Shochu that goes with hojicha
Tea and coffee
These are bottles to mix hojicha into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Cold-brewed or hot. Roasted green tea, low in bitterness, high in toast. The oyuwari of teas.
Best bottles for hojicha
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
Roasted tea and roasted barley are the same idea from two plants
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
Roasted grain in the glass and roasted grain in the pot, which is one flavour served twice
Hojicha's toasted note meets nutty bottles
Rice shochu is light enough to let the tea lead, which is how it is drunk with dinner in Kyushu.
Roasted tea and aged notes are a fireside
Roasting is the flavour both of these have, so the tea continues the bottle instead of interrupting it
The bottle already smells of tea, and this puts more of it in the glass.
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
barley, sesame, caramel, chocolate
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, aged
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.
Mugi shochu
Oolong-hai and green tea highballs are izakaya staples, and barley is clean enough to let the tea lead.
Roasted tea and roasted barley are the same idea from two plants
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
Roasted grain in the glass and roasted grain in the pot, which is one flavour served twice
Hojicha's toasted note meets nutty bottles
Roasted tea and aged notes are a fireside
The bottle already smells of tea, and this puts more of it in the glass.
Show the other 93 hojicha matches
barley, sesame, caramel, chocolate
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, crisp, clean, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
barley, soft, light-bodied, clean
barley, smooth, long finish, aged
barley, smooth, light-bodied, clean
barley, umami, rich, sweet
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, whisky-like
barley, vanilla, spice, cask
barley, caramel, rich, sweet
barley, vanilla, chocolate, nutty
barley, smooth, crisp, cask
barley, toast, spice, rich
barley, pear, banana, bread
barley, caramel, chocolate, smoky
barley, cask, aged
barley, jasmine, honey, vanilla
barley, soft, silky, smooth
barley, rich, cask, aged
barley, dry, cask, aged
The bottle carries the grain and the mixer carries it roasted, so it is one ingredient reaching the glass two ways.
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, earthy, mineral, pepper
barley, crisp, clean
barley, tropical fruit, light-bodied
barley, smooth, rich, light-bodied
barley, pear, soft, spice
barley, rich, crisp
barley, soft, clean
barley, umami, rich, sharp
barley, rice, umami
barley, honey, chocolate, spice
barley, roasted grain
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
barley, toast, rich, light-bodied
barley, umami, light-bodied
barley, smooth, dry
barley, white peach, cherry, soft
barley, soft, chocolate, toast
barley, banana, toast
barley, toast, light-bodied, sweet
barley, crisp, light-bodied, fruity
barley, fruity, light-bodied
barley, sweet, clean
barley, banana, berry, bread
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, soft, cask, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, cask, aged
Melon disappears under roast
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
Cold-brewed or hot. Roasted green tea, low in bitterness, high in toast. The oyuwari of teas.
barley, bright, clean, light-bodied
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, citrus, melon, banana
Awamori
Oolong and jasmine both belong to the same Chinese-adjacent kitchen awamori grew up in.
Roasted tea and aged notes are a fireside
Roasted grain in the glass and roasted grain in the pot, which is one flavour served twice
Hojicha's toasted note meets nutty bottles
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
aged, caramel, smooth, spice
rice, clean, smooth, aged
Show the other 100 hojicha matches
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, smooth, savory, aged
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, sweet, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, soft, aged
rice, soft, clean, aged
rice, sweet, crisp, smooth
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, smooth, sweet, oily
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
rice, soft, smooth
Cold-brewed or hot. Roasted green tea, low in bitterness, high in toast. The oyuwari of teas.
clean, off-dry, soft, light-bodied
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
rice, roasted grain, aged
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
Imo shochu
Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it.
Roasting is the flavour both of these have, so the tea continues the bottle instead of interrupting it
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
Hojicha and imo shochu: a roasted pair
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
Show the other 148 hojicha matches
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, silky, smooth
sweet potato, sweet, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, tropical fruit, bright, aged
sweet potato, smooth, aged
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, soft, smooth, aged
sweet potato, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, lychee, chocolate, bright
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, dry
sweet potato, tropical fruit, spice, light-bodied
sweet potato, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
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, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, purple sweet potato, berry, yogurt
citrus, pear, sweet potato, clean
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, 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, umami
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, berry, soft, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, funky
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, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, white peach, grape, berry
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
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, smooth, sweet, long finish
sweet potato, smoky, rich, long finish
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
Kome shochu
Rice shochu is light enough to let the tea lead, which is how it is drunk with dinner in Kyushu.
rice, rich, aged
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
Show the other 53 hojicha matches
rice, light-bodied, clean
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, soft, light-bodied, aged
rice, light-bodied, dry, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, smooth, rich
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, rich, bright
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, pear, jasmine, light-bodied
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, cask, aged
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
Kokuto shochu
Tea and coffee meet the molasses in the bottle rather than arguing with it, and the darker the cup the better it holds.
Roasted tea and aged notes are a fireside
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
kokuto, light-bodied, clean, aged
Show the other 21 hojicha matches
Hojicha and kokuto is a tea-house dessert
kokuto, molasses, roasted grain, dry
kokuto, molasses, vanilla, spice
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, rum-like, chocolate
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
dried fruit, chocolate, honey, kokuto
Melon disappears under roast
Soba shochu
Roasted tea and buckwheat are one flavour from two plants. Hojicha and soba-yu are the same instinct.
buckwheat, nutty, earthy, vanilla
This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that.
buckwheat, smooth, aged
buckwheat, cask, aged
Show the other 4 hojicha matches
Korui, the continuous-still shochu
Oolong-hai and green tea-hai are this bottle's job. The tea is the drink; the shochu is the proof behind it.
Hojicha and imo shochu: a roasted pair
Cold-brewed or hot. Roasted green tea, low in bitterness, high in toast. The oyuwari of teas.
soft, light-bodied, clean, sweet
barley, soft, crisp, clean