Distillery: 研醸株式会社 Kenjo Co. Ltd.
Address: 830-1214 1089 Sakaeda, Tachiarai-cho, Mitsui-gun, Fukuoka
Website: http://www.e-kenjou.com/006_imo.html
Additional Content: There is not much additional content other than this short Fathers day commercial talking about a sweet potato and wheat shōchū gift set.
Name: こふくろう Kofukurō
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 減圧蒸留 (Vacuum Distillation)
Ingredients:
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さつま芋 Sweet Potato
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黒麹(国産米) Black Koji
Alcohol: 25%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Intensely aromatic from the moment you crack open the bottle. To start, there is a deep, honeyed sweetness that sits at the front and is layered with subtle musty hay and gentle earthy tones. After this opens up a bit, you can find some dried fruit (fig and raisin), vanilla, and lightly toasted rice that rise to the surface. The overall experience is rich, slightly complex, and builds a nice anticipation for the first sip
On the rocks: The first sip opens with surprising intensity, not in a overly bad way, just quite in your face. Additionally, there is a pronounced spicy bite a bit like black pepper that appears at the back of the throat that is accompanies by some subtle sharpness that is hard to pin down. The down side here is that as the ice melts that sharpness dominates the overall experience, largely masking the dried-fruit and vanilla notes and lending a somewhat one-dimensional character. As the ice melts a bit more, the edge softens more and Kofukuro mellows significantly, unfortunately this does not add much to the experience.
水割り Diluted with water
3:2 ratio: A modest amount of water tempers the peppery bite and allows a portion of the underlying sweetness to resurface; however, the overall profile remains somewhat muted and lacks vibrancy, the end result is rather flat and underwhelming compared to the inviting nose.
Reflections on this shōchū
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Not every bottle needs to be exceptional to be still worth giving it a try, Kofukuro serves as a perfect example of that. While it lacks a lot of what I hoped for, this would still be a fine glass of shochu for an Izakaya or some cheap eats.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Distillery: 田崎酒造 Tasaki Shuzō
Address: 696 Ozato, Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima 899-2103
Website: https://tasaki-shuzo.jp/
Additional Content: There is not much additional content other than some youtube taskings.
Name: 碧酔譚 Hyakusuitan
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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紅サツマ・サツママサリ・紅おとめ・白豊・黄金千貫 Sweet Potatos (Kagoshima)
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白米麹(国産米) White Koji
Alcohol: 35%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Considering all of the types of sweet potatoes in this bottle, I expected a bit of a bigger nose, but with Hyakusuitan that is not the case; however, what is there is quite nice once it develops a bit. With a little swirling and oxygen you get a lot of dried sweet potato, a bit of sweet vanilla, dried fruits along with hints of floral notes that almost remind me a bit of jasmine and sakura. While this bottle started a bit on the neutral side, there is a nice build-up to a fragrant sweet potato shōchū that creates a nice excitement for what will be in the glass.
On the rocks: The sweet potato impact is amazing and intense, you need a sip or two to adjust thanks to the 35% ABV but once you do a lot of what Hyakusuitan has to offer really starts to shine. First is the blend of five different sweet potatoes which if you are familiar with some of them you can pick them out quite easily, especially the Beni Satsuma and Kogane Sengan both of which add a nice backdrop for the flavors to develop on. As the ice melts, there is a mash-up of vanilla, cereal grain and just a hint of the floral lavender side on the finish. Overall, this is an interesting bottle that has a lot going on and you need a few glasses to really figure out, which is fine as this is a nice puzzle to figure out.
Straight: Intense sweet potato coats the tongue in an explosion of flavor. There is so much going on that it is almost hard to focus on one specific thing until your palate adjusts. Once it does, the first thing you find is a fresh sweetness followed by a lavender floral and wild flower sharpness and to finish this moves toward some sweeter notes of vanilla, toasted rice and cereal grain. Even with that mash-up, Hyakusuitan works really well neat in the glass and makes for the perfect nightcap to sip on a cool spring evening.
Paired with Chocolate: Cafe Tasse dark chocolate. That is a match made in heaven. The imo shōchū massively expands the cacao while adding some nice liqueur notes that blend perfectly into a perfect chocolate ganache. The finish brings a bit of the cereal grain back in which gives this pairing a bit of a candy bar feel. Really enjoyed this pairing.
Reflections on this shōchū
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Hyakusuitan is an interesting multi-variety sweet potato shōchū using five different types, Beni Satsuma, Koganesengan, Satsuma Masari, Beni Otome, Shiro Yukata blended together to create one of the more interesting bottles I have had in some time.
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Overall, this bottle delivers a clean, fragrant profile with dried sweet potato, vanilla, dried fruits, and light floral (jasmine/sakura/lavender) notes leading the way. Additionally, the 35% ABV keeps this sweet potato shōchū approachable while adding gentle structure and some heft to carry some of the softer notes through to the finish.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
BackLabel
Distillery: 川越酒造場 Fuki Shuzōjyo
Address: 4415-1 Honjo, Kunitomi, Higashimorokata District, Miyazaki
Website: http://www.miyazaki-sake.or.jp/
Additional Content: There is not much available other this this short interview.
Name: 川越 Kawagoe
Type: 芋・米焼酎 Sweet Potato/Rice Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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甘藷芋 (宮崎) Sweet Potato (Miyazaki), タイ米 (Thai rice)
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米麹 (Thai rice koji)
Alcohol: 25%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Slightly sweet and fragrant on the nose, opening with fresh notes of nectarine, watermelon rind, and a candy-like sour cherry (reminiscent of Jolly Ranchers). These brighter aromas gradually give way to a more earthy, damp-hay character which adds a nice bit of depth. A little bot of oxygen reveals subtle vanilla and toasted, along with just a faint whisper of alcohol. Overall, the nose is highly enjoyable and sets strong, positive expectations for the liquid inside.
On the rocks: The initial sip brings refreshing lightness, with a pleasant peppery (slightly spicy) kick at the back of the palate that’s nicely balanced by emerging soft sweetness. From there, it transitions smoothly into the fruit notes seen on the nose—offering flavors not commonly found in sweet potato shochu, which makes this one stand out. Holding it on the tongue reveals rich toasted rice, hints of vanilla, sweet potato, and a touch of baking spice for added depth. A very compelling way to enjoy it.
水割り Diluted with water
4:1 ratio: Adding water smooths everything out considerably, but in doing so, it mutes much of what makes Kawagoe interesting—resulting in a clean, easy drink without much real substance or character left behind. It’s far from bad, just noticeably less engaging. (Note: I didn’t try it neat at the time, which I’d now like to revisit for comparison.)
Reflections on this shōchū
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I really enjoy these sweet potato and rice blend shochu styles. While not quite as dynamic or standout as ?Naina (the well-known Miyazaki blend from Akashi Shuzo), this one still marries the two bases effectively, delivering particularly nice notes—especially when served on the rocks.
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Overall, it's a very enjoyable shochu, particularly in that on-the-rocks format, where it hits all the right notes for an easy, sessionable drink—you'll happily go beyond just one glass.
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Priced in the mid-range (I paid around 1,900 JPY, though I've seen it slightly cheaper or more expensive depending on the retailer), it feels fairly valued. I didn't find it overpriced for the quality and drinkability it offers.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Back Label
