鹿児島の本格芋焼酎、最高賞　ライチの香りで魅了―国際酒類品評

　【ロンドン時事】世界有数の国際酒類品評会「インターナショナル・ワイン＆スピリッツコンペティション（ＩＷＳＣ）」の今年の授賞式が２８日夜、ロンドンで行われ、本格芋焼酎で焼酎部門の最高賞を獲得した濱田酒造（鹿児島県いちき串木野市）にトロフィーが授与された。
　最高賞に選ばれた銘柄は、濱田酒造創業１５０周年を記念して発売された「だいやめ～ＤＡＩＹＡＭＥ～」。ライチに似た華やかな香りが最大の特徴。取締役の濱田光太郎氏（２５）は取材に「英国のスコッチウイスキーが『国の酒』から『世界の蒸留酒』になったように、焼酎にも世界で戦える潜在能力があると評価されたと思う」と語った。

　英中部ヨークを拠点にウイスキー関連業に携わるソフィー・パシュリーさん（２３）は「日本酒のような強い粘りはなく、澄んでいて切れがある」と試飲で初めての本格焼酎を楽しんでいた。（2019/11/29-08:48）

"Daiyame," from Japan, has won the top prize in the "shochu" distilled spirits category at the International Wine & Spirit Competition for 2019.
   The trophy for the prize was presented to the maker of the shochu product, Hamada Syuzou, based in the city of Ichikikushikino in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kagoshima, at the award ceremony in London on Thursday.
   Daiyame, made from sweet potato and featuring a lychee-like aroma, was launched to mark the 150th anniversary of the distiller. It is "a complex spirit with a fruity nose and floral elements such a rose," and offers "a fluffy texture on the palate with delicate perfumed notes, good balance, and a long finish," judges said in tasting notes.
   Kotaro Hamada, a 25-year-old director of Hamada Syuzou, told reporters that he believes shochu has been judged to have potential to compete internationally ,just like Britain's scotch whisky, which has grown from a liquor of the country to a distilled spirit of the world.
   Sophie Pashley, who is engaged in the whisky business in York, England, tasted Daiyame in her first experience of trying traditional Japanese shochu. "Sake is too thick...but this (Daiyame) is clear and crisp," said Pashley, 23.