Curious about shochu? It’s time for the Western world to embrace the native spirit of Japan — a 500-year-old, traditional white spirit that’s incredibly rich in flavor, yet smooth and easy to drink with food.
Despite the historic, and prolific popularity of shochu in Japan, most Westerners tend to only think of sake and whiskeys when it comes to Japanese cocktails. To find our why — and to learn the fundamentals about how shochu is made and how to best enjoy it — Pursuitist’s sought answers from Japan’s foremost experts at iichiko Shochu, the leading brand of barley shochu in Japan.-abounative spirit of Japan — a 500-year-old, traditional white spirit that’s incredibly rich in flavor, yet smooth and easy to drink with food.
Despite the historic, and prolific popularity of shochu in Japan, most Westerners tend to only think of sake and whiskeys when it comes to Japanese cocktails. To find our why — and to learn the fundamentals about how shochu is made and how to best enjoy it — Pursuitist’s sought answers from Japan’s foremost experts at iichiko Shochu, the leading brand of barley shochu in Japan.
PURSUITIST: Has the tide finally turned in favor of shochu knowledge and enjoyment in the West? After iichiko Shochu’s recent platinum and double gold medal wins in international and American spirits championships, what trends are you witnessing?
Ken Oka, General Manager of iichiko Shochu: “Interest in shochu within cocktail culture has steadily grown, especially among top bartenders who are eager to experiment with new, unique spirits.”
Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is shochu?
Tetsuro Miyazaki, Global Marketing Manager of iichiko Shochu: “Shochu is a traditional craft spirit popular in Japan with a rich history of more than 500 years. It is made from various ingredients such as barley, rice, and sweet potato, and depending on which main ingredient is used, it is called barley shochu, rice shochu, or potato shochu, respectively.”
What are the different categories of shochu?
Tetsuro Miyazaki: “There are two types of shochus by Japanese law: Honkaku Shochu, which is distilled only once and made by traditional methods, and Ko-rui Shochu, which is made by continuous distillation. iichiko Shochu is categorized into the Honkaku Shochu category, the traditional style of Japanese Shochu.”
I’ve heard shochu described as a farm-to-bottle spirit. Where do you source your ingredients?
Tetsuro Miyazaki: “Shochu is mainly produced on an island called Kyushu, located in the southern part of Japan. This island is also divided into different areas where the raw materials for shochu are produced. The unique point of shochu is that different areas have different shochu made from different ingredients. Oita Prefecture, in the northwest, where iichiko’s distillery is located, is famous for barley; Kumamoto Prefecture, in the west, for rice shochu; and Miyazaki and Kagoshima Prefectures, in the south, for potato shochu.”
How is shochu’s flavor developed during distillation?
Tetsuro Miyazaki: “Due to the single distillation process, the flavor of the raw materials is preserved to the highest degree in shochu. Also, due to the fermentation process with koji, it has a very smooth aftertaste. Most barley shochus, like iichiko, are soft and inviting on the nose with aromatic fruit flavors.”
Though shochu is often enjoyed neat, I was introduced to shochu through The Japanese Art of the Cocktail, the recipe book from NYC’s wonderful Katana Kitten bar.
Ken Oka: “Bartenders are increasingly incorporating shochu into cocktail menus, and we’ve seen iichiko cocktails making appearances at major events like Bar Convent Brooklyn and Tales of the Cocktail. Our strategy focuses on strengthening these relationships with bartenders, offering support, and participating in events to raise awareness among bartenders and consumers. As more bartenders discover the versatility of shochu, we expect interest to continue growing, particularly for premium expressions like iichiko Saiten.”
A TRIO OF ORIGINAL IICHIKO SHOCHU COCKTAILS
There’s only one way to understand and become a shochu fan — and that’s to try it. Here are three original iichiko Shochu cocktail recipes inspired by Asian culinary traditions and ingredients such as lychee, yuzu, matcha, basil, and cherry blossom. They naturally pair with iichiko’s smooth, versatile character, resulting in delicious drinks that offer a true sense of place.
Pineapple Matcha
2 oz iichiko Saiten
0.75 oz Matcha Syrup
0.75 oz Lime Juice
0.5 oz Pineapple Juice
0.25 oz Yuzu Juice
Muddled Basil
Pineapple slice
Basil leaf
Method: Muddle basil in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add all ingredients and shake. Strain into rocks glass with ice. Garnish with pineapple and basil.
iichee Pop
1.5 oz iichiko Silhouette
1 oz Lychee Rosemary Syrup
Club Soda
Rosemary sprig
Method: Mix all ingredients except Club Soda into cocktail shaker with Ice. Shake, then strain into a rocks glass with Ice. Top with Club Soda and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
Cherry Blossom Sour
Created by Natasha Sofia for iichiko Shochu
2 oz iichiko Saiten
1 oz Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Cherry Blossom Syrup
Egg white
Yuzu sale
Matcha powder
Garnish: Yuzu salt, matcha powder, and flowers
Method: Mix first three ingredients into cocktail shaker without ice, dry shake for 1 min, add ice and shake again. Double strain into sour cocktail glass or coupe. Sprinkle yuzu salt and matcha powder over cocktail.
