Brand: Yokaichi MugiDistillery: Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.Location: Takanabe, Miyazaki prefecture, Kyushu Island, JapanGrain: 1% barley (mugi)Koji: whiteAlcohol: 25% (5 proof)Price: $ Tasting NotesIf iichiko silhouette was not your introduction to Japanese shochu, then it was likelyYokaichi Mugi. This is another ubiquitous barley shochu, mass produced, though still in the honkaku (single distillation) style. The lovely parchment label belies the low, low price, undercutting even iichiko. The first thing you notice, after the bottle, is the floral nose. A clean spring scent. Very subtle. As if the flowers have not yet quite fully bloomed. The next thing you notice is the sweetness. The sweetness carries through to a faintly herbal finish that give you a faint hint of green peppers (the kind were used to in the U.S., not the Japanese shishito peppers). Dont let this pepper revelation put you off … its taken 4 years and innumerable bottles to place that flavor. Its extremely subtle. Nothing to be afraid of.