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750ml
Bottle:
$39.90
6 bottles:
$39.30
This 100% barley shochu was made by hand using white koji before being distilled just once in an atmospheric pot...
750ml
Bottle:
$58.94
6 bottles:
$57.76
This sweet potato shochu was made by hand using white rice koji in the first fermentation with steamed kogane sengan...
720ml
Bottle:
$22.80
12 bottles:
$20.52
Refined and fragrant with a mildly sweet aroma of barley. A well-balanced flavor with a caramel nuance that...
720ml
Bottle:
$63.84
$67.20
Elegant and intense, with nuances of oak and cigar. Uniquely smooth with a concentrated flavor, with layers of...
720ml
Bottle:
$22.80
$24.00
12 bottles:
$21.66
Mild sweetness of potato and black tea. A strong, thick aroma. Structured and concentrated flavor that leaves a...
720ml
Bottle:
$28.50
$30.00
12 bottles:
$27.36
720ml
Bottle:
$25.08
$26.40
12 bottles:
$23.94
Flinty aromas of ground chalk, smooth texture and notes of sweet cream laced with with smoke and bitter herbs, mild...
720ml
Bottle:
$25.08
$26.40
12 bottles:
$23.94
Fresh and bright aromas of lychee and mango, shochu is medium-light bodied with flavors of candied sweet potato,...
720ml
Bottle:
$43.20
12 bottles:
$41.04
Floral & pear notes with balanced hints of soft umami.
750ml
Bottle:
$41.04
$43.20
Refreshing ginger notes on the palate with a tinge of spice and citrus that comes from the koji rice and barley.
750ml
Bottle:
$26.22
$27.60
12 bottles:
$25.08
Dense, full bodied barley shochu with almond aromas, silken texture, notes of chocolate and lingering flavors of...
720ml
Bottle:
$39.90
$42.00
Rich toasted notes, flavors of hazelnut and cacao, a swirl of spices.
750ml
Bottle:
$26.22
$27.60
12 bottles:
$25.08
Deep flavors of roasted sweet potato and walnuts with an appealing finish of nutmeg.
720ml
Bottle:
$26.22
$27.60
12 bottles:
$25.08
Aligote Japanese Whiskey Sake Zinfandel Japan Miyazaki Prefecture
Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.
The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.
Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.
While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.
The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.
All over Japan, farmers and wine producers take the production of alcoholic beverages including plum wine and sake very seriously. It is an industry which dates back well over a thousand years, and is held in high esteem in this far east country, where plum wines and sake often accompany meals and are used for ceremonial purposes. Whilst plum wine is produced in a relatively similar way to grape based wines, sake requires a complex process more akin to the brewing of beer, except using a rice mash instead of other grains. The rising popularity of both of these drinks in the west has seen the drinks industry in Japan increase dramatically over recent years, and both quality and quantity has risen alongside demand, and is expected to rise further.