Two years ago, in November 2021, we released a product called “Kazei”, not to mention the JDS (Japanese Dark Spirits) series.
This "Kazei" is SHOCHUX's first barrel-aged sake, and due to its distinctive bottle design and advanced price range, there are many opportunities for people who have not traditionally drank shochu to get their hands on the product. We received many comments from people who received the product, such as ``It completely overturned the concept of shochu'' and ``It doesn't feel like shochu at all.'' This was a very positive response.
However, on the other hand, this product called "Kirausei" is based on the characteristics derived from the koji of shochu within the color regulations of authentic shochu, and on top of that, it allows the richness of the aroma and taste from barrel aging to coexist as "shochu". I created it by blending it with this theme. Personally, I had no idea that this was a new flavor that went beyond the boundaries of shochu.
Around that time, when I was feeling a little conflicted about the gap between what I wanted to convey through the product and the market's reaction to the release of Kirausei, I came across a shocking unblended sake.
SHOCHUX was also started by me, Hashimoto, as a shochu fan, and I have drank many shochu and other distilled spirits. However, when I came across this unblended sake, my concept was overturned.
That is [Nikkei2000] that we are releasing this time. This bottle was aged for 23 years in domestic whiskey barrels, and after 2 years, the time has finally come to reveal it to everyone.
Japanese whiskey is enjoying unprecedented popularity. Whiskey was once unpopular due to the boom in wine and shochu, and many factories were forced to close down. At the time of its closure, it was taken over from a neighboring town, and overcoming the decline of the whiskey industry, it began aging in these barrels the following year.
The alcohol content of authentic shochu is regulated to be less than 44 degrees, and shochu, which is single distilled (distilled once), is not distilled multiple times like Western spirits, so the alcohol content does not reach that high. High-proof barrel-aged sake, such as that found in cask strength, brings out the maximum flavor from the barrels. On the other hand, authentic shochu has to be packed into barrels (cask entry) at 44 degrees, which is considered difficult. The history of barrel aging for shochu is newer than that for whiskey, and it can be said that the accumulation of technology in this field is still relatively new. However, when I drank this Nikkei 2000, I couldn't help but groan, "This is it!" It's been two years since we met, but I've never forgotten that impact to this day. I think it overcomes the challenges of shochu barrel aging mentioned above and shows new possibilities.

Japanese whiskey has changed dramatically over the past 20 years, and today it has established an overwhelmingly unshakable position, attracting aged sake fans around the world. The Nikkei 2000, which they entrusted to a shochu brewery and has aged as a souvenir, is a symbol of Japanese Dark Spirits taking off into the world, and is our very hope. We are pleased to be able to deliver this precious bottle to everyone, allowing you to feel the history of Japanese aged sake. We hope you will take this opportunity to experience the taste of 23 years of excitement.

spec <br>Manufacturer: Ebisu Sake Brewery <br>Alcohol content: 43%
Type: Spirits <br>Raw material name: Nishinochikara <br>Koji: Rice malt (white malt)
Yeast: Kagoshima No. 5 yeast <br>Distillation method: atmospheric distillation <br>Aging years: 23 years <br>Aging method: American oak barrel (domestic whiskey barrel) 230 liters
Contents: 500ml

Ebisu Sake Brewery
Founded in 1888. Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, where the brewery is located, is located in the middle reaches of the Chikugo River, the largest river in Kyushu.The fertile Chikushi Plain, which spreads along the flow of the river, is a major granary region of Kyushu, producing crops such as rice, wheat, and soybeans. It is a land of lush greenery. This is a historic sake brewery that has been brewing authentic shochu for about 135 years. With the motto "Aging is time. Time is nature."
・Continue to pursue high-quality shochu production while preserving traditional manufacturing methods
・We value the original flavor of shochu and do not use any additives.
- Ship fully matured products after a storage period of at least 3 years.