Mugi Shochu Kannoko 25% Distilled

Kannoko Mugi Shochu​

麦焼酎 神の河 (25%)

Japan Tatsuma Shuzou

This Japanese barley shochu in a beautiful glass bottle is made by master distiller Satsuma Shuzo. Made from 100% select barley, Kannoko, meaning 'river protected by the gods' in the southern Japanese Kagoshima dialect, is named after a stream in South Kagoshima. Kannoko has a rich and smooth taste with a fragrant aroma. The orange color comes naturally from the 3 year oak barrel aging process it undergoes.



Shochu
Shochu is another native Japanese alcoholic drink besides sake and umeshu. Unlike sake, it is distilled, not brewed, with the alcohol level usually between 25-45%. Its popularity is highest in southern Japan, where the weather is considerably warmer. Sake calls for cool temperatures, but Shochu can be distilled in these warmer climes. Shochu is made from one of several raw materials that include sweet potatoes, rice, buckwheat, and barley; each of which gives a very distinct flavor and aroma much like the different flavors of Scotch whisky.

Drinking method
Drink it like a Whiskey, can be drunk cold or at room temperature.

Review


Kanji: 神の河

Distillery: SATSUMA SHUZO

Type: Mugi Shochu (barley)

Koji: White

Region: Kyushu

Prefecture: Kagoshima

Evidence: 48

Available in the US: Yes

Kannoko Shochu is from Satsuma Distillery in Miyazaki Prefecture. Kannoko, is also spelled Kan No Ko by some restaurants and shops. It seems that restaurants, shops, and commercial establishments seem to struggle with whether to include spaces in the names of the Japanese shochu they sell. Kannoko is a good example of this. It literally translates as 'river of god' and carries the meaning of 'river protected by the gods' in Kyushu. This would suggest that the name should be split into 3 words. The flip side is that Kannoko takes its name from a river in the area where it is produced. This indicates that his name must be one word. In this case Satsuma has distillery name written in English on the bottle. Right or wrong, that's the spelling the creator intended, so that's the spelling we'll use. When shoping for shochu, if you see spellings that are randomly squeezed together, or pulled apart, don't fret, most likely the same shochu. When unable to enjoy shochu, I enjoy a nice whiskey neat or on the rocks. Kannoko shochu is a whiskey drinkers gateway to shochu. I believe this unique flavor comes from the fact that it has been aged in oak barrels for three years. It is said that this aging process is where Kannoko shochu gets its golden color from. It has been said that Kannoko is similar to that of a Scotch whisky. I find that the flavor more closely matches that of Jameson Irish Whiskey in so much that it lacks the complexity of most scotches and has the smoothness that is pleasant to drink. Also in true whiskey fashion, Kannoko's finish has hints of caramel. If there's anything negative to say about Kannoko, it would be that it lacks a complex bouquet. It smells like .. shochu. If it weren't for this, Kannoko would score well in the 90's. That being said, the complexity of flavors makes this one worth drinking.

Kannoko
This premium Shochu is made from 100% select barley. Kannoko, which means 'river protected by the gods' in Kagoshima dialect, is the named after a stream in South Kagoshima. Kannoko has rich and mellow flavor with fragrant aroma. Kannoko's amber color comes naturally from the oak barrel aging process for 3 years. All natural ingredients. No additives .

Alcohol % 25% (50 proof) and 24% (48 proof, USA only)
Bottle Size 300ml, 700ml (Europe only),
720ml, 750ml (US only)
Ingredients Barley, Barley Koji
Distillation Normal Pressure Single Distillation
Koji Shiro (White) Koji
Serving Suggestion Enjoy it straight, on the rocks, or mixed with water or club soda.
Food pairing suggestions Serve with Sushi, Sashimi, Grilled Fish,Chicken etc.