Lotte Mart Home Tender 3-Variety Tasting Review

Enjoy Expert Cocktails at Home!

As social distancing measures eased and the outdoor mask mandate was lifted, I thought we would return to the old normal. I wanted to gather with friends in small groups, clinking glasses late into the night to release the pent-up frustrations, but the reality has been more challenging than expected.

As a result, rather than gathering noisily in large groups, I now prefer quiet get-togethers alone or with one or two friends. In a calm space like a bar where not many people gather. Immersed in the music and atmosphere flowing from the bar, enjoying a cocktail crafted by an expert’s hand, one or two drinks can bring joy in the moment but often leave a sense of regret. This is because a cocktail is more expensive than soju or beer.

One day, while shopping at Lotte Mart, I discovered a product called “Bartender’s Touch” being promoted as a home-tender. This was created so that consumers can experience cocktails at home as solo drinking and home drinking have increased... It’s totally made just for me!♥ The three types of liqueurs (*a mixed alcoholic beverage made by adding fruit or fruit juice and sweeteners) were created in collaboration with star bartender Kim Junhee and Burugru. The black cans feature a white inverted triangle in the center, giving off a clean and sophisticated image. They come in three flavors: Shine Muscat, Yuzu, and Pineapple, and can be purchased at Lotte Mart for 2,500 won per can. All have an alcohol content of 4.5%, similar to a regular 500ml canned beer.

Home Tender Shine Muscat Flavor

Unlike the other products, this one, which seems to have only “flavor” added as its name suggests, has a pale light green color. It emits a strong sweet aroma and tastes like green grape candy. There is no alcohol taste at all, but you get intoxicated by the scent and the alcohol content. However, as you drink it, you might sometimes get confused whether you are drinking alcohol or just a soft drink.

Home Tender Yuzu

It shows a light orange color, as if to express the yuzu itself. When I first tasted it, I immediately exclaimed, “Wow, this is so delicious!” Unlike the Shine Muscat flavor, it properly expresses the tartness and freshness of yuzu. The alcohol scent lingers subtly in the throat on the aftertaste, making it feel like a proper cocktail. Simply put, I would describe it as yuzu ade with a slight drop of alcohol. It seems perfect to drink when you need a refreshment.

Home Tender Pink Pineapple

Since it’s pineapple, I expected it to have a color similar to Shine Muscat or Yuzu, but I was very wrong. As the name suggests, it was pink & pineapple. Rather than the natural sweet and sour taste of pineapple, the pink flavor was stronger. In short, it tasted similar to a junk food with pink coloring. Because the alcohol scent and taste were barely noticeable, it strongly reminded me of the flavors I experienced in my childhood.

From the left: Shine Muscat scent, yuzu, pineapple.

After trying all three, I thought about what foods would pair well with them. Neither salty nor sweet snacks came to mind, nor did cheese or any specific food. It seems best to enjoy a can after a meal when you need to cleanse your palate. Since Shine Muscat and Pineapple are quite sweet, finishing cleanly with Yuzu would be good to relieve greasiness.

Please separate the label from the container!

Photo by Yoon Eun-ae

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.