Distillery: 宝酒造 Takara Shuzo
Address: 609 Takenaka-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto-shi
Website: https://www.takarashuzo.co.jp/
Additional Content: Takara Shuzo has a very active channel on youtube with lots of commercials and other related content, worth checking out if you are interested in that sort of thing.
Name: 一刻者〈石蔵甕貯蔵〉Ikkosha (Stored in a Stone Jar)
Type: 芋焼酎 Potato shōchū
蒸留方法: 単式蒸留 (Pot Distillation)
Ingredients:
-
さつま芋(南九州産) Sweet Potato
-
芋麹 Potato Koji
Alcohol: 25%
In the bottle: Restrained and earthy rather than overtly fruity. The sweet-potato character remains discreet, allowing notes of damp hay, wet clay, and mineral soil to dominate. Despite the moderate alcohol level, a faint alcoholic prickle appears on the finish, accompanied by a subtle sourness that lends a bit of quiet complexity and intrigue.
On the rocks: The first sip delivers a striking wave of clay-like earthiness—crisp and almost mineral-sharp on entry—before settling evenly across the palate. As the intensity subsides, a subtle, clean sweetness emerges toward the finish, providing gentle contrast. Characteristic of potato kōji in sweet-potato shōchū gives a distinctive prickly, black-pepper spice that lingers at the back of the throat and along the sides of the tongue.
水割り Diluted with water
3:2 ratio: A modest addition of water markedly improves the drinkability with the initial earthy sharpness softened slightly, allowing the understated sweetness to surface more clearly while preserving overall structure. The peppery tingle is considerably subdued—welcome for those seeking a smoother profile, though I found myself slightly missing its lively character.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
-
Ikkomon is a refined, terroir-focused sweet-potato shōchū that deliberately foregrounds mineral earthiness and subtle clay-like notes rather than pronounced fruit. It offers two distinct faces: with modest dilution it reveals elegant balance and quiet sophistication; on the rocks it retains a lively, pepper-driven intensity that will particularly appeal to those who enjoy potato-kōji character.
-
Like the previous Kirishima-made Kichisuke (also potato-kōji imo-shōchū), my appreciation for Ikkomon varied noticeably by mood and occasion—on some evenings it felt like the perfect glass to sip, on others a clear mismatch.
-
Beyond the liquid, the packaging deserves mention: the classic retro bottle shape paired with a clean, minimalist label gives it genuine shelf presence and understated charm.Thanks to its wide domestic distribution, Ikkomon is readily available at supermarkets, liquor shops, and on the drinks lists of many izakaya and family-restaurant chains throughout Japan—making it easy to sample before committing to a full bottle.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
