Distillery: 霧島酒造 Kirishima Shuzō
Address: 885-0093 Miyazaki, Miyakonojo, Shibitacho
Website: https://www.kirishima.co.jp/products/imo/aka-kirishima/
Additional Content: There is a short vintage (2011) introduction to Kirishima distillery, it's only in Japanese but still quite interesting.
Name: 赤霧島 Akakirishima
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留（単式蒸留
Ingredients:
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甘藷(九州産) Sweet Potato
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米麹(国産米) Rice Koji
Alcohol: 25%
In the bottle: At the start there is a hint of sweetness but nothing that is too clearly defined in terms of flavor profile. Overall there is a nice fresh sweet potato vibe that makes Akakirishia really approachable. Regarding the alcohol, the scent in the bottle is neutral and barely noticeable giving this a very approachable vibe and something that you can have a couple of glasses or more.
On the rocks: A classic potato shōchū that drinks very, very easy; which explains why you can find the Kirishima brand of shochu in a lot of Izakaya's and restaurants. In general, the sweet potato notes are smooth with a slight sweetness that is both rich and light, which keeps this fresh and easy to drink more than one glass. From the first sip, Akakrishima never feels overpowering, and at least for me is best enjoyed on the rocks with a nice range of dished at your local Izakaya.
水割り Diluted with water
Ratio 4:1: A decent amount of the core sweet potato flavors remains front and center, however, this shōchū is just so smooth it really doesn't need to be diluted
Ratio 2:3: There is not much left at this ratio other than a mild sweetness on the finish, which is still quite pleasant.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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Even after all these years, Akakirishima is still a really enjoyable shōchū that is almost always easy to find.
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This is a great introduction bottle for people who have never tried shōchū, it is smooth and never overpowers the palate, making for a very accessible entry into the world of shōchū.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
Name: 吉助 Kichisuke
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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ムラサキマサリ Purple Sweet Potato
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芋こうじ Potato Koji
Alcohol: 25%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Overall, surprisingly neutral with hints of sweetness and potato, there is a nice cooling alcohol scent dominates but is not overpowering. From the nose, it is a bit hard to figure out what Kichisuke will show in the glass, that being said, the general feel is that this is quite well made and there will be something interesting in store for the first sip.
On the rocks: This is a really unique tasting potato shōchū, and the flavor profile is completely different from other potato shōchū I have had made with rice koji. At first, there is a slight sweetness and earthy potato flavor that prickles the tongue that pleasantly lingers and the finish has a black pepper feel with residual spiciness in the throat. Overall, this is an interesting shochu and there are a couple of other bottles in this release that I may try and pick up a bit later on.
水割り Diluted with water
Ratio 4:1: Light dilution with water weakens the prickly feeling on the tongue while keeping the sweetness and earthy potato, the peppery finish fades slightly but is still present.
Ratio 2:3: At the higher ratios, the strong and impactful flavors fade; however, the unique potato shōchū flavor remains, just not as strong as on the rocks.
Reflections on this shōchū
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I have had Akakirishima at many Izakaya and while it is nothing spectacular, it is a decent shochu, and when I recently saw a set with three bottles from Kirishima distillery, it seemed like a good chance to explore some of their other offerings.
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In the end, it was an interesting bottle and one that is worth trying if you are looking for a 100% potato shōchū.
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In some ways, this reminds me of smokey Scotch, not in the taste (obviously) but in that "the first glass is nice but I am not interested in a second one", don't get me wrong, the first glass is good but just doesn't entice me to have a second one.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
Name: 特別蒸留きりしま白 Kirishima Special White
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 特別蒸留
Ingredients:
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さつまいも(九州産) Sweet Potato
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米麹(国産米) Rice Koji (Domestic)
Alcohol: 40%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: The nose is prominently sweet potato, featuring a balanced interplay of sweet and fresh characteristics. While not overwhelmingly intense, it delivers a complete and engaging aromatic profile. After allowing the shochu to settle, it mellows considerably, with the 40% alcohol content receding into the background. Overall, the experience remains focused on the inviting sweet potato vapors, creating an appealing introduction to the glass.
On the rocks: Slightly thick on the first sip, with a powerful sweet potato bit that overwhelms a bit at first until you settle in for the ride; however, once you do, it is an amazing experience. Aside from the obvious pungent sweet potato, you can find a nice subtle herby and floral note that finishes a bit of a prickly pepper that hits in the back of the palate which balances the heavier initial impact with a bit of freshness. Overall, with this bottle of Kirishima White, you get a one-of-a-kind bottle with a beautifully fresh and rich sweet potato that might be one of the best I have had in terms of pure Imo shochu.
Straight: Thick and velvety with a massive impact of sweet potato; surprisingly this does not stick around for long, instead what does is more of the herby, floral note that still has the prickly pepper but this time fades into a stronger floral sharpness. Another interesting point is that the sweetness found on-the-rocks is not present at all as this neat stays more toward the sharp and fresh side.
Paired with Chocolate: Cafe Tasse 60% dark chocolate. While not the worst pairing, Kirishima Special White comes in a bit too hot at the start, creating an initial clash with the dark chocolate that is a bit too hard to recover from..
Reflections on this shōchū
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Received this as a give from a fellow Shochu afficenado and overall this was one of the better bottles I have opened in a while, it goes to show that even mass-market makes can put out some really special offerings.
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As from what is in the bottle, what is really nice is the actual bottle which is made from Arita ceramic which overall has a really nice design and a shape that can easily be used as vase or a container for more shochu.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
