18-Year Aged Black Hon Mirin
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This is not a cooking ingredient in any ordinary sense. Aged for 18 years in the cellars of Kankyo Shuzou, this hon mirin has transformed into something closer to a liqueur — deep black in colour, syrupy in texture, and extraordinarily complex. Notes of black sugar, dark rum, raisin, and caramel develop naturally over the ageing process as the rice oxidises and the sugars undergo a slow Maillard reaction. There is no added sugar, no additives, and no shortcuts.
The story of this mirin begins with an accident. Bottles were mislaid in the brewery's cellar and forgotten for over a decade. When they were rediscovered, the mirin had changed dramatically — the colour had darkened to near-black, the sweetness had deepened and concentrated, and the alcohol flavour had almost entirely disappeared. What emerged was something no one had intended to make but which proved too remarkable to ignore. Kankyo Shuzou now deliberately ages their mirin to produce this extraordinary product.
Hon mirin — "true mirin" — is made from just three ingredients: steamed glutinous rice, rice kōji (the cultured rice that drives fermentation), and shōchū (distilled rice spirit). Most producers buy their shōchū from distillers, but Kankyo Shuzou distils their own. Most also add sugar syrup during fermentation to speed the process. Kankyo Shuzou does not. The result takes far longer to produce, but the flavour is more natural, more pure, and incomparably more complex.
Use sparingly. A few drops will transform a dashi broth, a glaze for grilled fish or duck, or a marinade. It is also remarkable drizzled over vanilla ice cream, where the dark caramel and rum notes come into their own.
Producer: Kankyo Shuzou, Kanie City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Founded in 1862, now in their 7th generation. Aichi Prefecture is considered the home of Japanese mirin production, with a tradition stretching back over 400 years. Kankyo Shuzou is one of the few remaining craft mirin producers in the region, using only locally grown rice and house-distilled shōchū.
Ingredients: Glutinous rice, rice kōji, shōchū (distilled rice spirit)
Storage: Store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in a cool place and consume within 12 months.
Net: 180ml
Allergens: Contains rice. Produced in a facility that handles wheat.
