Distillery: 酒蔵王手門 Sakagura Ohtemon
Address: 898-8 Kitagocho Ofuji, Nichinan, Miyazaki 889-2401
Website: https://www.shop-ohtemon.jp/
Additional Content: They have a youtube channel but nothing that has been updated in around 8 years
Name: まだこ Madako
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
黄金千貫 Golden Sengen (Domestic)
-
米麹(国産米) Rice Koji
Alcohol: 30%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Fresh sweet potato dominates on the nose, with a light touch of sweetness and an excellent balance of fresh and sharp, right from the first breath you can feel there is something special going on here. After this opens up a little, notes of mature vanilla emerge alongside a blend of syrupy and dried fruits which are complemented by subtle grain and cereal that tie everything together quite well. Overall, Madako builds anticipation for the first sip in a way not a lot of other bottles can, very excited for this.
On the rocks: The initial sip delivers on the the expectations from the nose, you get a bold sweet potato character that is intense and fresh, with a noticeable weight and a slight bite on the finish. As the ice melts and Madako opens up, those beautiful notes found on the nose become much more prominent: dried fruits, cereal notes, and a warming mature vanilla provide a solid backbone to that amazing sweet potato freshness. This has been one of the standout bottles I've opened in 2025, and I would confidently recommend it to any looking for an interesting and intense sweet potato shochu to enjoy on a hot summer night.
Straight: Exceptionally smooth, with the sweet potato profile striking an perfect balance of fresh, sharp, and sweet. A lot of what was on the nose translate here, though the syrupy and dried fruit notes take a more of a behind the scenes role to the core sweet potato flavor. The finish hangs around for a while offering waves of freshness and sweetness, making Madako an excellent choice for sipping neat in the glass.
Paired with Chocolate: Kaldi 70% dark chocolate. Madako enhances the chocolate's cacao intensity without introducing the cherry liqueur-like notes often found in sweet potato shochu pairings. Instead, it allows the chocolate to remain the star while adding noticeable depth and complexity. This is a strong pairing as the shochu amplifies what is already present in the chocolate rather than overshadowing it.
Reflections on this shōchū
-
This is one of those bottles that makes you stop for a second and realize that you are drinking something really special, one of the better bottles I have opened in quite some time.
-
The packaging is particularly cool and I won't lie, it did play a key role in my decision to purchase this well-positioned, mid-range offering.
-
I am eager to open the other bottle from Sakagura Ohtemon currently on my shelf and, if possible, seek out additional bottles from this distillery.
Bottle label and Information
Bottle Bag
Back Label
Name: 蔵内極秘稟議書 Kurauchi Gokuhi Hingisho
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
黄金千貫 Golden Sengen (Domestic)
-
米麹(国産米) Rice Koji
Alcohol: 30%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Rich sweet potato immediately dominates the nose, presenting an intriguing duality: simultaneously sweet and heavy, yet light and fresh. Kurauchi Gokuhi Hingisho is unmistakably sweet potato-forward and is accented by subtle toasted rice, cereal grain, and a faint touch of baking spice that rounds things out nicely. Overall, what is on the nose delivers one of the most impactful and interesting sweet potato shochu experiences I’ve had in some time. The only minor drawback is that the softer, more delicate notes have limited room to emerge amid the intensity, that being said the anticipation is quite high for what is in the glass.
On the rocks: Bright and explosive from the first sip, with sweet potato bursting forward in full force. Even with that initial intensity, Kurauchi Gokuhi Hingisho is remarkably well-balanced, not overly sweet, but perfectly harmonizing fresh, sweet, sharp, and fragrant elements in a single, exceptional sip. As the ice melts, subtler notes that were initially overshadowed begin to surface, you can find some soft vanilla, a hint of custard, dark cacao, and black pepper which add welcome depth and complexity. Even with further dilution from the melting ice, this bottle holds its structure impressively, nothing recedes or mellows too far, and everything melds into a cohesive, harmonious experience.
Straight: Super smooth and velvety on the palate, with precisely the right level of sweetness. The sweet potato delivers astonishing intensity and clarity, making this an easy and rewarding shochu to sip near in the glass. Interestingly, the finish turns quite dry as the initial sweetness begins to fade, a clean, balanced dryness takes hold, providing excellent structure and drinkability.
Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's 70% dark chocolate. A near-perfect pairing. The dark chocolate’s cacao depth expands dramatically, while the sweet potato rounds into a richer, more approachable sweetness that genuinely brings a smile. The finish remains slightly dry but stays in its lane and lets the softer vanilla and custard notes to be carried forward by the alcohol for a satisfying close. One of the strongest sweet potato shōchū - dark chocolate combinations I’ve experienced yet.
Reflections on this shōchū
-
This was the second bottle I opened from Sakagura Ohtemon and it was even better than the first, so much to love about this bottle including the packaging, based on this I went online and purchased almost every different type of shochu they make.
Bottle label and Information
Bottle Tag
Back Label
Name: 桐之桃山 Kirino Momoyama
Type: 麦焼酎原酒 Mugi Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 減圧蒸留 (Vacuum Distillation)
Ingredients:
-
麦 Barley (豪州産)
-
麦麹 Barley Koji (豪州産麦使用)
Alcohol: 40%
Enjoy neat or on-the-rocks
In the bottle: Warm and inviting with an interesting balance between the oak aging and the barley, each playing to their strengths to provide an excellent backdrop for the rest of what’s in the bottle. On top of the main stars, there is a nice earthiness that adds some depth to the oaky sweet vanilla and slightly fruity cherry notes that start to develop as a bit of oxygen gets mixed in. Overall, Kirino Momoyama brings a lot at the start and builds a great anticipation for what will be in the glass.
On the rocks: The oak is front and center on the rocks. Right from the first sip there is a fresh cherry-like vibe, a bit like cherry tobacco, that really makes itself known. Combined with the smoothness from the oak aging, Kirino Momoyama is the perfect shōchū to sip. Additionally, the dark chocolate that was on the back end neat in the glass remains a great secondary experience with a subtle bitterness that melds very nicely with the barley and earthy notes to really tie the whole experience together. The finish ebbs and flows between the cherry, oak, dark chocolate, and some of the softer flavors like sweet vanilla and dried fruits.
Straight: Super smooth and full of some amazing impact notes that make this an exceptional shōchū to enjoy neat in the glass. To start you get earthy, oaky, and strong barley notes that have a very subtle sweetness that suddenly transitions to an amazingly dark chocolate that just permeates everything. What I enjoyed here the most is how the oak adds a beautiful cherry-like backing to the barley, which when this transitions over to the chocolaty side, you are left with the feeling of “where have you been all my life”, so good.
Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's Chocolony 70% dark chocolate. Pretty much a match made in heaven. The heavy chocolate nature of Kirino Momoyama brings the actual chocolate to a whole new level that pretty much cements the idea that shōchū would be an amazing secret ingredient to chocolate desserts. The finish adds an interesting bitterness, similar to almonds, which with the heavy cacao vibe really makes for a perfect pairing for an after-dinner sweet.
Reflections on this shōchū
-
Based on the first couple of bottles I had from Sakagura Ohtemon, I ended up buying nearly a bottle of everything else they make, this is the first bottle to open and this was well worth the investment.
-
Kirino Momoyama is a refined oak-aged barley shōchū that balances rich oak, cherry, vanilla, and dark chocolate with subtle earthiness and dried fruit to give you something that is truly amazing.
Bottle label and Information
Front Lable
Back Label
Name: 牢 Rou
Type: 芋焼酎 Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
紅寿・あや紫：国産 Koju/Aya Murasaki
-
米麹(国産米・タイ米使用) Rice Koji (Thai)
Alcohol: 28%
Enjoy neat or on-the-rocks
In the bottle: Bright, rich, and incredibly smooth! Rou is super fragrant, with sweet potato taking center stage. Additionally, there is a very nice freshness that backs everything up, which is immediately inviting. There is a little something in the back that comes across a bit herby and green; however, it is hard to pin it down over the sweet potato, but it does add a nice layer to what is in the bottle. This is another one of those bottles that keeps its cards close to the vest, but if it is anything like the other bottles from Sakagura Ohtemon, then it will certainly be a winner.
On the rocks: Delicious is all I can say. I started writing this sentence several times, but in the end no other words are needed. The freshness on the nose really drives the subtle sharpness of the sweet potato, and similarly the herby notes add a beautiful complexity to the back end of each sip. Rou may mean “jail,” but this bottle feels free and full of life, especially on the finish, which provides a nice mix of sharp and sweet as well as letting some of the softer flavors a chance to rise to the surface. As the ice melts a bit, there is a bit of cereal grain that starts to develop against the sweet potato, which adds some additional complexity for some of the softer notes to become visible.
Straight: This might be one of the smoothest sweet potato shōchū I have ever had neat in the glass (probably not the first time I have written that). Rou balances sweet and dry perfectly: the front end is full of mature vanilla, dried fruits, and a hint of cereal grain, while the back end has a perfect sharpness to prevent this from crossing into overly sweet territory. The finish here is also something to savor as it swings back and forth between pure sweet potato indulgence and a nice peppery sharpness.
Paired with Chocolate: Malaysian single origin dark chocolate. Another perfect pairing. The dark chocolate explodes with pure cacao riding on a perfect wave from the shōchū. Interesting what is missing is that cherry liqueur vibe that usually balances out the chocolate. While it is not really very present, there is a beautiful vanilla that comes through on the finish and brings this whole experience together.
Reflections on this shōchū
-
This is the fourth bottle I have opened from Sakagura Ohtemon and not sure what else to say other than I am incredibly happy that I have many more bottles on the shelf to open.
-
6.5hrs by car from my house, seems like something to do this summer as a short trip from Hiroshima.
-
Overall, I found Rou to be fresh, fragrant and full of bright sweet potato deliciousness. This is the perfect backdrop for the beautiful mature vanilla, dried fruit, subtle cereal grain and light herby/green notes to build on.
Bottle label and Information
Bottle Label
Back Label
