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December 20, 2021

“Today, more than 50 base ingredients can be used to make honkaku shochu […] Koji, Japan’s national mold, which isused to make sake, soy sauce, miso, and a wide variety of other traditional Japanese culinary staples, must be used to saccharify starches in the production of honkaku shochu. After fermentation, it must be distilled in a pot still, and nothing can be added after distillation other than water and time.”

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November 22, 2021

Judge’s blind tasting comment about Takamine 8 Yr Koji Whiskey

Awarded Double-Gold and Best in Class

“Yes. Just yes. Excited to find out what this one is. A distinctive whiskey with gorgeous structure—flavors of vanilla, black cherry, and melon are sharp and pleasant, before a subtle, dry finish.”

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August 30, 2021

“Now, 130 years later, his dream project has been revived and the product is available as Takamine 8 Years Whisky.It was awarded a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Wine & Spirits Competition this year.” […] “The new product is an 8-year-old, 80-proof whisky made with 100% barley and aged in 90% virgin American oak, 10% ex-bourbon barrels.”

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Summer, 2021

“The most important thing is that koji itself imparts umami and is a natural flavor enhancer for the other ingredients during fermentation. Therefore, these drinks are highly aromatic and flavorful.”

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June 30, 2021

“On this edition of The NOLADrinks Show with Bryan Dias we discuss an important indigenous Japanese spirit – Shochu! […] We chat with two experts and authors, Christopher Pellegrini and Stephen Lyman, who also operate a Shochu portfolio called, “Honkaku Spirits.”

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June 21, 2021

“The whiskey itself, made with koji-saccharified pearled barley and distilled twice in a pot still, is delicate but well-structured, perfumed with stone fruit, and surprisingly viscous for its 40 percent ABV. It’s unique among Japan’s current whiskey offerings, even standing apart from other koji whiskies made with rice.”

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June 10, 2021

“…and a barley-based koji whisky called Takamine have hit American shores in the last few years. […] Because of their cask maturation, koji whiskies share many common hallmarks of other whisky styles, but also offer a compelling umami character and certain distinctive flavors.”

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Craft-Spirits

April 29, 2021

Honkaku Spirits of Fukuoka, Japan, is proud to announce the U.S. debut of Takamine Whiskey, an 8 year-old, 80-proof, 100% barley, koji-fermented whiskey, which was awarded a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Wine & Spirits Competition (2021).

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