Here in America shochu is not well understood and therefore under appreciated. Japanese whisky and Sake are both highly regarded and sought after stateside while shochu remains on the periphery. Because of the massive demand and shortage of Japanese whisky and an increasing trend in Japanese culinary flavor and style there has never been a better time for shochu. So what is shochu and why does it deserve more attention?

Shochu is not like vodka, and given the lowly status of vodka in the eyes of most mixologists these days it is safe to assume that shochu has not benefitted from this comparison. In 2013 Larry Olmstead wrote a piece for Forbes magazine entitled “The Best Spirit You’ve (Probably) never Tasted: Japan’s Shochu” in which he writes “Shochu… is a distilled spirit, most akin to vodka in the sense that it is typically clear and can be made from different raw materials, unlike most spirits”. Yes, shochu is clear and yes it can be distilled using a number of different foods so technically Olmstead is not wrong however, shochu tastes nothing like vodka, the distillation process is different and the variety is far greater than anything vodka has to offer. Sochu deserves to be appreciated for exactly what it is however if I were to try to explain it to somebody by comparing it to another spirit I would say that shochu is much more like gin in its boldness of flavor and whisky in its variety of style.

What is shochu? Shochu is a moderate proof distillate that has been around since at least the 1550’s. It can be distilled using just about anything from carrots to sugar cane. Some of the most popular shochus are distilled from barley (mugi), rice (kome), sweet potato (imo), buckwheat (soba), brown sugar (kokuto) and Thai long-grained rice (awamori). Shochu mash is fermented using specific microbes called koji. Koji cultures are also employed in the production of sake as well as popular Japanese foods such as miso and soy sauce. There are two types of koji: white koji and black koji. Both are used during shochu fermentation and produce noticeably different results. Shochu can be single distilled or double distilled. Single distilled shochu is known as honkaku and comprises the vast majority of shochu on the market. Double distilled shochu is known as korui and is less prevalent. Honkaku is lower in alcohol than korui and possesses richer flavor and aroma because of the single distillation and like whisky; shochu can be aged in wooden casks such as sherry casks, new oak or terracotta pots. Aging can range anywhere from a couple of months up to twenty years or longer. Also like whisky, shochu can be single barrel or blended. It can be diluted for consistency similar to a typical bourbon or undiluted (genshu) like an over proof whisky for bolder taste and higher alcohol content. All of these factors combine to create an incredible amount of flavor and variety.

Shochu adds flavor and versatility to any craft cocktail menu and is also easy to appreciate on its own. In Japan shochu is typically served on the rocks or diluted with cool or hot water. It’s potential for use in cocktails is substantial because of the unique flavors and moderate alcohol by volume. The unique ABV of shochu fills the void between low proof spirits and those that are 80 proof and above. With the demand for new and interesting spirits ever on the rise it is only a matter of time before shochu is recognized in America for the delicious and diverse category of spirit that it truly is.

There is no better place than Kokkaku to begin exploring the world of shochu. We offer a variety of sochu to taste, shochu cocktails, and infused shochu.