SEKITOBA Tamaakane

薩州赤兎馬玉茜

The current expression uses Tama-akane throughout, choosing an aromatic sweet potato despite its lower production yield. White koji, atmospheric distillation and proprietary filtration edit floral and tea-like notes into an orange-toned finish.

Aromatic Imo Shochu

Sweet potatoTama-akane throughout

KojiWhite koji

DistillationAtmospheric

Defining craftProprietary filtration

Aromatic lineOsmanthus · tea · orange

The current expression

Tama-akane, without the old blend description

The current product follows the all-Tama-akane specification introduced in 2025.

The raw material

Chosen for aroma, not for efficiency

Tama-akane is an orange-fleshed, beta-carotene-rich sweet potato associated with tropical and floral aromas in shochu. Its lower starch content makes production less efficient; the value here lies in selecting the material for its aromatic potential rather than in claiming rarity alone.

Editing aroma

From osmanthus and tea toward orange

The producer describes the raw spirit with osmanthus- and tea-like notes. SEKITOBA’s proprietary filtration then polishes that profile toward an orange-like citrus impression. The craft is therefore not only extraction, but the deliberate editing of aroma.

The current expression

Tama-akane carried through the whole design

The current 2025 expression places Tama-akane at the centre of the raw-material design. Its floral and tea-like character is therefore not a secondary accent but the line that connects aroma, palate and finish.

Food affinities

Following the aroma from osmanthus to orange

What is recorded above is a base spirit that recalls osmanthus and black tea, refined through the brand’s special filtration into a citrus aroma reminiscent of orange. It is not extraction alone but an editing of aroma that forms the core of this bottle. What follows are four directions that follow that aromatic shift. They are not pairings the distillery states officially.

Tea-smoked and lightly smoked dishesTea-smoked chicken, smoked salmon, smoked duck, hojicha-glazed pork, an Earl Grey-scented terrine. The black-tea note overlaps in the same direction

Seafood with an orange liftGrilled fish with lime sauce, white fish carpaccio, salt-grilled fish with citrus, orange and fennel salad, white fish with orange sauce. The orange-like aroma answers the aroma of the seafood

Floral, sweet startersSom tam pomelo, candied kumquat, yuzu-dressed vegetables, orange and carrot salad, honey-drizzled cheese. The osmanthus-like floral note overlaps with the sweetness of the starter

Grilled chicken with herb or citrus notesLemongrass-grilled chicken, yuzu-kosho chicken, orange chicken, herb rotisserie chicken. The citrus aroma runs in the same direction as the aroma of the grilled chicken

Food-pairing theory records that citrus aroma compounds often align well with the aromas of seafood and grilled chicken. Floral and tea-like notes are also said to work best layered with aromas from the same family.

Pairing guide — Shochu & Selected Spirits

The producer

Three houses for tradition, innovation and continuity

Hamada Shuzo was founded in 1868 in Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima. Its three-house structure assigns distinct roles to Denbee-gura, Denzouin-gura and Kanayama-gura, allowing historical methods, modern development and long-term continuity to remain visible within one producer.

Official Hamada Shuzo website

For restaurants and retailers

For current-lot specifications, availability, storage requirements and trade terms, please contact Bacchus Global.

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