Distillery: 鹿児島酒造 Kagoshima Shuzō
Address: 130 Sakaemachi, Akune, Kagoshima 899-1616
Website: https://kagosyuzo.jp/
Additional Content: A nice introduction video that covers tastings on a range of shochu from this distillery
Name: やきいも黒瀬 Yaki Imo Kurose
Type: 焼き芋焼酎 Roasted Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
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甘藷 Sweet Potato (Kagoshima)
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白米麹 White Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 25%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: A bit sharp at the start; however, once this passes, Yaki Imo Kurose has a beautifully subtle sweet potato nose, and in this case, really subtle. What does finally take shape has nice freshness to it and is backed but just a hint of sweet and earthy tones. This has not been my experience in the past with roasted sweet potato shochu, as my memory was much sweeter, that being said, I'm very interested in what this does in the glass.
On the rocks: The sharpness found on the nose stays around for the first sip, which comes across as more of a fresh mouth feel before fading into some really nice mature vanilla, sweet potato and slightly earthy notes. Once the ice melts, the sweetness really opens up and some additional cereal grain and toasted rice flavors start to rise to the surface and gives Yaki Imo Kurose a bit more character. Overall, there is nothing that stands out above the rest, and in this case that is perfectly fine, what you end up with is an incredibly drinkable roasted sweet potato shochu that at least at the time of writing this is perfect for a hot Japan summer night
Straight: Super smooth with just the right bite, as the sharpness comes across really fresh and the deeper flavor notes of mature vanilla and just a hint of grain, overall this was quite nice but not as good as on the rocks, which could be due to the hot June night here in Hiroshima.
Paired with Chocolate: Tony's chocolonely 70% dark chocolate, right from the start this really shines, sometimes this pairing needs a bit to simmer down and unlock the cacao from the chocolate; not with Yaki Imo Kurose, just pure chocolate all the way through. This may be one of the best pairings, there is not so much of a cherry liquor flavor in there and that is OK as the mature vanilla and sweet potato meld perfectly here, well worth a try.
Reflections on this shōchū
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Its been some time since I've had a roasted sweet potato shochu and this was certainly a good one, not overly sweet with a nice fresh undertone.
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I originally picked up the shinshu version of Yaki Imo Kurose, which I have not opened yet before coming across this bottle, which in the end was opened first, will compare once opened.
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Yaki Imo Kurose pairs really well with chocolate, if I had an oven I would certainly try and see how this would work in a chocolate dessert, missed opportunity...
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Top Label
Back Label
Name: 新酒やきいも黒瀬 Yaki Imo Kurose
Type: 焼き芋焼酎 Roasted Sweet Potato Shōchū
蒸留方法: 常圧蒸留 (Atmospheric)
Ingredients:
-
甘藷 Sweet Potato (Kagoshima)
-
白米麹 White Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 25%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Fresh, smooth and a little bit of sweet vapours straight out of the bottle. What is clear from the start is that the beautiful sweet potato fragrance that emanates from the bottle is clearly in the drivers seat which really brings forward as an incredibly inviting bottle. As the Shinshu version of Yaki Imo Kurose opens up, the sharpness I noticed on the other bottle starts to rise to the top; however, this is quite soft and does not take anything away from the experience. Additionally, there is a fresh woody note at the end that reminds me of a broken maple branch which really adds to the whole character of this bottle.
On the rocks: This is where the roasted sweet potato character truly comes alive. The sweetness that rises from the glass stays beautifully balanced, never tipping into dessert level sweetness. As the ice slowly melts, softer supporting notes gently emerge, there is a warm vanilla, a touch of cereal grain, and a subtle, refreshing sharpness that keeps everything nicely grounded and fresh. Much like the other bottle of Kurose, no single element dominates, instead, everything melds together seamlessly, delivering a perfect glass to sip on this hot Hiroshima evening.
Straight: Super smooth with a bit more character than expected, aside from the fresh sweet potato there is a subtle floral note that sits in the back with some soft vanilla, and a bit of cereal grain. There is a bit of sharpness on the finish but nothing intrusive and is actually balanced quite well against a bit of warmth of the alcohol and the subtle sweetness that hangs around until the end.
Paired with Chocolate: Venchi 70% dark chocolate, much like the other bottle of Kurose, the paring of dark chocolate and shochu is really something special here. To start the cacao expands beautifully, intensifying the cacao while adding a bit of cherry brandy to the overall mix. The finish remains strong as the chocolate blends into something akin to a dark chocolate cherry tart, amazing.
Reflections on this shōchū
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It was nice to compare these two bottles, while I did not open them at the same time for a side by side I could at least compare notes.
Bottle label and Information
Bottle Bag
Name: 酔十年無和水 Suitōnen Muwasui 10yr
Type: 芋焼酎原酒 Sweet Potato Shōchū Genshu
蒸留方法: 単式蒸留 (Pot Distillation)
Ingredients:
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甘藷（鹿児島産）Kansho (Kagoshima)
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白米麹 White Rice Koji (Thailand)
Alcohol: 37%
Enjoy on the rocks
In the bottle: Sweet but not heavy handed and a bit on the earthy side, also not overly strong but there is a bit of wet hay and earth, aside from this, Suitōnen Muwasui is actually quite neutral. After a fair bit of swirling to get some oxygen in, this opens up a little with some mature vanilla and just a hint of dried fruits, reminds me mostly of dried dates, other than that not much to say as even the alcohol at 37% ABV does not makes its presence made more than a hint at the beginning.
On the rocks: With Suitōnen Muwasui, the intensity found neat in the glass remains strong over ice, even after a little dilution the mature sweet potato notes are so full and rich that this is something best enjoyed slowly, sip by sip. As the ice continues to melt, the softer more subtle flavors start to develop, especially the dried fruits (raisin and dates) and on the finish a beautiful dried sweet potato vibe starts to interweave with the with the sharp and sweet to really round out this interesting bottle. Overall, the finish is long and you are treated to a lot of more mature flavors, especially the vanilla, and cereal notes which adds a lot of enjoyment to a glass best sipped slowly.
Straight: Intensely sweet potato forward with a feeling of age and a slight heaviness of alcohol as least on the first sip, its nothing that is off putting, just certainly makes itself known and that it has been waiting to be enjoyed. What I really enjoyed is how the finish flows into a very gentle and perfectly rounded sweetness that makes for a large contrast to the initial impact. As you adjust, you can pick out some of what was on the nose, for me at least this was dried fruits, some cereal notes and a bit of mature vanilla to round everything out.
Paired with Chocolate: Tonny's 70% dark chocolate. Wow, that is both really good and very transformational, the cacao takes on a much more earthy, roasted flavor profile, that adds a lot more complexity to this type of pairing than I am used to. Aside from the chocolate flavor, there is a really nice sweetness a bit like dates or raisin that ties everything together quite nicely, overall, very nice pairing.
Reflections on this shōchū
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As far as aged potato shochu goes, this is a bottle that is worth giving a try, not sure what I paid for it was it was a couple of years ago around Christmas that I picked this up; after opening, certainly no regrets.
Bottle label and Information
Front Lable
Back Lable
