"Habushu is a potent Okinawan liqueur made by infusing awamori (a Japanese rice spirit) with a venomous habu pit viper, herbs, and honey, believed to have medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. The snake's venom becomes neutralized by the high alcohol content, and the drink is known for its unique, sweet, and spicy flavor, often sold with the snake still inside the bottle as a novelty and cultural item."

I bought a bottle of habushu while in Tokyo with plans to drink it when I got home, but I didn't think to check the expiration date. By the time I got home and unpackaged it, the expiration date had already passed. I will have to get more next time I'm there.

I was afraid that the snake in the bottle would have begun to decay because of the low alcohol content, and I wanted to preserve it for as long as possible. So, I bought some Everclear and matched the color to the habushu as best I could, then carefully drained the expired liquid from the bottle and refilled it with the colored Everclear. Hopefully, this will help preserve the snake for many years to come.