Awamori
Awamori is an alcoholic drink from Okinawa, Japan. Awamori is made from rice. It is fermented and distilled. Awamori is similar to shōchū, but very different from nihonshu, or sake. The amount of alcohol in Awamori is usually between 30% and 43% and sometimes up to 60%. After distillation, the drink is ready for bottling and drinking, is usually aged in ceramic containers for better taste. Ordinary varieties of Awamori are aged for about 6 months, but some can be aged for 20 to 25 years. This improves the flavour and makes it sweeter. Some varieties are also made with various spices, ginseng, and even snake.
People in Okinawa drink Awamori with friends and family. It is also popular with tourists as a souvenir.
Most people in Okinawa drink Awamori with ice and water. Some people also drink it with Jasmine tea, which is called Sanpincha in Okinawa.
In the 19th century, ships from England, France and the United States reached the Ryūkyū Islands, and awamori was served to the crews.[1]
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