This is a Shochu Gumi selection! It was featured in December 2019.

Produced only once a year, this limited edition muroka (no charcoal filtration) shochu is made with a sweet potato variety called Beniazuma. Made with white koji, Hozan Beniazuma has a wild, tropical nose. It’s super juicy! Get black pepper and vegetal notes in the front and burnt toast on the tail end.

This paired really well with isobe-age fried fish cake and chicken tikka masala! I enjoyed drinking this on the rocks with equal parts water – this is a genshu (undiluted) shochu so the extra splash of water mellows out the heat. Nishi Shuzo was founded in 1845 in Kagoshima, a lush, volcanic area that is home to sweet potato shochu. We dream of retiring there!

Features

• Distilled in Kagoshima, Japan by Nishi Shuzo
• Distilled from 83% Beniazuma imo (sweet potato) and 17% kome (rice) 
• ABV 34% / Koji: White (rice) / Distillation: Atmospheric
  
• Filtration: Muroka
• 25.3 fl oz (750ml)