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Company name: Ryusen Distillery
& Co.
Founded: 1939
Address: 222 Nakaoji, Nago City
TEL: 0980-58-2401
FAX: 0980-58-1870 |
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The maturity and mildness
of the black yeast called hine-koji, typical of this distillery
located in the scenic Nakijin castle ruins, produces a lovely fruity
distilled liquor.
The Ryusen Distillery was founded in 1939 in Haneji Village, now
the city of Nago. It was one of the breweries that were designated
as a public factory by the Okinawa government immediately following
the war, in an effort to halt the illicit manufacture of liquor.
The post-war era was a time of food shortages. Many people drank
methyl alcohol, used in factories, or alcohol intended for heating
purposes, mixed with water. The Okinawa government drew up plans
to establish public factories to produce safe liquor to supply to
the people. The plan was carried out under the control of the Financial
Department of the Okinawa Advisory Committee.
Magokichi Ohshiro, the previous owner of the distillery, is said
to have reopened the factory by collecting distilling equipment,
drums, earthenware pots and other bits and pieces. At that time,
the Ryusen distillery went by the name of Haneji Distillery. The
distillery has continued to produce awamori using the tasty
and refreshing natural water from the Yanbaru area and its leading
product is Ryusen. The elegant and rich aroma with a mild
taste which does not leave an unpleasant aftertaste are the major
feature of this liquor, thanks to the traditional hine-koji
technique. Using the aged black koji mold called hine-koji
makes possible the production of awamori with a strong flavor.
The stronger the taste and characteristics of newly-distilled awamori,
the better the taste will be once it has matured.
The present owner, Tessei Ohshiro, has been working hand-in-hand
with his brother, a master distiller with 25 years of awamori-making
experience. His brand, Ryusen, represents authentic awamori.
His motto is that "superb koji-making and fine moromi
(the main mash)" are indispensable factors in the creation
of kusu with a rich aroma.
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