Shochu that goes with alpine amaro (braulio-style)
Bitter and aperitivo
These are bottles to mix alpine amaro (braulio-style) into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
Best bottles for alpine amaro (braulio-style)
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
rice, whisky-like, cask, aged
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
dried fruit, chocolate, honey, kokuto
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, cask, aged
sweet potato, sweet, sherry-like, cask
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
kokuto, cask, aged
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
Grouped by what the shochu is made from, because that is the level the reasoning works at: what this does to an imo shochu is a fact about imo shochu rather than about one bottle. Within each style the strongest matches come first, and bottles we pour are marked rather than promoted. The scores are the same engine that recommends a mixer from a bottle, run the other way round, but the labels are not: a bottle page badges at most twelve strong matches and at most three per family, so that the twelve describe that bottle rather than the same citrus and soda every time. Here there is no cap, so a pairing badged strong on this page can read as a good match on the bottle's own.
Imo shochu
A bitter answers the earth with more earth, amaro and gentian most of all. A split-base imo drink then reads as intentional rather than odd.
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
The bottle is already reaching for that shelf, and this is the amaro that meets it there
Show the other 148 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
sweet potato, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
At 40 percent menthol reads as burn, at 25 it reads as cold
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, fruity, silky, smooth
sweet potato, apple, soft, rich
sweet potato, soft, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, light-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, tropical fruit, bright, aged
sweet potato, smooth, aged
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
sweet potato, soft, smooth, aged
sweet potato, floral, soft, maple
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
sweet potato, crisp, bitter
sweet potato, sweet, clean, soft
sweet potato, pineapple, tropical fruit, fruity
sweet potato, banana, vanilla, clean
sweet potato, soft, crisp, clean
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato
sweet potato, light-bodied, long finish
sweet potato, fruity, soft, sweet
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, soft, light-bodied
sweet potato, fruity, soft
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, berry, soft, sweet
sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, sweet, soft
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, floral, fruity, clean
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, funky
sweet potato
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, fruity
sweet potato, sweet, clean, fruity
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, fruity, bright
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, smooth
sweet potato, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, white peach, grape, berry
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
sweet potato
sweet potato, crisp
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, crisp, sweet
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, dry
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, long finish
sweet potato, tropical fruit, spice, light-bodied
sweet potato, smoky, rich, long finish
sweet potato, sweet
Awamori
Aged kusu is intense enough to meet amaro without either one winning.
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
rice, cask, aged
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
Show the other 100 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
aged, caramel, smooth, spice
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, smooth, savory, aged
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, aged
rice, citrus, cereal, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, soft, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, aged
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, soft, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
rice, sweet, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, soft, aged
rice, soft, clean, aged
rice, sweet, crisp, smooth
rice, roasted grain, aged
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, citrus, umami, soft
rice, smooth, sweet, oily
rice, chocolate, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, cherry, vanilla, caramel
rice, floral, honey, caramel
rice, clean, sharp, aged
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, nutty, dry, aged
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, toast, sweet
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
rice, clean, sweet
rice, clean, smooth
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
rice, citrus
Kokuto shochu
Brown sugar carries bitterness the way a boulevardier carries whiskey. Amaro and red bitter both land.
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
kokuto, cask, aged
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
Show the other 19 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
kokuto, light-bodied, clean, aged
Kome shochu
A light rice spirit can be bullied by amaro. Keep the bitter under a quarter ounce or pick a heavier bottle.
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
The bottle is already reaching for that shelf, and this is the amaro that meets it there
rice, smooth, full-bodied, cask
Show the other 55 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, cask, aged
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, umami, rich, aged
rice, smooth, rich
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
rice, ginjo-like
rice, floral, aged
rice, floral, smooth, soft
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, citrus, aged
rice, umami, rich
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, clean, aged
rice, clean, aged
rice, floral, fruity, smooth
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, sweet, clean, smooth
rice, chocolate, sweet
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, smooth, aged
rice, smooth, sweet
Mugi shochu
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, caramel, rich, sweet
At 40 percent menthol reads as burn, at 25 it reads as cold
barley, soft, silky, smooth
Show the other 5 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
barley, rich, cask, aged
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, smoky, soft, cask
barley, citrus, melon, banana
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
A strong bitter will argue with the botanical rather than support it. Keep it to a dash.
Braulio, made in Bormio from gentian, juniper, peppermint and yarrow, around forty-five dollars. A summer drink on shochu and a winter one on whisky, which is one bottle behaving two ways.
tropical fruit, rich
shiso, red shiso
barley, herbal, sweet
Show the other 1 alpine amaro (braulio-style) matches
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23
smooth, rich, cask, aged
smooth, cask, aged
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
Soba shochu
Oak rested and 21 percent, so half and half with a cask-aged bottle is one drink at about 23