Earlier this year, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Nakamura Shuzo in Kagoshima. With a majestic view of Sakurajima, Kagoshima’s ever-erupting resident volcano, and farm fields as far as the eyes can see, the distillery stands as a quaint brick building since 1888.
Shinya Nakamura, the 6th generation owner of the distillery, proudly showed me their well where the famed, mineral-rich Kirishima water runs through. The distillery is au naturel, where no mechanical heat sources (air conditioners, heaters, fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, etc.) are used at any time of year – so you are getting true Kagoshima terroir in each sip of Nakamura Shochu!
As the second son of the shochu brewery, Shinya-san studied at Tokyo University
of Agriculture, brewed sake in Yamagata Prefecture, and learned about sake distribution in Osaka Prefecture before returning to the distillery in 2012. Shinya-san has an infectious passion for shochu. He displays his thumbprint on the label of his shochus to signify that his shochus are handmade, starting with the koji.
What is koji? Koji is Japan’s national mold and is a key ingredient in Japan’s most
prized pantry items like soy sauce, miso, and sake. Its chief duty is to create
enzymes that break starches into sugars, allowing for alcohol fermentation.
In shochu, the most commonly used koji is black and white, while sake most
commonly uses yellow.
Making koji is Shinya-san’s favorite part of shochu-making. He says it is for his
shochu, “The basis of umami, sweetness, depth, and mellowness.” Constantly
tinkering with different kojis for his shochus, Nakamura shochus are delightfully
balanced and flavorful.
Further south in Okinawa, handmade koji is also used at Higa Shuzo for their
awamoris. Zanpa 35 was special ordered just for our club, and I hope you will
enjoy this bottle, and Gyokuro Shiro, in various way this holiday season. See ya in
2026!
Kanpai,
Kayoko
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Gyokuro Shiro Imo Shochu
Nakamura Shuzo (Kirishima, Kagoshima)
Distilled from Kogane Sengan sweet potato
ABV 25% / Koji: White
Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in Enamel and stainless steel tanks: Approx. 1 year
In a tasting with Shinya-san of all of his shochus, I loved this best. Made with
locally grown, pesticide-free Hinohikari rice for the koji rice, Shinya-san says it gives the shochu a rich, mellow flavor with a wide range of depth. Another point of interest of this bottle is that it is aged using the Shitsugi method (similar to Solera), blending old barrels with new ones to create a consistent, complex flavor profile. Shitsugi is traditionally used for awamori, and this is the first time I’m hearing of it being used for an imo shochu. Enjoy the crisp acidity that is a hallmark of white koji, enhanced when warmed.
Tasting notes: Earthy minerals, powdered sugar, taffy
Food Pairing: Stuffed “roll cabbage”, Oysters Rockefeller, a holiday meal
Service Style: On the rocks, oyuwari
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Zanpa 35 Awamori
Higa Shuzo (Yomitan Village, Okinawa)
Distilled from Indica rice
ABV 35% / Koji: Black
Distillation: Atmospheric
Aged in stainless steel for 5 years
Black koji was founded in Okinawa, and the taste is best represented in awamori since these spirits are made of 100% black koji. This means that the entire fermentation mash (moromi) must be koji (note that in shochu, only about 15% of the moromi is usually koji). The reason for this is practical: it gets so hot in Okinawa that a strong, highly acidic moromi is necessary to stave off bacteria – which black koji can
provide. Motoshi Naka who oversees international sales, told me that production for this month’s bottle remains entirely handcrafted. “When making rice koji with black koji mold, the process is done manually to ensure it. The koji is spread evenly and penetrates every grain,” says Naka, “I believe the most critical step is definitely the aging process–awamori matures naturally over time, thanks to the power of black koji.” Get bold aromatics from the black koji and zippy mouthfeel thanks to the higher ABV. This one is for the Scotch lovers!
Black koji moromi. Photo courtesy of Higa Shuzo
Rice washer and steamer. Photo courtesy of Higa Shuzo
Higa Shuzo HQ. Photo courtesy of Higa Shuzo
View from the distillery. Photo courtesy of Higa Shuzo
Tasting notes: Dried mangoes, kiwi, lemon frosting, vanilla
Food Pairing: Empress chicken, Rafute (Okinawan braised pork belly), Vietnamese egg rolls
Service Style: Rocks, soda
Cocktail: Okinawan Coffee, 3:1 awamori to coffee, kokuto sugar to taste, add a dollop of cream on top!
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