{"product_id":"yanagita-aokage-barley-shochu-25-720ml","title":"Yanagita, Aokage Barley Shochu, 25%, 720ml","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"product-description\" style=\"line-height: 1.7; max-width: 800px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePre-order: due to arrive in the UK in late October 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 1.05rem; margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eA barley shochu that tastes of roasted sesame and dark chocolate, from the oldest distillery in Miyakonojo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSold only to customers aged 18 or over.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eAokage (青鹿毛) is the flagship barley shochu of Yanagita Distillery in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki. It is made from two-row barley with white kōji, distilled at atmospheric pressure for a fuller, toasted character, matured in porcelain enamel tanks and only lightly filtered by hand to keep its oils and flavour. It took the Highest Gold Award (最高金賞) at the Tokyo Whisky \u0026amp; Spirits Competition. 25% ABV, 720ml.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(260px, 1fr)); gap: 24px; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); padding-bottom: 6px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eWhy Chefs Choose This\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 18px; margin: 0; font-size: 0.85rem; list-style: disc;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRoasted, not neutral:\u003c\/strong\u003e atmospheric distillation keeps sesame and toasted-grain flavours that lighter shochu strips out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLightly filtered:\u003c\/strong\u003e hand filtering keeps the oils, and with them the texture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAward-winning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Highest Gold Award at the Tokyo Whisky \u0026amp; Spirits Competition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWorks in cocktails:\u003c\/strong\u003e the maker notes it brings a toasted note alongside other spirits\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); padding-bottom: 6px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"padding-left: 18px; margin: 0; font-size: 0.85rem; list-style: disc;\"\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith hot water:\u003c\/strong\u003e the classic Kyushu serve, which opens up the roasted aroma\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOn the rocks:\u003c\/strong\u003e over a large cube of ice\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHighball:\u003c\/strong\u003e with soda and ice, a lighter alternative to a whisky highball\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 7px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith food:\u003c\/strong\u003e yakitori, grilled fish, or anything off the charcoal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 22px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eYanagita Distillery (柳田酒造) was founded in 1902 in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, and is the oldest distillery in the city. It is still family-run, now by fifth-generation president Tadashi Yanagita, an engineer by training who adjusts the stills himself, and it makes around 65,000 bottles a year from barley and sweet potato, with labels still pasted on by hand. Water comes from the distillery's own wells, 100 to 150 metres deep, fed by the Kirishima mountains. Honkaku shōchū (本格焼酎) is Japan's single-distilled spirit, made with kōji like sake but distilled, and it is usually drunk with water, hot water, soda or ice. Yanagita names its core range after the colours of horses' coats, a nod to Miyazaki's horse-breeding history: aokage (青鹿毛) is the Japanese word for a pitch-black horse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 1rem; margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eWhat does Aokage taste like?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 22px; font-size: 0.95rem;\"\u003eThe maker's own note describes an aroma of roasting sesame moving into flavours of dark chocolate and toasted grains, with a dry finish. That toasted, savoury side is the point of it: this is a barley shochu with some weight, not a neutral one. Hot water brings the sesame forward; ice and soda make it lighter and drier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-weight: 600; font-size: 1rem; margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 10px 0 25px 0; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35);\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eType\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eHonkaku barley shochu (本格麦焼酎)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eMaker\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eYanagita Distillery (柳田酒造), founded 1902\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eMiyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eAlcohol\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003e25% vol\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eVolume\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003e720ml bottle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eBase\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eTwo-row barley\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eKōji\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eWhite kōji\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eDistillation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eAtmospheric pressure\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eMaturation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003ePorcelain enamel tank; blend including 3-year aged shochu (maker's tech sheet)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"opacity: 0.75; width: 35%; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eAge Restriction\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); font-size: 0.85rem;\"\u003eSold only to customers aged 18 or over\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 12px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\n\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eHow do you drink barley shochu?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eIn Japan it is most often mixed: with hot water (oyuwari), cold water (mizuwari), soda, or simply over ice. At 25% it is gentler than gin or whisky, so it drinks well with food. Try one part Aokage to one or one and a half parts hot water, pouring the water first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 12px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\n\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eWhat is the difference between shochu and sake?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eSake is brewed and not distilled, and usually sits around 15% alcohol. Shochu is distilled, often from barley or sweet potato as well as rice, and is usually bottled at around 25%. Both use kōji mould to turn starch into sugar before fermentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 40px; border: 1px solid rgba(127,127,127,0.35); border-radius: 4px;\"\u003e\n\u003csummary style=\"padding: 12px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 0.9rem; cursor: pointer;\"\u003eWhen will my pre-order arrive?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding: 12px; font-size: 0.85rem; margin: 0;\"\u003eThis line is due to arrive in the UK in late October 2026. Pre-orders are dispatched once the stock has landed and been checked in at our warehouse. Anything still marked \"To follow\" on this page will be added when the stock is in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Yanagita Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58721374503293,"sku":"X5001","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0353\/5621\/files\/13766246-46bf-40ee-bded-261953f3e52d_00001.jpg?v=1790272740","url":"https:\/\/www.sushisushi.co.uk\/products\/yanagita-aokage-barley-shochu-25-720ml","provider":"SushiSushi","version":"1.0","type":"link"}