There are many people who would like to enjoy drinking Awamori, but have never had the opportunity to do so.
In this article, I asked an Awamori brewer, who is also an expert on Awamori, how to choose the best Awamori for such beginners, and what kind of Awamori to choose as a gift or souvenir!
I want to try some awamori! If you want to try drinking Awamori, or if you want to send it as a gift to someone who loves drinking! If you'd like to try Awamori, or if you'd like to send it as a gift to someone who loves to drink, we've asked them for their recommendations, so please take a look!
In recommending Awamori...
For beginners, gifts, souvenirs, and other situations
In recommending Awamori, I would like to focus on the kind of people who buy and drink Awamori.
To be honest, compared to shochu, awamori is still not a major alcoholic drink in Japan, and there are not many opportunities for people to experience it.
As a producer myself, I find it difficult for people to choose Awamori with such little information.
In this article, I would like to explain the characteristics of each type of Awamori and how to choose the best one for you, for those who are tasting Awamori for the first time or thinking of giving it as a gift.
What kind of Awamori do you recommend for beginners?
I recommend Awamori made by "decompression distillation".
For those who are new to Awamori, I most often recommend Awamori made by "decompression distillation," which has fewer peculiarities and is easier to drink!
Unfortunately, when I ask people who are not familiar with Awamori, "What do you think of Awamori? Unfortunately, when you ask people who are not familiar with Awamori what they think of it, they often have the image that it is high in alcohol content and has a strong smell.
Just like other alcoholic beverages, Awamori products range from inexpensive to expensive, and it is true that some of them have a stronger smell than others.
However, Awamori made by the decompression distillation method has less peculiarity and smell, and has a very light and fruity taste.
The unique aroma of Awamori is great, but for beginners, try the reduced-pressure distillation Awamori first.
Recommended Awamori for gifts and presents
The "Drinking Comparison Set" is a great way to taste the differences in alcohol content.
If you are able to choose Awamori as a gift, we recommend a product that has a "Drinking Comparison Set" to enjoy the different degrees of Awamori.
When you choose alcohol as a gift, it is a minimum requirement that the person you are sending it to is a drinker.
This is because we want such a drinker to be able to taste the different degrees of Awamori, which is one of the ways to enjoy it.
Awamori comes in a wide variety of alcoholic strengths, from 20 degrees to over 50 degrees, and the aroma and taste change with each strength, which is one of its characteristics.
I think you will be pleased to know that you can give the recipient the experience of tasting and comparing Awamori.
Recommended Awamori for souvenirs.
Awamori with coffee, a popular local drink.
If you come to Okinawa, you must try "Awamori with coffee".
It may be hard for non-Okinawans to imagine, but recently it has become a very popular way to drink Awamori in Okinawa, especially among young people.
It is said to be so easy to drink that even people who don't like Awamori can enjoy it.
As a souvenir, I recommend "Awamori Coffee Liqueur", which allows you to easily enjoy such Awamori with coffee at home.
Normally, Awamori is drunk with black coffee, but Awamori Coffee Liqueur is a great souvenir that allows you to easily enjoy Awamori with coffee.
When you give it to your family or friends as a souvenir, please recommend how to drink it, as it is very easy to drink on the rocks, with water, or even with milk or soy milk.
When you get used to Awamori, old sake is also recommended.
Deep old wine from 10 years old to 30 or 40 years old.
For those who want to enjoy Awamori more, "Kosake" is also recommended.
It is called "Koosu" in Okinawan language, and is defined as having been aged for more than three years.
As it is aged for a long period of time, the matured ingredients dissolve into the liquor, making it higher in alcohol content than regular Awamori, but the flavor and aroma are different from the regular one.
The key to the taste of kosake depends on the length of time it has been aged and the strength, but the degree of filtration also changes the lingering taste and sharpness on the tongue, as well as the perception of sweetness and spiciness.
There are some kinds of old sake that you can easily taste, some that are 20 or 30 years old, some that have been handed down in the family for decades, and some that are hard to find.
