About Copper Distillation (Distillery website)
Limited edition Yamaneko distilled using a copper still. You can enjoy the unique sweet aftertaste and it is also recommended to drink and compare with the regular “Osuzuyama Yamaneko”.
Name: 山ねこ銅釜蒸留 Copper Still
Type: 芋焼酎 Potato shōchū
Potato: 甘藷（ジョイホワイト）Joy White Sweet Potato
Ingredients: 甘藷（ジョイホワイト）、米麹（山田錦）
Alcohol: 25%
Distillery: 尾鈴山蒸留所 Osuzuyama Distillery
Address: 656-17 Kuratani, Ishikawauchi, Kijo-cho, Koyu-gun, Miyazaki, Japan
Website: https://osuzuyama.co.jp/en/
Additional Content:
Nothing that could be found at this time
Enjoy on the rocks
Notes: There is subtle sweetness combined with toasted rice and typical potato shōchū notes, at least for me the scent of alcohol was almost non-existent resulting in a clear and enjoyable drinking experience.
On the rocks: Toasted rice and caramel dominate in this wonderfully smooth and rich potato shōchū that spreads nicely on the palate. There is a sweetness that binds to the caramel taste but never feels too heavy or alcohol forward. Similar to the other special edition Yamaneko, this is a nice drink to sip after dinner
水割り Diluted with water
4:1, 3:2 ratio: In these ratios, the sweetness really stands out, and on the first glass the sweetness is not too heavy handed; however, I felt that while enjoying a second glass that it started to feel a bit too rich.
2:3 ratio: Similar to the above, just less pronounced sweetness, maybe the better choice if you are planning to have more than one glass
Reflections on this shōchū
-
I really enjoy trying and finding these non-standard offerings, and this version of Yamaneko was a completely different experience than the one made with Yamada Nishiki rice.
-
I have some mixed opinions on this shōchū, and this is mainly due to drinkability, which I feel comes from the sweetness, the first glass is fine but for me it starts to feel too sweet and rich when going for that second glass.
-
Much like everything Osuzuyama makes, this is a high-quality shōchū at a mid-range price point which makes this a worthwhile purchase, especially as a non-standard product.
-
While I am not sure I will reorder this one, my experience with what Osuzuyama has been excellent and I will continue to try what ever they come out with.
How I came across this bottle:
I really enjoyed the rice shochu "Yamahisui" from Osuzuyama and after spending some time on their website, I checked out their online store and found a few non-standard releases which immediately sparked my interest. I picked up the two Yamaneko types and both are really enjoyable and worth checking out. The one on this page is sweet with a slight caramel and golden sweet potato flavor and the is fruity and sweet, both are worth trying.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
Osuzuyama [Yamaneko]
Version: Copper Still
Osuzuyama Distillery
Ingredients:
Joy White Sweet Potatoes
Hinohikari
Type:
Authentic shōchū
Top Label
Back Label
Osuzuyama [Yamaneko] Potato
Osuzuyama Distillery, located deep in the mountains where water springs from the ground.
The distillery was built in a secluded area abundant with high-quality water and surrounded by forest trees, deep in the mountains, which are said to contain more than 30 large and small waterfalls on Mount Osuzu. The ingredients are carefully cultivated and harvested by local and contracted farmers.