Shochu that goes with red aperitivo bitter (campari-style)
Bitter and aperitivo
These are bottles to mix red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Campari, Aperol, or a Japanese bitter like Kina. Bitter and sweet at once, and it wants a base with something of its own to answer back.
Best bottles for red aperitivo bitter (campari-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.
Bitter aperitivo needs a base with body but not sweetness, which is what a dry shochu is
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, umami, soft
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, citrus
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, aged
rice, aged
rice, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
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.
Awamori
Aged kusu is intense enough to meet amaro without either one winning.
Bitter aperitivo needs a base with body but not sweetness, which is what a dry shochu is
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, umami, soft
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
Show the other 100 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, cask, aged
rice, whisky-like, cask, aged
rice, smooth, savory, aged
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, aged
rice, aged
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, 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, smooth, maple, umami
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
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, smooth, soft, clean
rice, nutty, dry, aged
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
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
aged, caramel, smooth, spice
Campari, Aperol, or a Japanese bitter like Kina. Bitter and sweet at once, and it wants a base with something of its own to answer back.
Kokuto shochu
Brown sugar carries bitterness the way a boulevardier carries whiskey. Amaro and red bitter both land.
Kokuto shochu and red bitter is a boulevardier logic
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
kokuto, molasses, roasted grain, dry
Show the other 20 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, rum-like, chocolate
dried fruit, chocolate, honey, kokuto
kokuto, sweet, clean, rich
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
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.
Bitter aperitivo needs a base with body but not sweetness, which is what a dry shochu is
rice, citrus, aged
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
Show the other 58 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, smooth, full-bodied, cask
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, umami, rich, aged
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, rich
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
rice, ginjo-like
rice, soft
rice, floral, aged
rice, floral, smooth, soft
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, fruity
rice, umami, rich
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, clean, aged
rice, clean, aged
rice, floral, fruity, smooth
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, sweet, clean, smooth
rice, chocolate, sweet
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, clean
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
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.
Bitter orange meets citrus
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, umami, silky
Show the other 120 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
sweet potato, aged
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, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, lychee, floral, fruity
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, lychee, chocolate, bright
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
sweet potato, pineapple, tropical fruit, fruity
sweet potato, banana, vanilla, clean
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato
sweet potato, light-bodied, long finish
sweet potato, lychee, grape, muscat
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, soft
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
sweet potato, fruity
sweet potato, smooth, fruity, bright
sweet potato, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato
sweet potato, crisp
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, dry
sweet potato, smoky, rich, long finish
sweet potato
sweet potato, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, fruity, silky, smooth
sweet potato, sweet, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, apple, soft, rich
sweet potato, soft, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, light-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
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, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, 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, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, rich, soft, 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, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
Mugi shochu
Shochu and Campari with soda is an Americano with a Kyushu accent
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, earthy, mineral, pepper
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
Show the other 18 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
barley, tropical fruit, light-bodied
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, whisky-like
barley, light-bodied
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, banana, white peach, tea
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
barley, umami, light-bodied
barley, toast, light-bodied, sweet
barley, soft, silky, smooth
barley, rich, cask, aged
barley, crisp, light-bodied, fruity
barley, fruity, light-bodied
barley, citrus, melon, white peach
Bitter aperitivo needs a base with body but not sweetness, which is what a dry shochu is
barley, rice, umami
barley, citrus, melon, banana
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Shochu and Campari with soda is an Americano with a Kyushu accent
chestnut, barley, fruity, rich
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
Bitter orange meets citrus
Citrus is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
Show the other 1 red aperitivo bitter (campari-style) matches
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
A strong bitter will argue with the botanical rather than support it. Keep it to a dash.
Citrus is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
citrus, yuzu
Shochu and Campari with soda is an Americano with a Kyushu accent
tropical fruit, rich
shiso, red shiso
Soba shochu
Bitter aperitivo needs a base with body but not sweetness, which is what a dry shochu is