For a thousand years, the sakura or 'cherry blossom’ has stood as the national symbol of Japan – a cultural centerpiece of poetry, philosophy, artistry, and even revelry. Inspired by these iconic blooms and our centuries-old tradition of celebrating merrily beneath the cherry trees, we introduce our first barrel-finished expression, aged exclusively in native yamazakura 'wild mountain cherry’ casks. Handcrafted in the traditional way, Mizu 'Sakura Cask’ Shochu is singled distilled from locally farmed Saga barley and black koji rice, then finished for at least 9 months in medium-char, yamazakura casks produced by famed cooperage, Ariake Sangyo. The resulting kiss of the sakura is a pale-golden color, presenting a harmony of spring blossoms, orchard fruits, and a touch of smoke.

Deep, fragrant, mellow and delicious. Bright floral aromas of spring blossoms open up into vanilla, banana, rain and fresh-sawn lumber. Velvety mouthfeel with notes of baked cherries, burnt sugar, a touch of smoke and gingersnap finish.

At 70 proof (35% alc/vol) Mizu Shochu¬†ÁæéÈ’‰ÉË°¬†is more concentrated like shochus of old to enhance the subtle complexities, body and finish. While more mainstream shochus of today are diluted down to 50 proof, master distillers Hirofumi Okoba and ¬†Shinji Wada maintain the tradition of a higher alcohol shochu in appreciation of the past, and the purity of our locally sourced ingredients.

Mizu Shochu¬†ÁæéÈ’‰ÉË°¬†is handcrafted and single distilled in the traditional Japanese way, and follows the¬†honkaku¬†Êú¨Ê†ºÁѺÈÖ鬆style of production, meaning 'genuine, authentic’ shochu. Limiting the distillation to a single pass preserves the naturally occurring flavors and aromas. With each additional pass – most common spirits are distilled at least two times – the more neutral and flavorless the spirit becomes. It is the time-honored Japanese practice to distill the¬†moromi¬†'mash’ only one time in order to capture and highlight the true essence of the raw ingredients. The result is a more natural taste that is complex, earthy and exquisite. It is a celebration and a tribute to the purity of nature and the flavors of the harvest.

Proof/ABV: 70