This has all the bright, fruity flair of the standard Akarui Nouson brand with more volume, complexity, and sweetness across the board. While Akarui Nouson is light, juicy, and fairly unassuming, the Akaimo Jikomi version is a more layered experience, with the perfect level of intensity at every stage. On the nose we get fresh blueberry, maple, and powdered sugar, while the palate is thick yet subtly sweet; we get aromas of pineapple cake, black pepper, and a strikingly clean mineral-rich aromatic finish of kokuto sugar. 

Our favorite way to enjoy this has been sodawari. The brightness of the club soda elevates the fruitier aspects of the shochu from deeper, sweet stonefruit and berry notes to brighter tropical notes of banana and mango. We enjoyed this with a greasy ol' pizza with pepperoni and vinegar peppers and it was smashing, like a bright, not-too-sweet fruit seltzer, cutting perfectly through the oil and complementing the meat and cheese. The brewer recommends rocks or mizuwari (cut with ice and water) for this shochu.

Features

• Distilled in Kagoshima, Japan by Kirishimacho Jyoryusho
• Distilled from Eimurasaki and Ayamurasaki imo (red and purple sweet potato) and kome koji (rice koji) 
• ABV 25% / Koji: black (rice) / Distillation: Atmospheric
  
• 24 fl oz (720ml)