Japanese Whisky

Smoke is the through line. ArKay builds this one around smoky oak with barley underneath, finishing warm rather than sharp, which is roughly the register Japanese whisky plays in. The brand suggests a Tokyo Sidecar or a Nippon cocktail, though a highball with soda over plenty of ice is the more honest test and the way most Japanese whisky actually gets drunk. In the glass you have spring water, natural flavors, a touch of citric and lactic acid, and the proprietary warming compound that supplies the throat sensation ethanol would otherwise handle. Zero sugar, zero carbs, zero calories, no gluten. ArKay has been making alcohol free whiskies since 2011, well before the category had a name, and this is one of about a dozen it keeps in rotation. Pour it at the same measure as the real thing.