New high-alcohol version of Japan’s low-alcohol canned cocktails on the way

Suntory more than triples the alcohol content of its Horoyoi for newest member of product line.

The ready-to-drink cocktail sector of the Japanese beverage industry, as well as the corresponding cooler cases at Japanese convenience stores, can get pretty crowded. Suntory has carved out a nice little niche for its Horoyoi line of canned cocktails, though, which is that they’re low-alcohol, delivering fruity flavor with a kick, but one that’s mild enough that there’s not much fear of getting unintentionally hammered or hungover. Horoyoi even takes its name from the expression horoyoi, meaning “faintly intoxicated.”

Like many drink lines in Japan, Horoyoi gets periodically updated with new flavors and variations, and Suntory has announced that it’ll be bringing two new types of Horoyoi to stores this spring, each with an alcohol content of 14 percent.

If you’re thinking that 14 percent sounds like a lot for a brand that ordinarily bills itself as low-alcohol, you’re entirely right. Ordinarily, Horoyoi canned cocktails have an alcohol content of just 3 percent, and they proudly announce this on their packaging.

However, the newest member of the Horoyoi family is Horoyoi no Moto, or Horoyoi Base. Sold in bottles instead of cans, Horoyoi Base is a concentrated form of Horoyoi liqueur that you’re supposed to then mix on your own, cutting it with soda water, tea, or whatever else you want.

▼ Horoyoi Base Pear and Apple, one of the two flavors being offered

As written on the label, Suntory recommends a ratio of one part Horoyoi Base to three parts of soda water or other mixer. That would bring the alcohol content down closer to what you get in a can of Horoyoi, but it would still be 3.5 percent alcohol, a little over 15 percent stronger than the regular Horoyoi. It’s possible, though, that the 1:3 ratio isn’t Suntory trying to quietly up the alcohol dosage and instead is just a mathematical convenience, since “mix one part Horoyoi Base to 3.6666 (repeating) parts of water for 3 percent alcohol” is going to be too much of a hassle for most people.

▼ Lychee and White Grape, the second Horoyoi Base flavor

Whether or not it’s actually Suntory’s intent to get Horoyoi fans drunker, though, online commenters have noticed that this is indeed a possible avenue for those who don’t significantly cut their Horoyoi Base, with Twitter reactions including:

“I want to drink this straight! It’s like Strong Horoyoi!”
“I don’t think you can describe something as making you ‘horoyoi’ when it’s 14-percent alcohol.”
“Faintly (or not depending on you drink it) Intoxicated Base.”
“Super Intoxicated Base.”

Horoyoi Base goes on sale April 1, priced at 390 yen (US$2.65) for a 250-mililiter (8.5-ounce) bottle.

Source: PR Times, Twitter
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times (1, 2)
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