Distillery: 京屋酒造 Kyoya Shuzō
Address: 4299 Hirano, Nichinan, Miyazaki 887-0015
Website: https://www.kyo-ya.com/
Additional Content: There is a youtube channel that has not been updated since last year, however, there are some interesting videos worth checking out on the different products they produce.
Name: 天保の蔵 甘露 Tempo no Kura Kanro
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留（高温蒸留）(Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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紅芋/コガネマサリ Purple/Golden Sweet Potato
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米麹(国産米) Rice Koji Domestic
Alcohol: 25%
In the bottle: Tempo no Kura Kanro starts with a gentle, slight sweet potato aroma that is understated yet inviting, and while no single note dominates, the overall impression is clean and pure. After this opens up a little there is a faint trace of alcohol that appears in the background that adds a slight sharpness; however, overall it remains discreet and never intrusive. Overall this bottle of Kanro does a great job of building anticipation for that first sip and feels particularly well-suited to a quiet, cool autumn evening in Aso.
On the rocks: The first sip is remarkably clean and smooth, with a soft and refined sweet-potato flavor that is backed with a crisp, lively freshness that pulls it all together. As with the nose, there is no aggressively dominant characteristic to this shochu; however, this contributes nicely to its exceptional drinkability. While the first few sips are bright and fresh, as the ice melts a subtle underlying sweetness that starts to rise to the surface. The end result is a highly enjoyable, and just seems perfect on this autumn night.
水割り Diluted with water
Ratio 4:1: Overall, the profile remains very close to what was found on-the-rocks, especially after the ice has melted a bit. If you need to dilute, this would be the best ratio to go with to preserve as much of what Tempo no Kura Kanro has to offer.
Ratio 2:3: At this amount of dilution, everything becomes noticeably softer and more delicate. While some of the intensity of the potato and sweetness remains, for me at least, this is just a bit too mellowed.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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This was the first bottle that I recorded tasting notes for, and was an important milestone for the site and helping me to determine if I really wanted to put the effort in.
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Post reflection a few years later, my initial tasting notes were quite simplistic and my label removing skills not yet developed.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
Name: 空と風と大地 Sora to Kaze to Daichi
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 低温蒸留（減圧蒸留) (Cryogenic/vacuum)
Ingredients:
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甘藷(国産) Sweet Potato (Domestic)
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米麹(国産米) Rice Koji Domestic
Alcohol: 42%
In the bottle: Sora to Kaze to Daichi opens with bright, fresh fruit (ripe nectarine and sweet cantaloupe) followed by a cool, crisp pine note that instantly reminds me of frosty New England winter mornings. For a 42% Genshu, the nose is remarkably gentle and after the initial alcohol hits; this bottle settles quickly into a soft, mellow warmth. After letting this open up a bit, there are some delicate layers of lavender, vanilla, and lightly syrupy fruit that rise to the top and add a nice overall balance to the entire experience.
On the rocks: The first sip is rich, almost viscous, with a full-bodied texture and immediate sweetness that coats the palate, quite intense to say the least. This is quickly followed by a pronounced pine character that comes across as green, slightly resinous, and earthy; strongly reminds me of a snowy New England forest. The sharpness, while interesting, can feel a touch heavy at first; however, as the ice melts (or with a small splash of water), the edges soften considerably, improving the overall balance and making this a bit more accessible.
水割り Diluted with water
Ratio 4:1: This is where the shōchū truly shines. The sweetness and pine-driven sharpness remain present but are beautifully tempered and mellowed which allows the softer fruit, lavender, and vanilla notes to rise to the surface. Also, the water does a great job of enhancing the drinkability by turning a somewhat thick shochu into something that feels refined and harmonious. Additionally, the fruity nuances from the nose finally make an appearance and really tie everything together into a cohesive, highly enjoyable glass, perfect for slow, sipping on a cold winter night.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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After having enjoyed a different bottle from Kyōya Shuzō last year, I ordered a selection directly from the distillery’s website. This was the first bottle I opened from that shipment, and it has significantly raised expectations for the others still waiting on the shelf.
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While perfectly drinkable on the rocks, this shōchū demonstrates one of the clearest examples I’ve encountered where “a little water goes a very long way.”
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Cap Label
Name: 京屋時代蔵麦笛 Kyōya Jidaizō Mugibue
Type: 麦焼酎 Barley Shōchū
蒸留方法: 減圧蒸留（低温)
Ingredients:
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麦 Barley (Domestic)
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麦麹 Mugi Koji (Domestic)
Alcohol: 25%
In the bottle: The moment you open the bottle an inviting wave of toasted barley pours out, layered with a warm, earthy sweetness that is incredibly inviting. After this opens up a bit more you can find some notes of slightly overripe honeydew melon, banana candy, and a gentle, rounded grain character. Overall, Kyōya Jidaizō Mugibue coms across as rich yet remarkably fresh and beautifully balanced; this instantly had me challenging my long-held prejudice against mugi shōchū.
On the rocks: The first sip delivers a lush, sweet barley character that coats the palate and quickly unfolds into layers of vanilla, toasted grain, and subtle syrupy fruit. The barley remains the undisputed star, threading through every note with elegance and just the perfect amount of intensity. As the ice melts a bit more, the sweetness recedes slightly, allowing for crisper, more structured edges to emerge which add a nice complexity to Kyōya Jidaizō Mugibue, and gives this a nice drinkability.
Straight: Surprisingly refined when served neat in the glass. For sure, the barley takes center stage with a pronounced yet smooth cereal note, supported by this persistent, honey-like sweetness that carries through to a clean finish. There is a mild alcohol presence toward the back, but it remains well-integrated and never intrusive. An excellent and convincing introduction (or re-introduction) to the barley shōchū,
Paired with Chocolate: Kald 70% dark chocolate. Interesting but somewhat subdued pairing as the dark chocolate really falls into the background, leaving the barley flavors largely unaffected. The combination is not bad but neither significantly elevates the other.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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For years I avoided barely shochu, and now after getting this bottle as a 2-bottle set and opening it by mistake, I feel like I may need to spend a bit more time exploring this type of shochu.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
Name: 時代蔵かんろ Jidaizō Kanro
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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紅芋 Purple Sweet Potato
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米麹(国産米) Rice Koji Domestic
Alcohol: 40%
In the bottle: As soon as you open Jidaizō Kanro you can tell this has had some time to age, especially mature sweetness from the black koji which comes across as pleasantly pungent. Hiding behind this backdrop of intensity are some soft and subtle floral, vanilla and earthy notes that really blend together nicely with the 40% alcohol doing a great job of carrying these vapors forward. Overall, the feeling is a bit heavy and full bodied which creates a nice anticipation for how this carries over in the glass.
On the rocks: Thick and rich to start, the sweet potato runs so deep that this might be one of the purest sweet potato shochu I have ever had. The depth of flavor is really amazing, as in one sip you go from sweet and heavy to sharp and fresh with lots of accompanying notes rising to the surface but never distracting from the sweet potato that is center stage. Regarding what does pop out, you can find a little bit of mature vanilla and earthy hay as the ice melts a bit which gives Jidaizō Kanro a great drinkability on a cold winter night.
Straight: Pure sweet potato indulgence as soon as the first sip lands, you get intense sweetness, along with a well balanced fresh/sharp sweet potato that really lands. Additionally, there is an interesting wintergreen lifesaver note that comes in after the first impact of sweetness, I also noticed this on Sora to Kaze to Daichi which creates a similar wintery vibe which is perfect on this cold February evening in Hiroshima. The finish here is also a standout as some of the softer floral, mature vanilla and earth tones rise to the surface and still around for little giving Jidaizō Kanro a lasting impression.
Paired with Chocolate: Very interesting pairing as the cacao completely negates the 40% alcohol leaving a pure chocolate that blends really well with the shochu resulting in a very smooth experience. Not a perfect pairing but certainly a cool experience.
Enjoy near or on- the-rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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So far, Kyōya has never failed to deliver, everything I have tried from them as been a stand out experience. As it gets closer to winter here, I will definitely open up some of the other bottles that I have been holding on to for a while.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
