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Okinawa

The Mystery Awamori

May 19, 2020 by Stephen Leave a Comment

The Mystery AwamoriWhen I moved to Japan one of my hopes was to start secondary aging Okinawan awamori at home. While it is nearly impossible to source these ceramic pots in the US, it is not that difficult in Japan so long as you are willing to pay. These are typically reserved for long-aged, or kusu awamori (古酒泡盛), which can run hundreds of dollars per liter especially in the traditional decorative ceramic jars, or "kame" (甕).

Filed Under: awamori, Shochu Tagged With: aging pot, Awamori, Kusu Awamori, Okinawa

Amami: The Journey Begins

January 25, 2018 by Chuck Malone 1 Comment

Amami: The Journey BeginsI arrived in Amami still jet lagged and confused on where to go. My phone wasn't working. I had no place to stay. No English translations to rely on. No idea which bus to catch (there are no trains in Amami).

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Adventures, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: Amami, amamioshima, black sugar, Black Sugar Shochu, brown sugar, Chuck Malone, habu, Jazz, kokuto shochu, Okinawa, pit viper, Ryukyu, Ryukyu Islands, shochu, Tokyo, US Navy, World War II, Yonaguni

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

In Search of Quality

July 9, 2012 by Stephen 2 Comments

In Search of QualityI've decided to take a pilgrimage. This isn't easy for me since I don't speak much Japanese outside of restaurants and my “real” career is busier than ever, but I booked a trip to Japan this summer. In fact, I'm on Japan Airlines (JAL) flight #5 from JFK to Tokyo Narita as I write this. Planning this trip has been so daunting, I've only been able to tweet about it. I realized on my way to the airport that many of my friends didn't even realize I was going. A text from our graphic designer read, “Hey man, plans today?” I replied, “Heading to Japan.” He replied, “Hot damn. When you back?”

Filed Under: Izakayas, Shochu, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: Awamori, Fukuoka, Gokoo, Jinkoo, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Kagoshima, Kura No Shikon, Kyushu, Miyako, Naha, Okinawa, Ryukyu Ohcho, Satsuma Shuzo, shochu, Tsukushi Shiro, Zuisen Hakuryu

Kumejima’s Kumesen

May 26, 2012 by Stephen 6 Comments

Kumejima’s KumesenKumesen was our first Awamori. We'd read about these unique Okinawan spirits and were drawn to the artfully drawn lion-god on the stout bottle. As our first, it still stands up as what we expect from the style, though we've come to learn that Awamori can be as diverse and complex as single malt scotch. There is no one flavor that captures the essence of these full bodied, traditionally distilled spirits.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Reviews Tagged With: atmospheric distillation, Awamori, clay pots, Kumejima's Kumesen, Kumesen, Okinawa, Okinawa koji

Aging Your Own Awamori

May 2, 2012 by Stephen 5 Comments

Aging Your Own AwamoriKusu, or old spirit, is an Okinawan Awamori aged at least 3 years. According to Japanese law the youngest spirit in the bottle must be at least 3 years old - Awamori producers have a long history of mixing older spirits with younger spirits as the older spirits are consumed.

Filed Under: Shochu, Shochu Misc. Tagged With: Awamori, clay pot, Kuon, Kusu Awamori, Okinawa, Ryukyu Ohcho

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Shochu Reviews

iichiko Kurobin

My personal favorite iichiko brand available in the US is iichiko Kurobin. Kurobin is literally translated as "black bottle," which is a pretty on the nose description of this evocative packaging. It is simply too pretty to throw away after finishing.

Shochu Reviews

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: 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: 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.

Shochu Reviews

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!

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.

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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