awamori , Japan’s first spirit, is a distillate made from long-grained indica rice and black koji (Aspergillus awamori) on the tropical islands of Okinawa. See koji. Formerly the Ryukyu Kingdom, the islands are thought to have received distillation technology through their role as a South China Sea trade hub. However, the exact year awamori production began is still disputed, theorized domestically as sometime between 1477 and 1534. Importantly, awamori is thought to be the direct ancestor of Japan’s most popular spirit, shochu. See shochu.
Several accounts from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries attest to the importance of awamori in the culture, serving as an aristocratic tipple poured liberally when foreign emissaries were greeted. Ryukyu awamori is now protected under the World Trade Organization’s Appellation of Origin Control strictures. Requirements are a single-mash fermentation using Thai rice and black koji, followed by a single distillation in a pot still, almost always at atmospheric pressure rather than with the vacuum-assisted lower-temperature distillation used so often for shochu. Most awamori is bottled at 30 percent ABV. Awamori is known for its sweet aroma and earthy notes and is generally enjoyed on the rocks or mixed with cool water. A versatile liquor that can accompany meals, awamori can hold its own against bitter or heavily seasoned dishes.
Okinawa also boasts a centuries-old fractional blending tradition employing multiple earthenware aging pots. This creates a savory product, labeled kūsu when aged for at least three years. The devastation of World War II claimed the longest aged awamori, some of it more than 150 years old, but the practice was restarted along with the postwar reinvigoration of the industry.
See also Japan; mash; and still, pot.
“Characteristics and Production Methods of the Main Varieties of Honkaku Shochu and Awamori.” http://www.honkakushochu-awamori.jp/english/pdf/no_4.pdf (accessed January 29, 2021).
Pellegrini, Christopher. The Shochu Handbook: An Introduction to Japan’s Indigenous Distilled Drink. N.p.: Telemachus, 2014.
By: Christopher Pellegrini