Shochu

Showing all 3 results

Products

Shochu is a noble, ancient spirit that we can’t get enough of. Barley, rice or sweet potato, discover its depths here.

The oldest Japanese spirit

Shochu is ancient and mysterious. Some say that this grain or vegetable spirit was invented in Kagoshima, in the very south of Japan, around 1650, using techniques from Persia. Others claim it is an even older invention from the lost kingdom of Ryukyu, the archipelago that includes the famous island of Okinawa. One thing is certain: with four centuries of history, it has a lot of stories to tell and sensations to convey.

It all begins with fermentation. Rice, barley, buckwheat or sweet potatoes, the main ingredients of shochu, are subjected to the magic of ‘koji’. This noble mould, essential for the production of sake and miso paste (among other ultra-Japanese products), breaks down the starch into sugars. As in the brewing of sake, this sugar is then converted into alcohol by a yeast. Distillation follows.

The natural way

Although some shochu is distilled continuously, the noblest ones are distilled only once in the same pot stills as the whiskies. They are then called “Honkaku shochu”. Many are then matured, sometimes in buried amphorae reminiscent of Georgian wine. This ageing process can take ten years or more. It is here that the sweetness and elegance of shochu is fully revealed.

Unlike ‘noble’ European spirits such as cognac or whisky, shochu emphasises elegance over aromatic complexity. Supported by a texture that is always silky, thanks to the koji, its aromas are vivid and obvious, even to a great novice.

You can smell the grain, the soil in which it was grown and the water that nourished it. This search for its origins gives shochu great depth. It may sound clichéd, but shochu is a moving spirit, a spirit that transports.

Drink it hot or cold

Shochu can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. However, like the great whisky purists, they are always quick to dilute it with ice water in summer and hot water in winter. This dilution, which may seem barbaric, actually reveals all the beauty of shochu. We can’t recommend it enough, but remember: the first time is the charm.