Made from brown sugar. Possibly Japan's answer to rum!
Ichinojo Asahi is a kokuto shochu from Kikai Island, a tiny subtropical island in the Amami archipelago between Kyushu and Okinawa. This distinctive style of shochu is made with brown sugar and rice koji, then distilled into a dry spirit with no residual sugar.
Asahi Shuzō pushes the style further by using twice the usual amount of brown sugar, much of it made from sugarcane grown on the distillery’s own farms. Black rice koji provides structure, while mineral-rich groundwater filtered through the island’s ancient coral limestone contributes to the spirit’s distinctive character.
The result is deeply aromatic, with dark rum and vanilla notes alongside mango and passion fruit. Despite those rich aromas, the palate finishes crisp, dry and clean.
At 25% ABV, it is remarkably versatile. Drink it neat or on the rocks, or lengthen it with soda for an aromatic shochu highball. Its combination of tropical fruit, savoury depth and dry finish also makes it an excellent companion to richer izakaya dishes.
