Distillery: 池間酒造 Ikema Shuzō
Address: Nishihara-57-348 Hirara, Miyakojima, Okinawa 906-0005
Website: None
Additional Content: There is a short introduction video talking a little about Ikema Shuzo, unfortunately not much more than this.
Name: 瑞光30年 Zuiko 30yr
Type: 泡盛 Awamori 30yr
蒸留方法: 単式常圧蒸留
Ingredients:
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米麹(タイ産米) Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 42%
In the bottle: Strong waves of awamori come sweeping through, and for a thirty-year-old bottle this is bright, rich, and full of earthy notes that add a nice level of complexity to a bottle of this age. At 42% alcohol I was hard-pressed to find much alcohol on the nose, and what was there blended perfectly with the richness of the rice. The overall impression is mature yet lively, with depth that feels earned over decades.
On the rocks: The brightness on the nose is front and center on the first sip; however, it’s a bit alcohol-forward before fading into some beautiful aged awamori flavors. This can be overcome with a little water. Once you get past the initial sharp bite and the ice melts a little, what you have in front of you is absolutely amazing and worth savoring every sip. The dilution smooths the edges while letting the mature richness and earthy complexity shine through.
Diluted with water
4:1 ratio: This is where Zuiko 30-year really opens up. Everything becomes smoother, which allows these beautiful awamori notes to shine: toasted rice, a little caramel, candied cherries, and vanilla all make an appearance. Some of the more earthy notes—such as clay and damp hay—also start to come forward and really add to the depth and complexity of what Zuiko offers after 30 years of aging. The result is refined, balanced, and highly enjoyable with this level of dilution.
Enjoy on the rocks or with a little Water
Reflections on this Awamori
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Opened this as the Christmas special bottle—it was a Merry Christmas indeed.
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Still can’t believe I knocked this bottle over and lost about 15% of its precious contents. Note to self: never leave a bottle open...
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This was a special bottle purchase, and while just under 20,000 JPY is a steal for something 30 years old, it is still significantly more than I would ever spend. That being said, with the current economy in Japan, one can never tell when a bottle like this may disappear, so sometimes a splurge is a great way to taste some amazing awamori history.
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The maturity shines through in every sip—deep, rich, and layered with that refined smoothness only decades of aging can bring. The flavors are elegant and complex: toasted rice, caramel, vanilla, subtle fruit, and earthy depth that feel both timeless and alive. It drinks beautifully neat (velvety and contemplative), on the rocks (letting the notes evolve slowly), or with a splash of water (opening up softer elements without losing character). The 30-year age gives it an incredible balance of intensity and grace—no harshness, just pure, mature awamori character.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Bottle Label
