Shochu that goes with carciofo amaro (cynar-style)
Bitter and aperitivo
These are bottles to mix carciofo amaro (cynar-style) into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
Best bottles for carciofo amaro (cynar-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.
Vegetal bitterness against earth, which is a closer match than a caramel amaro makes
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, umami, silky
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
The bottle already smells of caramel, and this puts more of it in the glass.
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
rice, cherry, vanilla, caramel
rice, floral, honey, caramel
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.
Vegetal bitterness against earth, which is a closer match than a caramel amaro makes
The bottle already smells of caramel, and this puts more of it in the glass.
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
Show the other 151 carciofo amaro (cynar-style) matches
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, smooth
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, 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, aged
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, tropical fruit, bright, aged
sweet potato, smooth, aged
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, lychee, floral, fruity
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, soft, smooth, aged
sweet potato, floral, soft, maple
sweet potato, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, lychee, chocolate, bright
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
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, soft, tea
sweet potato
sweet potato, light-bodied, long finish
sweet potato, lychee, grape, muscat
sweet potato, fruity, soft, sweet
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, soft, light-bodied
sweet potato, fruity, soft
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, berry, soft, sweet
sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, sweet, soft
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, floral, fruity, clean
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, funky
sweet potato
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
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, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
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.
Vegetal bitterness against earth, which is a closer match than a caramel amaro makes
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
The bottle already smells of caramel, and this puts more of it in the glass.
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
Show the other 100 carciofo amaro (cynar-style) matches
rice, cherry, vanilla, caramel
rice, floral, honey, caramel
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
Both halves of the glass are savoury, which is unusual for a bitter drink
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, citrus, umami, soft
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
rice, cask, aged
rice, whisky-like, cask, 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, 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, sherry-like, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
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, clean, sharp, aged
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, nutty, dry, aged
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, toast, sweet
rice, clean, sweet
rice, clean, smooth
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, citrus
Kome shochu
A light rice spirit can be bullied by amaro. Keep the bitter under a quarter ounce or pick a heavier bottle.
The bottle already smells of caramel, and this puts more of it in the glass.
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
rice, umami, rich, aged
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
rice, soft, umami, rich
Show the other 55 carciofo amaro (cynar-style) matches
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
rice, rich, aged
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, smooth, aged
rice, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, smooth, full-bodied, cask
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, rich
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, ginjo-like
rice, floral, aged
rice, floral, smooth, soft
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, citrus, aged
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
Kokuto shochu
Brown sugar carries bitterness the way a boulevardier carries whiskey. Amaro and red bitter both land.
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
kokuto, sweet, clean, rich
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
Show the other 20 carciofo amaro (cynar-style) matches
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, light-bodied, clean, aged
kokuto, rum-like, chocolate
kokuto, soft, light-bodied, sweet
Mugi shochu
The bottle already smells of caramel, and this puts more of it in the glass.
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
Vegetal bitterness against earth, which is a closer match than a caramel amaro makes
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
Both halves of the glass are savoury, which is unusual for a bitter drink
Show the other 6 carciofo amaro (cynar-style) matches
barley, umami, light-bodied
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, vanilla, chocolate, nutty
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off
roasted grain, umami, smooth
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
smooth, rich, full-bodied, sweet
smooth, rich, cask, aged
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
A strong bitter will argue with the botanical rather than support it. Keep it to a dash.
Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than most shochu, so equal parts with a 25 percent bottle lands near 20 and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
tropical fruit, rich
shiso, red shiso
barley, herbal, sweet
Soba shochu
Vegetal bitterness against earth, which is a closer match than a caramel amaro makes
With a 25 percent bottle under it the bitterness reads as celery and walnut skin instead of being scorched off