MUGISHIRU

麦汁

Japanese naked barley, atmospheric distillation and no filtration: three choices that leave more of the grain’s roasted, textured character in the glass. MUGISHIRU is built around material presence rather than polished-away neutrality.

Unfiltered honkaku mugi shochu

StyleUnfiltered honkaku mugi shochu

BarleyJapanese naked barley

DistillationAtmospheric

FinishUnfiltered

Alcohol25%

What remains

Choosing not to filter away the grain

MUGISHIRU pairs Japanese naked barley with atmospheric distillation, then deliberately remains unfiltered. Together, those choices preserve a roasted-grain direction and a fuller texture rather than pursuing the lightest possible profile.

Food affinities

A roasted-grain aroma, matched in four directions

The record for this product states that Japanese naked barley is combined with atmospheric distillation, and that the spirit is deliberately left unfiltered — three choices that, together, preserve the grain’s roasted aroma and fullness. The four directions below are built on these recorded qualities: a roasted aroma and a full-bodied texture. These are not pairings the maker has stated officially; they are a reading of the recorded characteristics.

A roasted-grain aroma, met with roasted aromaGrilled whole-wheat campagne toast, grilled rice ball (yaki onigiri), grilled sticky rice (khao niao ping). Matched with grain-based dishes carrying the same roasted quality as the barley’s recorded aroma.

The fullness left by no filtration, met with richnessCountry-style pâté, pork miso soup (tonjiru), gaeng om (herb-forward Isaan soup). Answers the fullness left by the choice not to filter with dishes carrying a similar depth.

A choice not to strip the grain away, met with ingredients that stand on their ownFarro salad, grated-yam barley rice (mugi-tororo gohan), corn salad (yam khao pot). Matched with dishes that let a grain’s own texture lead, echoing the recorded choice not to filter the barley’s character away.

A fuller contour from atmospheric distillation, met with robust seasoningSteak au poivre, miso-marinated grilled pork, panang curry. Matched with firmly seasoned dishes, echoing the recorded choice of atmospheric distillation.

One approach to matching food and drink is to align roasted aroma and the thickness of texture. Because MUGISHIRU records a roasted grain aroma and a full-bodied texture, the four directions above were built around this family of qualities — roasted notes, richness, and a fuller weight.

Pairing guide — Shochu & Selected Spirits

Award history

Recognition for the 25% expression

The 25% standard expression has direct records including TWSC Gold in 2025, Kura Master Gold in 2025 and the 2022 Shochu Prize selected by specialist retailers. A separate 44% expression received TWSC Best of the Best; that distinction is kept separate here.

Award record

2025

TWSC · Gold — MUGISHIRU 25%

2025

Kura Master · Gold — MUGISHIRU 25%

2022

Shochu Prize selected by specialist retailers — Grand Prize

The award record shown is specific to this product; it does not guarantee individual preference or quality.

The producer

Yunomae, Kumamoto — Toyonaga Distillery

Toyonaga Distillery was founded in 1894 in Yunomae, Kumamoto, close to the headwaters of the Kuma River. Its work begins from the relationship between local materials and the long-established culture of Kuma distilling.

For restaurants and retailers

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