Distillery: 塩田酒造 Shiota Shuzō
Address: 1604 Satochosato, Satsumasendai, Kagoshima 896-1101
Additional Content: There is a short introduction video talking a little about Ikema Shuzo, unfortunately not much more than this.
Name: 六代目百合 Rokudaimeyuri
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
さつま芋（鹿児島産） Sweet Potato (Kagoshima)
-
米麹（タイ産）Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 25%
In the bottle: Straight-up sweet potato awesomeness dominates the nose, you get a perfect balance of sharp freshness and subtle sweetness that binds everything together seamlessly. Once Rokudaimeyuri opens up a bit more you can find some nice earthy notes that emerge alongside wet hay and a clay dryness which adds a nice bit of depth and balance to the initial fresh / sweet opening. Overall, there is a lot to like here, and Rokudaimeyuri builds lot of anticipation for that first sip.
On the rocks: Very interesting contrast between drinking styles, neat felt light and “wet,” but on the rocks (with melting ice adding a touch of water), it becomes noticeably thicker and sweeter. Once you settle in for that first sip, you are greeted with a sweet potato freshness that backs the beautifully balanced underlying sweetness, this keeps pulling you back for sip after sip. The finish holds strong here as well, with toasted rice and a wheat/oat vibe (reminds me of Oh’s cereal) that weave in and out before leaving subtle cacao note on the back end, which of course pushes you for the next sip.
Straight: Wow, simply wow. An immediate burst of vanilla, burnt caramel, cacao, and a hint of wild flowers hits the tongue and just makes you smile. Rokudaimeyuri feels remarkably soft and smooth, there is almost no viscosity to it. I think “wet” is the best way to describe this, not sure how else to put it into words. The finish is beautiful giving wave after wave of toasted wheat/rice, dry vanilla, caramel, and a cacao note that lingers gracefully.
Enjoy on the rocks or straight
Reflections on this Awamori
-
I picked up a smaller bottle of Rokudaime Yuri a while back and enjoyed it so much that I went back for a second one.
-
Recently spotted a couple more bottles of Rokudaime Yuri in genshu versions with different alcohol strengths. Considering picking them up in the future to compare side-by-side with the standard bottling, curious to see how the increased alcohol influences the mouthfeel, finish, and overall balance.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
Name: 六代目百合原酒 Rokudaimeyuri Genshu
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
さつま芋（鹿児島産） Sweet Potato (Kagoshima)
-
米麹（タイ産）Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 35%
In the bottle: Slightly damp sweetness pours from the bottle at the start along with a earthy wheat vibe that matches well with the softer sweet potato notes that start to emerge with a little oxygen. Once this opens up a bit, the Genshu version of Rokudaimeyuri brings everything it has, you can find some vanilla, toasted rice and wheat, and most importantly that beautiful sweet potato that builds a perfect backdrop to bring this all together.
On the rocks: Right out of the gate you get a massively fresh sweet potato sharpness that is immediately cooled by a rich sweetness full of mature vanilla, dried fruits, a bit of burnt toffee and a slightly damp earthiness that brings everything together. The finish at this stage is also a standout and plays more to the sweet side, especially with the vanilla and burnt toffee. As the ice melts the sharpness mellows considerably, and much like the standard bottle of Rokudaimeyuri becomes considerably sweeter. From here the sweet potato really leads the way and really reminds me of a fresh cooked sweet potato at the end of a BBQ making this a perfect glass to sip on another hot September night.
Straight: The Genshu version Rokudaimeyuri brings another wow and a bit of heat. There is so much going on in that first sip, to start you get an intense fresh sweet potato that opens with some sharp edges before quickly fading into a wash of vanilla, toasted rice, a bit of cereal grain, and a bit of burnt toffee on the back end. Once you adjust to that initial heat, there are some beautiful earthy notes and fresh sweet potato that round everything out with a finish that lingers in all the right ways, really just amazing.
Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's Chocolonely, 70% dark chocolate. At first this is almost too intense but this soon fades to a very interesting earthy cacao vibe that really works well together. The Shochu does a great job of expanding the landscape for the chocolate and you can find that nice cherry liquor vibe toward the end on the finish, overall quite nice.
