Shochu that goes with kombu
Savory and salt
These are bottles to mix kombu into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
A small piece steeped in the bottle overnight. Savory depth without salt.
Best bottles for kombu
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, citrus, umami, soft
rice, smooth, soft, clean
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, rice, umami
barley, rice, umami
tea, umami, savory, rich
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
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
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
Show the other 97 kombu matches
Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
caramel, smoky, rich, earthy
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, aged
rice, citrus, cereal, aged
rice, soft, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, caramel, chocolate, crisp
rice, soft, clean, aged
rice, sweet, crisp, smooth
rice, roasted grain, aged
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
Imo shochu
Salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself.
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
Show the other 144 kombu matches
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
sweet potato, purple sweet potato, berry, yogurt
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
citrus, pear, sweet potato, clean
sweet potato, crisp, bitter
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
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, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, light-bodied, long finish
sweet potato, lychee, grape, muscat
sweet potato, fruity, soft, sweet
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, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, soft, light-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, aged
sweet potato, fruity, soft
sweet potato, soft, dry, sweet
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, berry, soft, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, funky
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, fruity
sweet potato, sweet, clean, fruity
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, fruity, bright
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, white peach, grape, berry
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, crisp
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, crisp, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, soft, smooth, aged
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, smooth
sweet potato, vanilla, toast, spice
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, dry
sweet potato, sweet, soft, rich
sweet potato, lychee, chocolate, bright
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, long finish
sweet potato, soft, smooth, rich
sweet potato, chocolate, sherry-like, cask
sweet potato, tropical fruit, spice, light-bodied
sweet potato, smoky, rich, long finish
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
Kome shochu
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
Show the other 58 kombu matches
Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
rice, rich, aged
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, light-bodied, aged
rice, light-bodied, cask
rice, light-bodied, dry, aged
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, pear, jasmine, light-bodied
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, rich
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, light-bodied, clean
Mugi shochu
Dashi-wari and an umeboshi in hot barley shochu are real izakaya orders, but they belong to a winter counter rather than a summer glass.
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
Salt does not make a drink salty in small amounts. It makes a savoury bottle taste more like itself. The pairing reads as strange and drinks as obvious.
Mineral on mineral
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
Show the other 93 kombu matches
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, umami, rich, sharp
barley, citrus, melon, white peach
barley, citrus, melon, banana
A small piece steeped in the bottle overnight. Savory depth without salt.
barley, bright, clean, light-bodied
barley, sesame, caramel, chocolate
barley, crisp, clean, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
barley, tropical fruit, light-bodied
barley, soft, light-bodied, clean
barley, smooth, rich, light-bodied
barley, smooth, long finish, aged
barley, rich, crisp
barley, soft, clean
barley, smooth, light-bodied, clean
barley, smoky, soft, cask
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, whisky-like
barley, chocolate, rich, full-bodied
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, vanilla, spice, cask
barley, honey, chocolate, spice
barley, roasted grain
barley, sesame, grassy, chocolate
barley, caramel, rich, sweet
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
barley, vanilla, chocolate, nutty
barley, toast, rich, light-bodied
barley, smooth, crisp, cask
barley, toast, spice, rich
barley, banana, white peach, tea
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
barley, smooth, dry
barley, white peach, cherry, soft
barley, soft, chocolate, toast
barley, banana, toast
barley, pear, banana, bread
barley, caramel, chocolate, smoky
barley, cask, aged
barley, jasmine, honey, vanilla
barley, toast, light-bodied, sweet
barley, soft, silky, smooth
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, rich, cask, aged
barley, crisp, light-bodied, fruity
barley, toast, cereal, rich
barley, fruity, light-bodied
barley, vanilla, nutty, toast
barley, cask, aged
barley, banana, berry, bread
barley, dry, cask, aged
Soba shochu
Buckwheat is a savoury grain, and a soba restaurant already serves this spirit next to dashi.
Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
A small piece steeped in the bottle overnight. Savory depth without salt.
buckwheat, nutty, earthy, vanilla
buckwheat, smooth, aged
Show the other 4 kombu matches
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
Kokuto shochu
Kombu pushes the glass further toward the savoury side a bottle with umami is already on
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
Korui, the continuous-still shochu
Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen