The Kokubo Shuzo distillery was originally a cooperative of shochu distillers in the Kagoshima region. It was the first to develop koji on sweet potatoes in 1997. In 2003, it relaunched the Tsurunashi Genji variety, releasing the highly successful Tenmu Genji in 2013.
For this imo shochu (sweet potato shochu), brewer Nobuhisa Yasuda uses the local Satsuma Masari variety. The great originality of this expression is that it is made from 100% sweet potato. This means that the first fermentation is also carried out on local sweet potatoes. The second fermentation uses a modern yeast, Kagoshima's special aromatic yeast n°1. Distillation takes place in a vacuum still, extracting the most subtle and delicate notes.
This fruity, floral style of shochu is a fairly recent development. It lends itself very well to the sodawari, a serving method in vogue in Japan. This simply involves diluting the shochu with a long dash of sparkling water, without ice, to preserve all the fresh, fruity aromas of the shochu.
Nico's tasting notes
The nose is strikingly fresh and fruity, with a beautiful flight of lychees and flowers, followed by bursts of mango and passion fruit. The delicacy of the aromas is matched only by their concentration, so this nose doesn't falter for a second.
Aeration brings even more color to the fruit, with yellow and orange dominating the proceedings. Melon, peach and apricot are just some of the nuances that enter this joyful whirlwind. We also think of grapes when we detect aromas similar to those of a white wine.
The palate is lively and finely spiced, with passion fruit popping its slightly bitter seeds. Velvety mango and juicy lychees follow, supported by a peppery, slightly fizzy sensation, followed by nuances of red fruits and pits.
The finish is long, scented with lychee and steamed rice with floral nuances.
"A huge burst of fruit that expresses itself with finesse..."