Isshi Sōden mirin 600 ml

Hekinan in Aichi Prefecture has been the heart of mirin production since the late 1700s, and Ogasawara Mirin Jōzō is one of only four breweries still operating there. Established in 1922 and currently run by Kazuya Ogasawara and his wife, it is a two-person operation that has never mechanised or cut corners on ingredients. Most mirin on the market is a shortcut: starch syrup, glucose, and salt blended to approximate sweetness. Isshi Sōden is none of that. It contains only glutinous rice from Saga, hand-made rice koji, and domestically produced shōchū, aged for four years. The process is almost entirely manual. Koji making and preparation, the two stages that most determine the final flavour, involve kneading glutinous rice and koji by hand in a room kept above 30 degrees Celsius, over three days and three nights. Brewing happens only in spring, in tanks of around 5,000 litres, and annual production is small enough that the mirin rarely reaches the open market. The result is noticeably viscous, with a deep caramelised sweetness and a soft warmth from the shōchū. A small amount goes a long way in simmered dishes, glazes, or dipping sauces, and it is good enough to drink neat as a digestif.