Nigori is a type of sake - a fermented rice beverage - unfiltered and cloudy in appearance. The brand we had was Sho Chiku Bai, imported by Takara Sake USA and sold for about $8. The label explained that the sake was "sweet, silky and mild" and 15% abv. The instructions on the bottle say "shake well," and the sediment stacks up in the bottom of the bottle about an inch high. The clear liquid turns milky white after a shake. I'm afraid that strikes me as none too appetizing.
The importer promises "flavors of ripe banana, vanilla, melon, strawberry, and creamy sweet rice custard." I got coconut milk, and a whiff of fingernail polish remover. The palate carried a very slight acidity and it didn't taste all that sweet to me. I would not want it as a dessert beverage, that's for sure, but I'll bet it's a hit with Korean barbecue or Thai food.
