• Category: Honkaku Shochu

• Base ingredient: Barley

• Koji: White

• Distillation method: Atmospheric

• Aging: 5 years, in new white oak barrels

• Distilled by: Ikinohana Distillery, Iki Island, Nagasaki

• ABV: 25%

• Size: 720ml; 12 bottles per case

• Best enjoyed: Straight; rokku; mizuwari

  Ikinohana decided to give up on efficiency. Their Umigarasu (“sea raven”) shochu not only spends five years in in new white oak barrels, it does so using a unique water-aging method that trades quantity for quality. Most aged shochu goes into the barrels undiluted at about about 40% ABV, then gets mixed with water after aging to bring the ABV down to about 25%. Not Umigarasu. It goes into the barrels close to its shipping 25% ABV to minimize diluting the flavor it just spent five years developing. Compared to the more common aging method, water-aging reduces Umigarasu’s production capacity by more than 1/3 but it’s worth it for the added umami and rich whiskey-like flavor.

SKU: NBIK0101