Okinawa’s National Spirit – The Oldest Distilled Drink in Japan (2025 Edition)
Awamori is the direct ancestor of all Japanese shochu and the only distilled spirit in the world still made with Thai long-grain indica rice and black koji.
It is older than Scotch, older than Cognac, and still made exactly the same way as in the 15th century.
Here is the full timeline.
1400s – Birth in the Ryukyu Kingdom
1420s–1430s: Ryukyu traders bring rice-distillation technology from Siam (modern Thailand).
The technique is called “lao ron” or “lao lao” in Thai – a single pot-still rice spirit.First written record: 1473 – Korean drift records describe Ryukyu people drinking a strong distilled rice liquor.
Early name: “kusu” (古酒 = old liquor) because even then they aged it for years in clay pots.
Black koji (Aspergillus luchuensis) is already being used – it is native to Okinawa and produces massive citric acid to survive the hot, humid climate.
1609 – The Satsuma Invasion & Secret Export
Satsuma clan (Kagoshima) invades Ryukyu and forces tribute.
The invaders taste awamori and immediately steal the black-koji spores and distillation secrets → this becomes the origin of Kagoshima shochu.
For the next 270 years, Ryukyu is forced to send thousands of jars of aged awamori to Edo (Tokyo) as tribute to the Shogun.
1879 – Japan Annexes Ryukyu
Ryukyu Kingdom becomes Okinawa Prefecture.
Awamori loses its royal status and becomes the drink of farmers and fishermen.
1945 – Battle of Okinawa: Near Extinction
90 % of all awamori distilleries destroyed.
Almost all pre-war koshu (aged awamori) lost – only a handful of jars survive hidden in caves.
Surviving master distillers restart from scratch with black-koji spores kept in family homes.
1950s–1970s – The Dark Age
American occupation: awamori is diluted and sold cheap to U.S. troops as “Okinawa whiskey.”
Most locals switch to imported whisky and beer.
Only 5–6 distilleries survive.
1983 – Kusu Renaissance Begins
A new law allows labelling of awamori aged 3+ years as “kusu” (古酒 = old liquor).
Suddenly distilleries start saving 50–100 % of production for long ageing instead of selling everything young.
The koshu boom begins.
2000 – UNESCO & Legal Protection
Awamori is officially recognised as a geographically protected product (like Champagne or Scotch).
Only made in Okinawa, only with Thai indica rice, only with black koji, only in pot stills.
2010s–2025 – Global Revival & Luxury Explosion
2015: Number of distilleries grows from 47 back to 61.
2020: Oldest drinkable awamori confirmed – a 1565 jar (over 450 years old) discovered in Shuri Castle ruins.
2023: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing (together with honkaku shochu).
2025:
Over 200 different kusu labels aged 10–60+ years
Prices range from ¥2,000 (young) to ¥3,000,000+ (50-year kusu)
Top bars in Tokyo, Paris, and New York now serve 30-year awamori neat like fine whisky
Key Legal & Technical Facts (2025)
Must be made in Okinawa Prefecture
Must use only long-grain Thai indica rice (short-grain japonica forbidden)
Must use only black koji
Must be single-distilled in pot still
If aged ≥51 % of the blend is 3+ years old → can be labelled “kusu”
If 100 % is 10+ years old → can be labelled “super kusu” or just the exact age
Famous Historical Milestones & Bottles (2025 verified)
1565 jar – oldest surviving awamori (Shuri Castle archaeological find)
1902 Kōryū (紅龍) – oldest continuously produced brand
1957 Zuisen 30-year – first post-war long-aged kusu released
2008 Yae Sakura 100-year – first modern century-old blend (sold for ¥1,000,000 per bottle)
2024 Ufudou 60-year – current most expensive commercially available (¥2,800,000 per 720 ml)
Timeline Summary
~1420s Distillation arrives from Thailand
1473 First written record
1609 Satsuma invasion – technology spreads to mainland Japan
1945 90 % destroyed in Battle of Okinawa
1983 Kusu labelling law → ageing revolution
2000 Geographical protection
2023 UNESCO listing
2025 61 active distilleries, >200 aged kusu labels
Awamori is the only spirit in the world that was already being aged for centuries before the concept of whisky or Cognac even existed.
Next time someone says “Japan only has sake and whisky,” pour them a glass of 30-year-old awamori and watch their entire understanding of alcohol history collapse in one sip.
Kwanpai! (Okinawan cheers)
0 Comments