Bottle of Alcohol

[nickb]

Hi,

I was wondering could somebody translate the text in these photos for me.

I am trying to establish the drink (Sake presumably), the brand, the age, is it safe to drink.

It was a gift from a Japanese student who lived with us in Ireland. I guess the year would have been about 1996 or 1997.

Its unopened, corked and sealed pretty well.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mdchachi]

It's shochu, not sake. This one is made from barley.
Here's the product page. 吉四六 ｜ 二階堂酒造
The sticker just says not for consumption of minors and to be careful when opening. I'm not sure what the 8,5 means. It could mean mid-1996 because 1996 was Heisei year 8.

What is the average shelf life of shochu?
Technically shochu does not have a shelf life since distilled alcoholic beverages are not so high in sugar and/or protein content. Shochu is usually more than 25% in alcohol content, so technically it can be enjoyed for a long time without risk of decomposition. Many times people age shochu more, just as whiskey enthusiasts prefer well-aged bottles.
Shochu should be kept in a cool, dark place. Once it is opened, the taste of the shochu begins to change progressively as time passes. Once opened, shochu should be consumed within a couple of months.

In other words, open it up and party on, Garth!

 

[mdchachi]

And here's some advice on how you can drink it.

How to Drink Shochu - Kanpai

Shochu, like other spirits, can be enjoyed a number of ways. It can be fun to experiment with the different options for drinking shochu. Straight (neat). This is the simplest wayContinue Reading

kanpai.us