Beni Issui is an authentic Japanese sweet potato shochu made entirely from Okinawan beni imo, or purple sweet potatoes. Produced in Okinawa using locally grown ingredients, it is known as Okinawa’s first authentic sweet potato shochu and is described as Japan’s southernmost purple sweet potato shochu.
Beni Issui is produced by Helios Distillery, a company founded in 1961. The distillery has carried on its founding philosophy of “making alcohol from crops grown in the local land.”
For Beni Issui, the raw ingredient is carefully selected purple sweet potatoes grown in Yaese Town in southern Okinawa Island. Okinawa’s abundant sunshine and mineral-rich soil, influenced by its coral-derived alkaline ground, provide an environment suited to growing high-quality beni imo.
Beni Issui is made using black koji, a traditional koji culture closely associated with Okinawan spirits. This fermentation method gives the shochu a rich, full-bodied character while allowing the natural qualities of the purple sweet potato to come through.
One of Beni Issui’s most appealing characteristics is the contrast between its deep, rounded flavor and the sweet, aromatic fragrance of Okinawan purple sweet potatoes.
The black-koji fermentation brings depth and richness to the spirit, while the beni imo contributes a distinctive gentle sweetness and elegant aroma. The result is a full-bodied shochu with a character that reflects the tropical ingredients and agricultural heritage of Okinawa.
Beni Issui offers travelers an opportunity to discover a side of Okinawan drinking culture beyond the region’s famous awamori. Made from locally grown purple sweet potatoes and produced according to a traditional shochu-making approach, it expresses the connection between Okinawan land, agriculture, and local craftsmanship.
For those interested in Japanese regional spirits, Beni Issui is a particularly distinctive choice: a fragrant sweet potato shochu whose rich character and natural aroma showcase the unique flavor of Okinawa’s beloved beni imo.