IL - Spirits Portfolio

WHISKY JAPANESE

Takamine

TAKAMINE WHISKEY ASAKURA CITY, FUKUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese scientist at the turn of the 20th century, managed to create a whisky without malt by using the already centuries-old method of saccharifying grain with koji. While this innovation didn’t make it outside of his scientific work, Shinozaki Distillery is using this technique now in production of Takamine Whiskey. Takamine Koji Whiskey is made with the Takamine Process, using ancient Japanese koji mold to convert starches to fermentable sugars in a process like malting barley. Unlike malt whiskey where sugars are extracted in a warm water mash before yeast is introduced to start the fermentation, both the koji and yeast are active at the same time in a multiple parallel fermentation. Takamine Koji Barley Whiskey 8 Year 80PF / 750ML

Takamine Koji Whiskey is made with the patented Takamine Process, which uses koji to convert starches to sugars in a process like malting barley. This 100% barley ferment is then double distilled and aged in 90% virgin oak and 10% ex-Bourbon casks to give the spirit its natural golden color and deep, lush flavors. Gold Medal SF Wine & Spirits Competition ‘21

What is koji?

Koji (aspergillus oryzae) is a mold that grows on grains, breaking the starches into sugars which yeast can then convert into alcohol through fermentation. Koji has been used in Japan for more than 1,200 years to make sake as well as soy sauce, miso, shochu, and other familiar umami-laden Japanese specialties. In fact, koji is the national mold of Japan.

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