well, but the sake is the star of the show. It cannot be overly strong given the fact that the only booze in it is that sake (which is a rice wine that is similar in abv to wine of the grape variety). That said, the sake is very prominent, so it’s going to pack more of a punch than you might expect.
Feels: The drink could stand to be a bit cooler so it would be nice if they could shake it. However, the temp and dilution are not deal breakers.
Rick’s Tricks: If the thought of sake freaks you out, calm yourself and just give it a try. At $11 it’s not the most expensive potential mistake you could make at EPCOT.
Overall: What makes the Violet Sake work is its simplicity. The drink is definitely sweeter than, say, an Old Fashioned (ofc), but it’s well balanced between the pear and lime juices. This actually shocked Rickey for its drinkability, lack of cloying sweetness and general (interesting) weirdness.
More Info:
Location: Japan Pavilion (kiosk across from Mitsukoshi), World Showcase, EPCOT (Also available at YeSake at Disney Springs)
Ingredients: Sake, Purple Pear and Lime Juice
Cost: $11 ($12 at YeSake)
Are you a fan of this cocktail? Let Rickey know what you think in the comments!