Editing Awamori (section)

==''Kusu''==
[[Image:Taragawa Cellar.jpg|thumb|right|Already purchased Awamori maturing in the purposely constructed cellar at Taragawa distillery, [[Miyako-jima]], Okinawa]]
When ''awamori'' is aged for three years or more, it is called {{nihongo|''kusu''|古酒|| "old liquor"}}. This pronunciation, which derives from [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]], is unique to ''awamori''; elsewhere in Japan, the word is pronounced "''koshu''" and refers to aged ''sake''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sake-world.com//?s=awamori |author=John Gauntner |publisher=Sake World |title=Shochu & Awamori |year=2004 |access-date=2016-11-06| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101129065113/http://sake-world.com/html/shochu-awamori.html| archive-date= 29 November 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Legally, in order to earn the designation "''kusu''", the ''awamori'' must be aged for a minimum of three years. If a specific age is noted, then all of the contents must be of at least that age. ''Awamori'' is aged underground in constant cool temperatures in clay pots or vases. Containers of awamori can be found in the caves of Okinawa.

Before the [[Battle of Okinawa]] during World War II, 200- and even 300-year-old ''kusu'' existed, but most of the oldest ''kusu'' were lost in the battle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=沖縄で現存する最古１５０年物の泡盛古酒を訪ねた |url=https://ryukyushimpo.jp/style/article/entry-793755.html |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=琉球新報 Style |language=ja}}</ref> However, the Shikina Distillery in [[Shuri, Okinawa|Shuri]] own 100- and 150-year old ''kusu'' which are thought to be to be the oldest surviving.<ref>{{Cite web |title=沖縄最古の泡盛 |url=http://www.shikinashuzo.com/old/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=沖縄泡盛酒造所 有限会社 識名酒造 - 古風味豊かな琉球泡盛「時雨」・「歓」 |language=ja}}</ref> There are ongoing attempts to once again produce 200- and 300- year old ''kusu.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=古酒とは {{!}} 古酒は沖縄の宝 {{!}} 現存する最古の古酒は？ |url=https://okinawa-awamori.or.jp/kusu/heirloom/oldest/Array |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=琉球泡盛 |language=ja-JP }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>