Rokuchoshi Tokugin (720ml) - 11 years Aged Rice Shochu / 六調子 特吟 11年熟成

11 years aged Rice Shochu
Tokugin Rokuchoshi -特吟六調子-

A masterpiece with a harmonious combination of taste, aroma and mellowness. It's rich rice aroma & taste deserve to be said as "the very" Rice Shochu.

The label and package design are also unique. They are made by 人間国宝 (Living National Treasure) Keisuke Serizawa.

Kuma Shochu series from Rokuchoshi brewery

Shochu made in "Hitoyoshi, Kuma" region in the southern part of Kumamoto prefecture is called "Kuma Shochu". This name is quite honorable since only approved alcohol products by the World Trade Organization (WTO) can use its own produced region's name. Do you know "scotch" or "cognac"? It comes from the region's name as well, which means It's also one of the approved alcohol products. In Japan, there are only 4 shochu brands that have been approved.

The key of Kuma Shochu from Rokuchoshi brewery

Lies in their traditional way of distillation & aging. It gives an outstanding aroma, taste & smooth texture on your tongue.

Especially for aging, they put huge effort to reproduce the same aging environment as the Highlands of Scotland, where Scotch Whiskey is produced.

The difference of each Kuma Shochu comes from 3 points:

• Kind of Tank for aging - It affects the aroma of shochu
• Multiple blended or Single blend - Multiple blended shochu can be enjoyed unique and new flovour & taste. Their constant effort to develop the best blended shochu results in many world wide award. On the other hand, Single blend can be enjoyed the original taste.
• Year of aging - Aging makes the taste milder and the texture more smooth. Since aging requires time and technique, Long aged shochu is considered to be precious.

Features of Tokugin Rokuchoshi

• Aged in Hourou(Enamel) Tank - Inside of the tank is glassy. It results in an extremely low impact on the liquid inside. You can enjoy the original aroma of the rice shochu.
• Single blend - You can feel the very original taste of shochu.
• 11 years aging

If you love the strong aroma & taste of Rice Shochu, this is the best shochu for you. You can feel the particular taste that is characteristic of rice shochu.

Packaging Design

The label and packaging of "Tokugin" were designed by Keisuke Serizawa, a Japanese textile designer designated as a Living National Treasure who is a leading figure in Katazome (型染め) dyeing and a standard bearer of the folk art movement advocated by Muneyoshi Yanagi.

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How to enjoy

Basic tips

Recommended to drink straight to experience the graceful flavor and the amazing smoothness on your tongue.

However, you can also try with warm water for an enhanced the flavour of the shochu!

Additional tips - Enjoying in a wine glass

In a wine glass, mix aged sake and water at a ratio of 2 to 1.

This way of drinking in wine glass brings you to enjoy the rich aroma of the shochu's aging, as the tulip shape of the glass concentrates the rising aroma to your nose.

Gently shake the wine glass. As it comes into contact with the air, the matured aroma will change its expression one after another, captivating you.

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How is Kuma Shochu series special?

Rokuchoshi brewery was founded in 1923 and has a history of nearly one hundred years.

"We would like to prove Rice Shochu can be one of the best alcohol in the world, comparable to Scotch and Cognac"

With this passion, they have strong commitment towards creating shochu, especially for the method of Distillation, Aging & Blending.

DISTILLATION

This is the kind of sake called, “常圧蒸留熟成酒” (Atmospheric Distillation Aged Sake) which requires equipment and techniques. 

AGING

The shochu is aged for a long period of time in a tank cellar where the temperature and humidity are controlled 24 hours a day, just like in the Highlands of Scotland where its Scotch Whiskey is famous.

BLENDING

Each multiple blended shochu is brewed with different formulations every year. The unique and special blending that no one can make is highly evaluated all over the world. 
Instead of retaining the taste of the shochu, the brewery has been trying to produce better multiple blended shochu with high aspirations.

WORLD RENOWNED

In 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) granted Kuma Shochu geographical protection, similar to how Scotch Whiskey and Champagne regions are protected.

It is one of four approved shochu brands in Japan with Geographical Indication (GI) and the approved use of "Kuma" in their brand name, like Scotch and Cognac.

It is also the first alcoholic beverage to be awarded a "regional brand" by the Japan Patent Office.

About Rokuchoshi Brewery

The brewery is founded in 1923, located in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture, known for the production of Kuma Shochu for over 500 years. Traditional techniques using rice grown abundantly and groundwater from the limpid Kuma River system.

The brewery has spent nearly a century in the search for a stored and brew shochu. It takes a long time to produce a quality product that has the perfect balance of aromatic fragrance, and fullness of flavor.

Each of their shochu takes a long time to produce, which makes it very rare.

What is special about this brewery is the way how shochu is made.

Aged shochu is not just a matter of letting it sit. It also requires advanced techniques for storage. Above all, it is important to keep the temperature constant throughout the year.

Even in other countries, there is a traditional method of storing shochu underground or in caves.

The essence of Rokuchoshi Syuzou's long-term aged shochu is in the blending.

At Rokuchoshi Syuzou, they created an environment similar to that of the highlands of Scotland, famous for its high quality Scotch whisky. To mimic the environment of Scotland highlands, air conditioning system is installed in the barrel storage room, which is insulated and the temperature is controlled around the clock.

In many cases, more than one type of shochu is blended together to create the flavor of aged shochu, but the products we carry are blended with a wide variety of barrels of shochu.

(Video retrieved from https://shochu-next.com/article/2493)