Fukuda Shuzo Selection

FLAGSHIP PRODUCTS

KU MA SHOCHU - WORLD -RENOW NED PREMIUM SPIRIT

Fukuda Shuzo
福田酒造

A gentle aroma
of sweet vanilla

A well-balanced,refreshing ﬂavor

Subtle aromas witha neat ﬁnish

TARUMIKOSHISANGAHANATEBAKO

Made by sealing junmai shochu in a barrel
and letting it age for 5+ years until it turns
light amber. Its defining features are itssmooth mouthfeel, and a gentle, sweet aroma
of vanilla.

The refreshing flavor and light aroma issure to delight. Perfect for drinking any style:
mixed with hot/cold water, straight, etc. Thisshochu received a special prize in the 2017
Kumamoto Sake and Shochu Awards.

A rice shochu made with ginjo yeast to giveit a brilliant flavor. The well-balanced flavor
provides a refreshing experience that pairs
well with any type of cuisine.

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 25%
Distillation method: vacuum

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 25%
Distillation method: vacuum

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 25%
Distillation method: vacuum

Fukuda Shuzo
THE HISTORY OF
KUMA SHOCHU

Kuma Shochu: Born from the History,
Climate & Culture of Hitoyoshi-Kuma

Abundant Water & Unique Climate
The Kuma Valley is located at the southernmost tip of Kumamoto Prefecture,
deep in the mountains of Kyushu. The
cool waters of the Kuma River—famed for
its rapids—nourish the fields, while thevalley's distinctive climate and significant
temperature variations create one of theprefecture's prime rice-growing areas. The
frequent dense fog in the region allows
for fermentation and storage at relatively
low temperatures, which helps give Kuma

WHAT ISKUMA SHOCHU?

■ 137-2 Nishiaida Shimomachi, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture■ Tel: 0966-22-2507■ https://fukudashuzo.com

Shochu its refreshing aroma. The soft
water from the Kuma River system is ideal
for shochu making and helps enhance
the gentle sweetness of the rice. The richaroma and deep flavor of Kuma Shochu
can only be produced in the HitoyoshiKuma region.

Tradition & Evolution

Rice shochu production in the Hitoyoshi-Kuma region is believed to havestarted about 500 years ago. Distillation

techniques were supposedly brought overthrough trade with southeast and continental Asia. Today, 27 distilleries preserve
the traditional techniques honed by theirpredecessors, offering a variety of flavorsthat have evolved over time.
In 1995, Kuma Shochu was designatedas a Geographical Indication by theNational Tax Agency, establishing it as aworld-class shochu brand and attracting
attention from around the globe.

■ Must be made with rice (including rice koji) grown in Japan■ Mash must be made with Hitoyoshi-Kuma water and shochu must be distilled in a pot still and bottled in Hitoyoshi-Kuma.

You must be �� or older to drink. Do not drink and drive.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding may aﬀect the development of the fetus or infant.
Drink in moderation. Please recycle.

Upper left: Site of the Fukuda Shuzo Experience program, you
can take a guided tour with a toji and see shochu barrels being
blended. Upper right: Initial prep underway in an enameled
metal tank. Left: Every shochu here is made using rice grownin western Japan and white koji. Right: As the number of Kuma
Shochu distilleries declines, machinery is introduced to handle
automatable tasks. Rice is washed, soaked, steamed, and seededwith koji spores in a drum, before it is moved to a triangular rackand turned to koji.

■ FUKUDA SHUZO (Hitoyoshi) ■Quality over efficiency: the key tobeautiful, superior-quality shochu■ HISTORY

Keeping abreast of new technology
The founder of this distillery, Kunihiko
Fukuda, is originally from Amakusa. It's
said he moved to Hitoyoshi and worked
in forestry, but when a shochu distillery inthe city went up for sale, he decided to buy
it and get into spirit making.
The first batch of Fukuda Shuzo productwas distilled in 1935 with the help of a toji
from Kagoshima. In 1937, their rice shochu
Fuku no Tsuyu took the gold medal ata shochu competition. In 1964, the distillery installed automatic koji-making equipment, which allowed them to improve theirkoji stock and saccharification processes.
The year of 1982 saw the release of what
would become Fukuda Shuzo's signaturebrand, the vacuum-distilled Sanga. Then,in 1984, the factory was overhauled with
all-new equipment, thus guaranteeing
quality spirits, more brand offerings, andgreater output. Fukuda Shuzo has long
been an innovator among Kuma Shochu

distilleries. For example, it was the first tointroduce the filling equipment necessary
to package and sell shochu in paper cartons.
Furthermore it began aging shochu in
sherry wood barrels for its Fuku no Tsuyu
Taru shochu. These days it ages shochu inboth sherry and oak-wood barrels. Its vintage shochu brand lineup is further rounded out with Genchu and Tarumikoshi, bothof which are aged for over 5 years.

Left: The certificate of merit received when Fuku no Tsuyu took the gold medal at a shochu competition in 1937. Center: One of the barrels filled with shochuthat can be seen all over the expanded distillery building. Right: Another certificate of merit, this one from the French Kura Master spirits competition.

■ ABOUT US

Meeting strict OEM quality standards
Fukuda Shuzo's main philosophy whenit comes to shochu-making is "quality overefficiency."
Rather than simply seeking efficientproduction, the distillery is dedicated toupholding the basics of shochu-making
passed on from its predecessors and preserving its reputation for high-quality spirits. For this reason, every day's work ends
with cleaning and polishing the equipment
and factory floor. A single day's work
might involve starting distillation before
daybreak and not finishing cleaning untillate evening.
The level of cleanliness at the distillerymeans no contamination from unwanted
bacteria and a hospitable environment for

the koji mold critical to producing shochu.
Fukuda Shuzo's prioritization of quality
above all else has also earned it esteem
from third parties. From 1985, it begandealings with local consumers' co-operatives, which are known for setting theirown, exacting standards of quality ofingredients and manufacturing processes.
It has also received high praise for its
reliable shochu-making processes, including adopting OEM production methods
typically practiced by only major manufacturers in Japan.
The company has now set its sights on
foreign markets, and is looking to sell
Hitoyoshi, an umeshu made with Sanga
shochu, in Asia.

The fifth
generation owner,
Toshikazu Fukuda.
He has inherited
the philosophyof "quality overefficiency" fromhis predecessors
and works
with his expert
staff to make"beautiful andsuperior-quality
shochu."Sherry and oak barrels line the shochu storehouse,filling the air with a sweet aroma. Once blended, theheads of the distillery, along with the entire staff,
hold tastings to determine the optimal flavors torefine in each batch.