A Sweet Potato Shochu Masterpiece by Kokubu Shuzo
Kokubu Shuzo distillery presents “Yasuda” sweet potato shochu. Kokubu Shuzo’s famous products include a diverse lineup such as “Flamingo Orange” with a rich lychee aroma from reduced pressure distillation, “Cool Mint Green” using the Awamori production method, and “Sunny Cream” popular for its sweet banana aroma.
In this time, I would like to introduce a flagship gem from Kokubu Shuzo, “Yasuda”. Kokubu Shuzo distillery is credited as the pioneer of 100% sweet potato shochu, and its prestige is well known. The spirit of inquiry of Nobuhisa Yasuda, the master distiller, has produced a number of outstanding shochu, and in 2017 he was awarded the title of “Contemporary Master Craftsman”. Let’s take a look at “Yasuda” in more detail.
Imo-Shochu made from 100% “Tsurunashi Genji”, a fantastic sweet potato
Characterized by the aroma of lychee and Gypsophila
Unique aroma that is hard to believe it is a sweet potato shochu
lychee aroma is enhanced by soda.
Palate is light and easy to drink.
Sweetness of sweet potato can be felt in the aftertaste.
First of all, this potato shochu is made from 100% “Tsurinashi Genji,” which is also known as the “phantom potato. It has a unique aroma that is unlike any other sweetpotato shochu, with a lychee-like aroma and a botanical aroma like Gypsophila. When mixed with soda, the lychee aroma becomes even more appealing. Its aroma, reminiscent of fresh lychee, together with its lightness on the palate, makes it refreshing and easy to drink. The lingering aftertaste has a slight sweetness of satsuma-imo (sweet potato), and you can enjoy the unique flavor of imo-shohu (sweet potato shochu).
I hope that this wonderful potato shochu “Yasuda” will inspire as many people as possible to drink shochu. Try this new gem from the Kokubu Shuzo distillery.
*This time, a shochu expert in Kagoshima recommended drinking it with hot water, so the photo shows it with hot water. Only in Japan is there a culture of drinking distilled spirits with hot water, so if you are interested, please try it. The aroma of the ingredients opens up very well and it is very tasty. (Mr. Bacchus)
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