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Iki Shochu from Iki Island’s seven distilleries Series ENJOY DRINKING Photo: Courtesy of Iki Sake Brewers Cooperative Barley Shochu Island On Iki Island (Iki-no-shima) in Nagasaki Prefecture, shochu has been made for around 500 years. It is made from malted rice and barley using Iki’s pure, mineral-rich groundwater. SAWAJI OSAMU ocated off the northern largest fertile plain in Nagasaki coast of Kyushu in the Prefecture, grains such as rice and Sea of Japan, Iki Island barley have been cultivated exten- stretches 17 kilometers sively here since ancient times. A field of barley on Iki Island Lfrom north to south and 15 kilo- Shochu making using of rice and Photo: Courtesy of Iki Sake Brewers Cooperative meters from east to west and is barley began in the sixteenth cen- blessed with nature’s bounty. It tury. At the time, barley was the a geographical indication (GI) by was a base of maritime trade in the staple food of the islanders and the Japanese government along Yayoi period (c. 10th century BCE any that was not consumed was with two other spirits distilled in to 3rd century CE). Although Iki used to produce homemade sho- Kyushu, “Kuma” from Kumamoto Island is part of Nagasaki Prefec- chu. This is the origin of the “Iki Prefecture and “Satsuma” from ture, it can be reached in approxi- Shochu” made today. Kagoshima Prefecture. mately 60 minutes by the quickest Iki Shochu is thought to be the Today, there are seven dis- ferry from Hakata Port in neigh- first shochu in Japan made from tilleries on the island making Iki boring Fukuoka Prefecture. barley, based on records which Shochu according to the tradi- One of Iki Island’s specialties is remain, so Iki is regarded as the tional method. The main charac- shochu, a distilled spirit. With its “birthplace of mugi (barley) sho- teristic of Iki Shochu is that it is flat topography and the second chu.” “Iki” has been designated as made from barley and malted rice, 28 | highlighting japan 1 2 whereas mugi shochu in other Although the distilleries all fol- 1 Making malted rice for Iki regions is made from barley and low the same basic method of pro- Shochu malted barley. The island’s min- duction, each distillery’s shochu 2 People raising a toast at an event held on July 1, designated eral-rich groundwater is another takes on its own unique taste and “Iki Shochu Day” by Iki City vital raw material. aroma owing to differences in the Photo: Courtesy of Iki Sake Brewers Yamauchi Akito of the Iki Sake design of the stills, the material Cooperative Brewers Cooperative says, “Tra- used for the storage vessels and the ditionally, the ratio of ingredients length of time the spirit is allowed in Iki Shochu is one-third rice to mature. Distilleries use a variety grown ingredients. malt and two-thirds barley. When of storage vessels such as unglazed Yamauchi says, “Iki Shochu matured at this ratio, Iki Shochu vats, oak barrels and metal tanks. goes perfectly with a local dish is characterized by the refreshing The shochus may be aged in these called hikitoshi, a hot pot dish aroma of barley, the sweetness from around one year to more with ingredients such as chicken, and depth of flavor of malted rice, than twenty years, so people can tofu, somen noodles, and veg- and a clean taste derived from the enjoy comparing the taste of the etables simmered in a sweet and water used to make it.” same year’s shochu made in seven spicy sauce; as well as with fresh different distilleries. seafood, Iki Beef and Ishu (Iki Many locals prefer to drink Iki Island) dofu, a slightly firmer type Shochu straight to enjoy the aroma of tofu.” of the barley and the sweetness of Nurtured by abundant nature the malted rice, but drinking it on and loved by the people on the the rocks, mizuwari (with water) or island for 500 years, Iki Shochu oyuwari (with hot water), or mixed enhances the charm of Iki Island with a fruit juice in cocktails is also as something to be savored. recommended. The local cuisine of Iki Island further complements the flavor of Iki Shochu. Iki Island’s special- ties are seafood such as sea urchin, abalone and squid, and Iki Beef. Born and raised on the island, Iki Beef is highly regarded for its ten- derness, though with only around 900 cattle shipped annually it is not readily available outside the island. Restaurants and lodging Katsumoto Port, a natural harbor Iki Island’s hotpot dish hikitoshi facilities on the island serve deli- on Iki Island cious food made with these locally © NPTA FEBRUARY 2021 | 29.

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