Awamori (泡盛) is an alcoholic beverage indigenous to and unique to Okinawa, Japan. It is distilled from rice, not brewed. It is similar to sake (an alcoholic beverage from mainland Japan), but made from Indica instead of Japonica rice. When awamori is aged for three years or more, it is called kūsū (古酒). Awamori is aged underground in constant cool temperatures in clay pats or vases. Awamori may be marketed as such when over 50% of the beverage being sold is of sufficient age.

As of early 2005, awamori sells for between 350 yen per cup and 50,000 yen for an aged clay vase; generally, the greater its age, the higher is its value.

See also

• Sake

External links and references

• One site
• More info