Daiyame Sweet Potato Is The Ideal Shochu For Wine Drinkers

Daiyame shochu is produced by the Hamada Syuzou brewery to celebrate its 150 year anniversary.

Shochu is one of the most unique spirits on the planet because of the variety of ingredients that it’s made from and distinctive flavour profiles. Whether it’s imo (sweet potato) or mugi (barley) shochu, you’re guaranteed a different drinking experience from each spirit that you try.

The Hamada Syuzou brewery has earnt a reputation for producing some of the finest shochu in the world. And the brewery’s Daiyame shochu is exactly the kind of drink that will make you fall in love with Japan’s national spirit. Smooth, fresh and aromatic, this award-winning shochu deserves plenty of praise.

Background

The Hamada Syuzou distillery was established in 1868 in the city of Ichikikushikino in Kagoshima Prefecture. From day one, the brewery’s vision has been summed up as turning shochu into one of the world’s leading liquors. Daiyame is the culmination of 150 years of exquisite craftmanship and in 2019, it won top prize in the shochu distilled spirits category at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Crafted with sweet potato and black koji, the Daiyame is an excellent shochu that lives up to its award-winning reputation.

Tasting notes

The first thing to notice is the sweet, lychee aroma that comes from the bottle. This sweetness carries on in the taste, with fruity and floral flavours of rose, pear and apple. After a couple of sips, the Daiyame takes on a fluffy, perfumed quality that circulates around the palate like a delicate white wine, making it softer than other types of shochu like the whiskyesque Kannako.

There’s a fragrant aftertaste with notes of lime and orange peel, ramping up the pleasure factor of drinking Daiyame. The balance of fruity and floral makes it perfect for the spring and summer and I’d recommend sipping Daiyame on the rocks or mixed with water to get the most of the sweetness.

With its wine-like qualities, Daiyame is a beautiful introductory shochu for the curious.