Endo Asashibori Shuppin Chozōsake

This is our fourth take on Endo's Asashibori. My visiting family loved it the last time, so we were glad to indulge them again.

Keiryū Asahibori Shuppin Chozōsake is rich and quite powerful, with gentle sweetness and plenty of rice flavour. There is a slightly earthy character and a pleasant acidity that keeps the sweetness from becoming too heavy. At 20% alcohol, its strength is noticeable, particularly as it warms, but the flavours remain well balanced. The finish is clean, leaving a lingering warmth and richness.

Endo's Chozōzake opens with a pronounced sweet aroma, marked by notes of chocolate and cocoa. It delivers a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel with a creamy texture, while a touch of acidity offsets the deep sweetness. The finish is lingering, leaving a subtle sour tingle. On the rocks, it proved to be an ideal summer drink—powerful yet sweet.

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Appearance: clear and lemon-green
Nose: clean and medium(+)
Aroma: sweet
Sweetness: sweet
Acidity: medium
Umami: medium
Alcohol: strong
Body: full
Flavour intensity: medium(+)
Flavour characteristics: sweet
Texture: velvety-creamy
Finish: long, clean
Quality level: very good

As the mash of Keiryu Asashibori is aged for three days at low temperatures, the alcohol content increases to a remarkable 20%. It is of creamy texture, well-rounded, and full-bodied--slightly sweet with fruity acidity and richness. This Nama Genshu is recommended chilled or on the rocks.

We had an issho-bin (1.8-litre bottle) between the four of us. Did we mention it's strong?