Shochu that goes with daidai (bitter orange)

Citrus

Bitter orange: sour and aromatic rather than sweet, the citrus that goes into ponzu. Bottled juice is sold for cooking and works straight in a glass. Use the peel too, it carries most of the smell.

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 and anything poured at our bar come first. The ranking is the same engine that recommends a mixer from a bottle, run the other way round.

Imo shochu

Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else.

Kozuru Kuro Potato ShochuImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Hyuganatsu Satoh KuroImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Hyuganatsu Aka Maoh Shochu Red Satan 12Imo (sweet potato) · MiyazakiStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)AkaeImo (sweet potato) · MiyazakiStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Issho Bronze Imo ShochuImo (sweet potato) · AkitaStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Kiccho HouzanImo (sweet potato) · KagoshimaStart with Soda water, Hyuganatsu

55 more, all of them in Imo shochu

Mugi shochu

The lemon sour is the single most ordered shochu drink in Japan, and barley is what it is usually built on.

Kirishima Melt Barley 720mlMugi (barley) · MiyazakiStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Coffee (cold brew)Aokage 'Forty-One Genshu - Throughbred Stallion' Barley ShochuMugi (barley) · MiyazakiStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Coffee (cold brew)Ark JakuunbakuMugi (barley) · FukuokaStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Coffee (cold brew)Asahi MannenboshiMugi (barley) · MiyazakiStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Coffee (cold brew)Chingu Black Iki Barley ShochuMugi (barley) · NagasakiStart with Oolong tea, Genmaicha Ginza No Suzume Aged 7YrMugi (barley) · OitaStart with Mugicha (barley tea), Genmaicha

49 more, all of them in Mugi shochu

Awamori

Black koji leaves citric acid in the mash, so awamori already leans citrus before anything is added.

Zuisen "Hakuryu" Kusu AwamoriAwamori · OkinawaStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Seifuku Vintage AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Ishigaki)Start with Ginger ale, Daidai (bitter orange)Chuko Ryukyu AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Naha)Start with Ginger beer, Black pepper Zuisen Hiryu AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Naha)Start with Ginger ale, Blood orange Seifuku Coffee LiqueurPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Ishigaki)Start with Ginger ale, Hyuganatsu Zuisen Kouryu AwamoriPouredAwamori · Okinawa (Naha)Start with Ginger ale, Black tea (Earl Grey)

25 more, all of them in Awamori

Kome shochu

Rice sweetness wants acid the way sake does, and yuzu over rice is the oldest flavour pairing in the Japanese kitchen.

Toyonaga "Okukuma"Kome (rice) · KumamotoStart with Oolong tea, Hyuganatsu Kiuchi Rice Shochu ClassicPouredKome (rice) · IbarakiStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)24-DO Kinjo ShiroKome (rice) · KumamotoStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)Hakkaisan Honkaku Kome Shochu "Kikoji Sandanshikomi Yoroshiku Senman Arubeshi"Kome (rice) · NiigataStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)Hakutake KomoriutaKome (rice)Start with Oolong tea, Yuzu Hakutake ShiroKome (rice) · KumamotoStart with Oolong tea, Black tea (Earl Grey)

26 more, all of them in Kome shochu

Kokuto shochu

Cane sugar spirit and lime is the daiquiri, and kokuto shochu is a cane spirit at two thirds the proof.

Jougo ShochuKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Daidai (bitter orange)Nankai Gold ShochuPouredKokuto (brown sugar) · Kagoshima (Amami Oshima)Start with Ginger beer, Lime Nankai Kokuto ShochuKokuto (brown sugar)Start with Jasmine tea, Cardamom SelephantKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Jasmine tea, Cardamom Tida Ichinojo Kokuto ShochuKokuto (brown sugar) · KagoshimaStart with Ginger beer, Cardamom Amami Kokuto ShochuPouredKokuto (brown sugar) · Kagoshima (Amami)Start with Ginger beer, Pineapple

6 more, all of them in Kokuto shochu

Shiso, sesame, tea and other single-botanical shochu

Acid frames a single strong flavour and keeps it from turning syrupy.

Awano Kaori Sudachi ShochuPouredShochu · TokushimaStart with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Yuzu Beniotome Sesame ShochuPouredSesame shochu · Fukuoka (Kurume)Start with Lemon soda (ramune, Sanpellegrino), Hyuganatsu Gyokuro Excellent Green ShochuPouredShochu · FukuokaStart with Kombucha, Pickled ginger (gari)Rihei Ginger ShochuPouredShochu · MiyazakiStart with Ginger ale, Grapefruit

22 more, all of them in Shiso, sesame, tea and other single-botanical shochu

Soba shochu

Buckwheat is nutty and low in acid, so citrus is doing structural work rather than adding a flavour.

Towari Soba ShochuPouredSoba (buckwheat) · KyotoStart with Ginger beer, Toasted sesame Soba Unkai ShochuPouredSoba (buckwheat) · Miyazaki (Gokase)Start with Ginger beer, Hojicha

1 more, all of them in Soba shochu