Kawabe (川辺)

One of the most famous Kumajochu (the rice-based AOC from Kumamoto), Kawabe is an unaged, vacuum-distilled shochu from Sengetsu Shuzo, which also makes its famous namesake shochu, Sengetsu. Kawabe is distilled with water from the Kawabe River, a prized tributary of the Kuma river, and has a distinct mouthfeel and richness quite unusual in unaged rice shochu. Many compare it to bananas, and there is definitely a hint of sweetness in the nose, but like other rice shochu has a clean, crisp finish

JC 5/2021: IMO, it’s the best rice shochu available for normal prices (though they are increasing…) in Hong Kong. At writing this is 150$ at City Super, but it’s getting harder to find. It has wonderful depth for a rice shochu, and I love this neat or with a bit of cool or room-temperature water. Unlike other rice shochu (which I usually find bland), Kawabe has subtlety and depth, and ice makes it lose so much character. Have taste-tested this with multiple groups and it’s always a surprise and a massive hit. 9/10

Additional

From Stephan Lyman of Kanpai:
Kawabe is a muroka kome shochu, meaning it was not pasteurized after distillation, leaving rich fatty acids to leave telltale droplets in the neck of the bottle. This unfiltered approach leaves the shochu with a rich nose and palate not found if charcoal filtration is used. https://kanpai.us/kawabe

A great description of the Kawabe river from Sengetsu:
The Kawabe River is famed both for the quantity and the quality of water that flows through it. It is the largest tributary of the Kuma River, and flows for a length of 67 kilometers. Since 2006, for 12 years running, the Kawabe River has been named by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as having the most beautiful water out of all the rivers of Japan. The waters sparkle a bright emerald green hue as the light reflects off the river, but a closer look reveals a clarity that extends down to the rocky riverbed. Sweetfish, gobies, chubs, and trout populate the waters, and the air around the river twinkles with innumerable fireflies in early summer. https://sengetsu-shuzo.com/products/