Suntory Strong Zero — Double Lemon

One of my favourite Suntory drinks is their Strong Zero Double Lemon. Like their Double Grapefruit, this citrus drink weighs in at 9% alcohol content and goes down really smooth. While it's not nearly as flavourful as Triple Lemon, what I like about this drink is how well it pairs with a Kirin Sicilian Lemon. Having one of these before the Kirin beverage will bring out the best of both.

Suntory Strong Zero - Double Lemon

Suntory's Double Lemon can generally be found at the local grocery stores for just under 150円 and at the convenience stores for an additional 45円. The drink pairs really well with an apple pastry and I would encourage anyone in Japan to have a can of Double Lemon while enjoying an apple pie from Yamazaki Bread. The sweetness of the pie will bring out the tartness in Suntory's drink all the more.

As with the Double Grapefruit, the 9% content will hit pretty hard pretty quick, so do not drive or operate any heavy machinery after one of these.

Kirin The Strong — White Sour

Generally when Japanese companies put "the" in front of their product name, you can expect that whatever that product might be to be unnecessarily strong. This is seen for products such as coffee, various sauces, sodas, and even chewing gum. While looking for something new to review, Kirin's "The Strong" stood out as something that should be tried. White soda is something I've come to enjoy from Suntory, and it would be interesting to taste Kirin's 9% take on the drink.

The verdict? It's certainly strong.

Kirin The Strong White Sour

When Kirin puts out a Sour drink, they're not kidding. White Sour went down like a soda with an aftertaste reminiscent of some form of citrus. At 9% alcohol, this one can was noticeable about two-thirds of the way through, bringing a buzz from 250mL like I would expect after a 500mL can of Suntory's Double Grapefruit. All in all, it was an enjoyable can and went down way too quickly. A 355mL can generally goes for 118円 at the local grocery store and will likely be an additional 50円 at the convenience stores. I've not yet found any 500mL versions of The Strong White Sour, but Kirin most likely has them sold in cases rather than individually.

This is something that I'll definitely enjoy again later this summer.