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Although at first glance you may be very surprised to see a snake inside a bottle of liquor, it is actually a common practice in Latin American or Asian countries. In this case, the popular Japanese ‘whiskey’ Habushu has gone viral in networks because it comes with a snake inside. It is a liquor produced in Okinawa that is made from a sake called awamori, mixed with some herbs and honey. But what is really peculiar about this drink is that it also includes a habushu snake, which is a poisonous snake.
With the snake already inside, the sake is left to macerate for a few years until it can be consumed. A TikTok user posted a video talking about Habushu and, evidently, it went viral because of its rarity. The post has already accumulated more than 4 million views.
@tvwithtrystan Would you try this Japanese snake whiskey? #habushu #snakewhiskey #okinawajapan #interestingcocktail #tvwithtrystan #japanesefood #weirdfood #japanthings ♬ Resonance – Home
The curious thing is the way to introduce this feared animal in the bottle. There are two ways to do it: by putting the snake still alive, immersing it in the alcohol and sealing the bottle until it dies; or with the snake dead, it is disemboweled and the venomous glands are extracted. Although, according to some experts, the high alcohol content of Habushu would theoretically nullify any deadly effect of its venom. In the Okinawa area there is a belief that this drink has medicinal powers.
Would you try this peculiar snake ‘whiskey’?