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aged shochu

Podcast: Obsessed with Shochu?

November 27, 2015 by Stephen 2 Comments

Podcast: Obsessed with Shochu?On Monday, November 23, 2015, I had the distinct pleasure of appearing on the Japan Eats radio show with host Akiko Katayama on the Heritage Radio Network. If you're not familiar with Akiko's show, it's a beautiful exploration of Japanese food and beverage in an easily accessible format through interview with local New York chefs, restaurant owners, and experts in a variety of areas.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: aged shochu, Awamori, barley, imo, kome, Kumamoto, kuro koji, mugi, Nagasaki, Okinawa, rice, shochu, sweet potato, Yamato Zakura

Kiccho Hozan: Black Koji Sweet Potato Shochu

July 28, 2015 by Stephen 1 Comment

Kiccho Hozan: Black Koji Sweet Potato ShochuKiccho Hozan, the black koji version, is very popular in NYC among shochu aficionados thanks to the influence of Aya Otaka, the bartender-owner of Shochu + Tapas Aya, who always recommended Kiccho to her customers when she was holding court at the late, great Shochu Bar Hatchan.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: aged shochu, atmospheric distillation, black koji, imo, Kagoshima, Kiccho Hozan, kuro koji, Nishi Shuzo, shochu, sweet potato

Sweet Potato Shochu: Akamaoh – Red Satan

June 17, 2013 by Stephen 2 Comments

Sweet Potato Shochu: Akamaoh – Red SatanThe name Akamaoh, or Red Devil, coupled with the black label over black bottle would suggest a full bodied sweet potato shochu that would give you the deep funk that Japanese often refer to as "imo kusai" (smelly sweet potatoes). However, Akamaoh, may have a devilish name for a completely different reason. It's so easy drinking, it's dangerous in a "devil made me do it way."

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: aged shochu, Akamaoh, clay pot, imo, Inoue Shuzo, Inoue Syuzo, kame, Miyazaki, shiro koji, sweet potato, white koji

Kitaya Shuzo

July 31, 2012 by Stephen 3 Comments

Kitaya ShuzoKitaya Shuzo is a nihonshu (sake) and shochu producer in Fukuoka Prefecture and the first stop on our shochu distillery tour. Seikai Ishizuka and I traveled nearly an hour south of Hakata (main station in Fukouka City) on a commuter train to reach Yame, a city of less than 40,000 people in southern Fukuoka Prefecture. There we were met by a Kitaya representative who drove us to the distillery.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Tour 2012 Tagged With: aged shochu, barley, Bikoo, black koji, distillation, distillery, Fukuoka, genatsu, Gokoo, Gyokuro, imo, Jinkoo, joatsu, Kitaya Shuzo, Kokyu Yosaku, kura, kuro koji, moromi, mugi, nihonshu, sake, shochu, Shochu Tour, shuzo, sweet potato, Yosaku, Zeikoo

Taiga no Itteki Shochu

June 11, 2012 by Stephen 1 Comment

Taiga no Itteki ShochuDaigano Ideki is our best guess for an English spelling of the name, which means "one drop in a big river." Finding information on this shochu is very much like one drop in a river. There's virtually nothing reliable out there. What we do know is that this barley shochu is aged in oak barrels stored in a cool dry place.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: aged shochu, barley, Daigano Ideki, mugi, oak barrels, review, River's Drop, shochu, Taiga no Itteki

Tsukushi Shiro

April 30, 2012 by Stephen Leave a Comment

Tsukushi ShiroTsukushi Shiro is one of four premium mugi shochus now being imported to the U.S. from Nishyoshida Shuzo. Tsukushi Shiro is also the most smooth, mellow, and easy drinking of the four thanks in no part to the low pressure distillation that sets it apart from its counterparts. All are made with black koji and local barley, but only Tsukushi Shiro is made using modern pressurized distillation techniques.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: aged shochu, barley, kuro koji, low pressure distillation, mugi, review, shochu, Tsukushi Shiro

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rickHKTRick@rickHKT·
11 May

Tonight’s the night I finish off the bottle of shochu I received a little over a year ago.

Here’s to you @LymanTweets.

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Shochu Reviews

iichiko Saiten

After winning some awards on the international spirits circuit (including double-gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition), there's ample evidence that iichiko Saiten deserves serious consideration by bartenders everywhere.

Shochu Reviews

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu KOME

Putting your nose in a glass of The SG Shochu Kome shows you just how complex a vacuum distilled rice shochu can be. Ginjo sake aromas from the yeast, pineapple, melon, and a faint hint of dairy-like lactic acidity are all present.

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu MUGI

The SG Shochu MUGI Label
The SG Shochu MUGI wraps several barley shochu identities into one. It's lightly barrel-aged and carries the associated sweet notes. But there's also a graininess that is revealed when the temperature of the drink drops. It's a versatile barley shochu that can be enjoyed a variety of ways.

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu IMO

The SG Shochu IMO is a clear invitation to create the classic imo cocktail. If you get it right, it will resonate and cascade around the world until you can't not have sweet potato shochu on your menu if you consider yourself a proper drinking establishment.

Shochu Reviews

Tasting Notes: Nankai

Nankai Shochu
At first whiff, Nankai smells faintly grassy, which is common in kokuto shochu owing to how kokuto sugar is made from fresh cut cane and that fresh grassiness is a sign of well made kokuto sugar. Sugar cane is, after all, a tall perennial grass. It is still pretty wild that they can capture that after fermentation and distillation.

Tasting Notes: Lento Shochu

Lento is the top selling kokuto shochu in Japan, and it is available internationally as well. Try it on the rocks or with sparkling water for a refreshing taste of the Amami Islands. Kanpai!

Mizu Lemongrass Shochu

Mizu Lemongrass Shochu may not be an authentic honkaku shochu due to the use of lemongrass, but this is a case where a beautiful spirit breaks the rules.

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