Helios Shuzo, Japan's pioneering craft rum distillery.
- Part 1 -

The local craft spirits scene has been booming in recent years. This month, we spotlight Helios Distillery, a pioneer of Japanese rum from Okinawa Island, and their spirits production. From rum, which they began making in 1961, to the whiskey they've been focusing on in recent years. What does crafting spirits that harness Okinawa's unique environment entail?

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

The aging cellar "Nino-kura," where the black koji mold used in awamori brewing imparts its distinctive flavor, holds over 2,000 oak barrels.

Helios Distillery, based on Okinawa Island, crafts awamori, shochu, spirits, liqueurs, whiskey, and craft beer.
Helios Distillery began in 1961 with rum production.

Guided by the belief that "liquor should be made from crops grown locally," they began producing rum using molasses squeezed from Okinawan sugarcane for stationed U.S. military personnel in 1961.

They reportedly started whisky production just two years later, making them one of the industry's foremost pioneers.

After Okinawa's reversion in 1979, they reportedly began producing awamori with the goal of "creating products for general consumers," making them the last among awamori makers to start production.

This is where Helios Distillery gets interesting: they applied the barrel-aging techniques honed through rum and whiskey production to awamori.

When they released their barrel-aged awamori "Kura," it was a huge hit. Its unprecedented mild flavor and the elegant, floral aroma derived from the barrels were highly praised.

Thus, production centered around awamori like "Kura" became the mainstay.

The "Aged Sake Cellar Shop/Gallery" located on the main company premises. Daily sake cellar tours begin at the gallery, which houses a collection of historical photographs. Reservations are required.

Rum is an Okinawan spirit that embodies the spirit of local production for local consumption.

Although it had been overshadowed by the momentum of awamori, the focus shifted back to rum because rum is an Okinawan spirit that embodies local production for local consumption.

While "HELIOS RUM," made using molasses, was the mainstay before, the 2000s saw the start of developing agricole rum and producing rum using Okinawan brown sugar.

The lineup expanded to include "TEEDA WHITE" made with brown sugar and "TEEDA AGRICOLE" distilled from their own sugarcane.
Their gold rum ("TEEDA 5 Years") and dark rum ("TEEDA 21 Years") are also well-received.

"Okinawan molasses has a stronger flavor and punch compared to foreign molasses," says Mr. Miyagi, the rum production manager.

This 21-year-old expression showcases refined barrel-aging techniques. The long-aged "TEEDA 21 Years" features a sweet aroma reminiscent of raisins and brown sugar, a mellow richness, and a lingering finish. ¥41,800

Japan's sugar refining technology is highly advanced, allowing for a greater extraction of sugar from sugarcane. This results in a highly concentrated molasses rich in other components.

Consequently, it produces a raw spirit with tremendous punch.

"It's distinctive, but essentially it packs too much punch. So, we experimented by changing various stills."

For example, the still we use now is almost custom-made. It's a pot still, but it's designed to achieve a level of refinement comparable to a continuous still."

As the rum specialist, Mr. Miyagi's passion for rum is strong.

"When thinking about promoting it globally, I believe rum has more potential than awamori.

While awamori is often called the national spirit, which puts it at a disadvantage, doesn't rum win out from the perspective of the story that 'it uses local ingredients'?

While awamori production within the prefecture is declining, I think rum production will increase going forward."

The left one is for rum, the right one is for whiskey.

Three Distinctive Rums from Helios Distillery

First, molasses. Its strength lies in its flavor evolution after aging.

"The flavor keeps getting better as it's stored," and Miyagi-san also senses its potential.
"I really want people to taste the Gold Rum and Dark Rum at the shop."

The twice-distilled Agricole "has a distinct sugarcane flavor and aroma, making it easy to drink on the rocks or neat."

The newest addition, brown sugar rum, offers a flavor profile between molasses and agricole. "It has a distinctive top note aroma like molasses, and aging enhances its flavor, though at a faster pace than molasses. Plus, it leaves a lingering sweet finish."

Furthermore, rum made from solid sugar (i.e., brown sugar) is rare globally, giving it a strong competitive edge in both taste and story. However, the high cost of the raw material reduces its cost performance.

"That said, our brown sugar production method accounts for a significant portion of our rum sales, and we believe there is still considerable potential."


In the second part, we will explore the current state of Japanese craft rum and the challenges facing its future.

To be continued in Part 2.