Here is a simple five bottle awamori tasting sheet (MS Word doc) that was used at a tasting in 2015 at On Japan Cafe. Alternatively, here's a PDF version of the tasting sheet if you want to just use it as is. Please feel free to adapt it as you wish, and don't hesitate to send your version back in to be shared here! The five labels included are: Zanpa … [Read more...]
Three Ms Tasting Sheet
This sheet pits three heavyweights against each other--the three Ms. They are none other than Mori'izou, Murao, and Maou (no disrespect intended to the fourth M, Manzen). These three imo shochu from Kagoshima Prefecture are placed side by side not only because they're some of the most famous labels in the industry, but also because they feature differing production styles. … [Read more...]
Nishi Distillery Tasting Sheet
This sheet can be used for a three-bottle tasting with products from the vaunted Nishi Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture. The three bottles are Hakuten Houzan, Kicchou Houzan, and Tomi no Houzan. This is an enjoyable tasting because they are made with the same potato varietal (koganesengan), but three different types of koji. As you can see by the labels, Hakuten Houzan … [Read more...]