Sour Skittlez and Jinro Soju

Tannins

If you haven’t heard of Jinro Soju, you’re not alone. You won’t find this spirit at your local bar, and it can be hard to find at most liquor stores. The number one selling spirit in the world for the last 20 years, it’s worth spending the time to find a store that carries it. Imported from Korea, Jinro Soju is a clear, neutral spirit akin to vodka, but with half of the alcohol content. The result is a smooth drink that is perfect for shots and cocktails alike. The lower alcohol content also means you have a fighting chance of staving off the dreaded hangover that comes from drinking hard liquor. However, don’t let Jinro’s relatively low alc/vol – 12% to 24% depending on flavor – fool you. It’s nicknamed “feelings juice” for a reason and can easily leave you loose-lipped.

Terpenes

Sour Zkittlez by The Hangar AK is a hearty sativa with a secret. Upon cracking open the canister, we were met with an unexpectedly earthy scent with subtle hints of sour citrus. However, once we cracked the bud open, we understood exactly why this strain is admired for its exquisite terpene profile. The inside of the bud revealed a potent, tropical scent that gives Sour Zkittelz its namesake. While the exterior of the bud wasn’t particularly impressive, the internal structure looked exactly like a frosty trichome forest. Because Sour Zkittelz is loaded with trichome goodness, packing our bowl was a little bit of a sticky mess, but the sweet scent left behind on our fingers was well worth the sacrifice.

The Pairing

For the pairing, we decided to go with Jinro’s plum-flavored Soju to bring out the sweetness of Sour Zkittelz. Akin to drinking flavored water, the Soju was smooth with a playful splash of plum that delighted our nostrils and taste buds. With the plum flavor still lingering in the back of our throat, we took a big toke of Sour Zkittelz. Just like the Soju, the smoke was pleasantly smooth with a minimal burn. The lemon-lime inhale was met with a subtly sour exhale, and it wasn’t long before we felt the happy, somewhat hyperactive effects of the flower. By the end of the night, our apartment was clean, we’d texted our entire friend group to let them know how awesome they are, and our dog was begging us to calm the eff down. All in all, this was a fun pairing.