Same Sugarcane, Different Stories: Okinawa’s Kokuto Rum and Laos’s Agricole
From a single botanical source—sugarcane—strikingly diverse spirits emerge: kokuto shochu, traditional rum, and agricole. While all share a common ancestry, their production lineages diverge completely. Kokuto shochu pairs rice koji with brown sugar; traditional rum relies on molasses; and agricole is crafted from freshly pressed cane juice. This is an exploration of two distinct sugarcane spirits born in different corners of Asia, traced through the narrative threads of their makers.
The Island of Awamori Reconsiders Sugarcane
Okinawa is defined by black koji and awamori, but it is equally shaped by sugarcane. While the crop remains a cornerstone of the island’s agriculture, the farming community is aging, and local awamori consumption has seen a steady decline since 2004.
In response to this shifting landscape, traditional distilleries are applying their centuries-old expertise to a new frontier: rum and liqueurs crafted from kokuto, Okinawan brown sugar. Mizuho Shuzo, located in Naha’s historic Shuri district, exemplifies this evolution. This venerable kura, long dedicated to awamori, is once again turning its focus to the sugarcane fields undulating just beyond its doors.
Rum Designed from Behind the Bar: KOKUTO DE LEQUIO
A compelling new perspective has entered this narrative: the SG Group, led by internationally acclaimed bartender Shingo Gokan.
Using Mizuho Shuzo’s Okinawan kokuto white rum as a canvas, the group consciously shapes the contours of its flavor profile. KOKUTO DE LEQUIO Smoky Umami Rum introduces katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)—sourced in collaboration with the Motobu Fisheries Cooperative—as a botanical, bringing an unexpected layer of smoke and savory depth. Meanwhile, KOKUTO DE LEQUIO Yambaru Spiced Rum incorporates three distinct botanicals from the northern Yanbaru region: shikuwasa, shell ginger, and pipachi (island pepper). Both expressions are bottled at 43% ABV, presented unaged to capture their raw vibrancy.
Rather than cultivating a spirit from the soil upward, this approach conceptualizes the liquid backwards from the bar counter—a philosophy that grants Okinawan kokuto an entirely new vocabulary.
Laos’s Agricole: LAODI
Farther inland, along the upper reaches of the Mekong River, lies a sugarcane spirit with a completely different point of origin: LAODI. The name harmoniously marries “Laos” with the local word for “good.”
Founded in 2006, the distillery is the vision of Ikuzo Inoue. Moving from Hiroshima to Laos at the age of 52, Inoue partnered with local artisans to establish an inland agricole distillery—a rarity in Southeast Asia. Unlike industrial rums made from molasses, agricole requires the immediate use of freshly pressed sugarcane juice. Here, pesticide-free sugarcane is harvested by hand from the estate’s own fields. Only the first-press juice is extracted and gently processed in a vacuum still, a method that allows low-temperature distillation to preserve the delicate, volatile aromas of the cane. The entire operation remains intensely boutique, with the fields and the copper stills existing in seamless proximity.
Where Okinawa begins with a bartender defining the final palate, Laos begins in the soil, nurturing the liquid through every step of distillation. Though rooted in the same plant, their philosophies could not be more distinct.
Drawing a Sugarcane Map in Bangkok
Bangkok is uniquely positioned to become the crossroads where these two narratives converge.
Thailand itself stands as one of the world’s preeminent sugarcane producers. When Okinawan kokuto rum and Laotian agricole are poured side by side in this vibrant metropolis, the conversation yields something far more profound than a mere hierarchy of taste. Instead, it reveals how a single botanical entity can transform into entirely different spirits, shaped by geography, culture, and human intent. What emerges is not a competition, but a map.
The modern dialogue surrounding sugarcane spirits is only just beginning. Yet contained within each glass is a deep history—the heritage of a region and the quiet determination of those who tend the land.
This article is intended solely to explore the distillation craft and cultural heritage of sugarcane spirits such as KOKUTO DE LEQUIO and LAODI, and does not aim to promote or encourage the consumption of alcohol. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อนำเสนอข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับศิลปะการกลั่นและมรดกทางวัฒนธรรมของสุราจากอ้อย เช่น KOKUTO DE LEQUIO และ LAODI เท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมหรือโฆษณาเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ สำหรับผู้มีอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป โปรดดื่มอย่างรับผิดชอบ
Related Articles
“LAODI” / “The Butterfly on the Mekong” / “The Rising Star of Asian Rum” / “The Truth Behind “It Can Only Be Made in Amami””
Related Product(s)
KOKUTO DE LEQUIO Yambaru Spiced Rum / KOKUTO DE LEQUIO Kokuto Liqueur / LAODI White Rhum / LAODI 56k White Rhum
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