Awamori

Awamori originated in the 15^th century when its rugged ancestor was imported into Okinawa from Thailand, using Thai Rice as its main distillate. Thai rice is still used today in the distillation process, but over the centuries Okinawans have refined the process making it a point of pride for their island. Awamori’s history hit a bit of turbulence in the 1940’s due to WWII; with the heavy bombings on the island, the liquor almost became extinct. Fortunately it revived itself after the war and is now a popular feature of island tourism.

Variations of this spirit exist, notably kusu (meaning ‘old liquor’) which is awamori aged in a cask, sometimes for as long as 300 years. Distilled almost exclusively in Okinawa Japan, Awamori is often associated with the other famous Japanese alcoholic beverages: Sake and Shochu. The spirit is generally lower proof then other liquors (around 60 proof, 30%ABV) and is generally healthy when compared to other liquors.