Awamori
泡盛PracticeDistilled in Ryukyu for centuries; 'Ryukyu' recognised as a geographical indication in June 1995
Awamori is Okinawa's own distilled spirit, made from long-grain Thai rice that is turned wholly into black-koji rice, fermented once and distilled once in a pot still. Aged awamori is called kusu, and since August 2015 only spirit aged three years or more in its entirety may carry that name.
Photo Yuet Man Lee · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Awamori starts with rice, usually long-grain indica from Thailand, which suits the black koji mould and keeps fermentation temperatures easy to control. All of the rice is made into koji with the black mould native to Okinawa, which gives off citric acid and protects the mash from spoiling in the heat. After yeast and water go in and the mash has fermented, it is distilled in a pot still, usually only once. Some distilleries now also use Okinawan japonica rice.
Under Japanese tax law awamori counts as a single-distilled shochu, and it keeps its own name. Since 1983 Okinawan awamori has carried the label honba awamori, and in June 1995 the National Tax Agency recognised Ryukyu as a geographical indication; from 2004 Okinawan awamori has been labelled Ryukyu Awamori. The name was also registered as a regional collective trademark in December 2006.
Awamori softens and deepens with age, and Okinawans prize the aged spirit as kusu. After cases of false labelling came to light in 2012, the industry rules changed in August 2015 so that only awamori aged three years or more in its whole volume may be called kusu, and an age statement must give the youngest spirit in the blend. The old way of ageing is shitsugi. A family keeps a row of jars from oldest to youngest, and the spirit in the oldest is called oyazake. When some is drawn off, the oldest jar is topped up from the next, and so on down the line to the newest.
Visiting with care
Awamori is made by family distilleries across the islands, many of them small, and a visit means stepping into a working plant.
- Distillery visits range from walk-in tastings to booked tours; each distillery file has its own rules
- Drink-driving is illegal in Japan, as the awamori makers' association reminds every visitor, and the law covers bicycles
- Don't touch the jars in a kusu cellar
- Ask before photographing inside a distillery
Worth knowing
- Several distilleries run free tastings, and Zuisen and Masahiro are easy to reach from Naha.
- Japan's drink-driving ban covers bicycles, so plan tastings for a day you are not riding, or let someone else do the pedalling.
Go and see
Where to see Awamori場所
FAQ
Quick answers about Awamoriよくある質問
What is the difference between awamori and kusu?
Kusu is aged awamori. Since August 2015, awamori can be labelled kusu only if all of it has been aged for three years or more.
What is awamori made from?
Awamori is made from rice, usually long-grain Thai rice, all of which is turned into koji with Okinawa's black koji mould. The mash is fermented once and distilled, usually once, in a pot still.
What is shitsugi?
Shitsugi is the traditional way of ageing awamori in a row of jars. Spirit drawn from the oldest jar is replaced from the next oldest, and so on down the line, so the oldest jar never empties.
How should you behave at Awamori?
At Awamori: Don't touch the jars in a kusu cellar. Ask before photographing inside a distillery.