Japanese famed shochu maker hopes to wow market with barley, rice batch

According to The Asahi Shimbun, a leading Japanese distiller that became the toast of the shochu world with its Kuro Kirishima brand is hoping to repeat the feat with new products using barley and rice for the first time in more than two decades.
Potato-based shochu products like Kuro Kirishima currently account for the lion’s share of Kirishima Shuzo Co.’s output.
The company, headquartered in Miyakonojo, said barley-distilled Kirishima Hororu and rice-derived Kirishima Sururu will hit store shelves on Sept. 13.
“My hope is that new brand values will be created,” said Yoriyuki Enatsu, the president of Kirishima Shuzo, referring to his plans to make the new lineup a core part of the company’s business, along with their potato-based counterparts.
The Kirishima Hororu and Kirishima Sururu will be the company’s first bottles fashioned from barley and rice in 22 years and 23 years, respectively, according to an Aug. 2 announcement by Kirishima Shuzo.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14983525