Kanpai

Miyazaki

Sweet Potato Shochu: Aka Kirishima

by 6 Comments

Aka Kirishima is a seasonal sweet potato shochu from Kirishima Shuzo, the producer of the best selling shochu in Japan, Kuro Kirishima. Much as iichiko put Oita on the map as a producer of barley shochu to rival Iki Island (more barley shochu is now produced in Oita than in the traditional home of barley shochu), Kirishima's products put Miyazaki on the map as a rival to Kagoshima's dominance as the home of sweet potato shochus.

Sweet Potato Shochu: Akamaoh – Red Satan

by 2 Comments

The 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."

Soba Unkai

by 4 Comments

Buckwheat, or soba shochu, is not particularly common in Japan and even less so in the US with only three available currently. Unkai is the most affordable of these and at just around $15 a bottle retail in New York City it is one of the most affordable honkaku (authentic) shochus available anywhere. Don't let the low price tag fool you. Unkai is an interesting, flavorful, and enjoyable shochu.

Kappa No Sasoi Mizu

by 3 Comments

What's in a name? It helps to understand the origins of Kappa No Sasoi Mizu, which is literally translated to "Kappa pump priming", but more subtly refers to the allure of the mythical Kappa, which will drown you if you come to close to the water (mizu). More subtly the Kappa is known to sometimes seduce women, which would explain this shochu most fully.

Tenson Kourin

by Leave a Comment

Tenson Kourin is one of the more affordable sweet potato shochus available in the U.S. At less than $20 per bottle, it's a true bargin. While many of the lower priced shochus have less flavor or complexity, Tenson Kourin does not suffer this fate. This was a product developed in 2001 specifically for the export market, though it is also sold within Japan.

Tenpo: The Date Shochu

by Leave a Comment

By "the date shochu" we don't mean a shochu that's good to drink when you're on a date, though that may be true as well. We mean a shochu made from dates. In fact, Tenpo is the only shochu made from dates. That puts it pretty far afield from the usual shochu grains - sweet potato, barley, or rice. It's also one of the only genshu (undiluted) shochus available in the U.S. As expected, the 36% alcohol is much more present than with diluted shochus. Further complicating this already interesting shochu is the aging process.