Shochu that goes with matcha
Tea and coffee
These are bottles to mix matcha into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
Best bottles for matcha
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
Rice shochu is light enough to let the tea lead, which is how it is drunk with dinner in Kyushu.
rice, umami, rich, aged
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, umami, rich
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all
barley, rice, umami
A creamy bottle is already doing what milk does in a matcha latte
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, umami
rice, citrus, umami, soft
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
Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it.
The bottle is already savoury, and this puts more of that in the glass.
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
The bottle already smells of tea, and this puts more of it in the glass.
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
Show the other 152 matcha matches
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
Milk is what turns matcha into a latte, and a milky bottle brings a little of that
A creamy bottle is already doing what milk does in a matcha latte
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, soft, tea
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
Tea is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, 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, smooth, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
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, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
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, 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
Matcha's bitterness flattens perfume
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
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, 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, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, funky
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, white peach, grape, berry
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
sweet potato, crisp
sweet potato, soft, sweet
sweet potato, crisp, sweet
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, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
The flowers in this bottle are delicate enough that a tannic or savoury mixer simply erases them.
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
sweet potato, lychee, floral, fruity
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, floral, soft, maple
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
Awamori
Oolong and jasmine both belong to the same Chinese-adjacent kitchen awamori grew up in.
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all
rice, smooth, soft, clean
A creamy bottle is already doing what milk does in a matcha latte
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
The bottle is already savoury, and this puts more of that in the glass.
Show the other 101 matcha matches
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, smooth, savory, aged
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, aged
rice, citrus, cereal, aged
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, smooth, rich
rice, smooth, rich, sweet
rice, soft, rich, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
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, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, nutty, dry, aged
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.
Matcha's bitterness flattens perfume
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
clean, off-dry, soft, light-bodied
Kome shochu
Rice shochu is light enough to let the tea lead, which is how it is drunk with dinner in Kyushu.
rice, soft, umami, rich
rice, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
Show the other 64 matcha matches
rice, vanilla, smooth, cask
rice, vanilla, smooth, sweet
rice, rich, aged
rice, soft, rich, aged
rice, banana, vanilla, chocolate
rice, smooth, aged, cask
rice, smooth, rich
rice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, light-bodied, aged
rice, light-bodied, cask
rice, light-bodied, dry, aged
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, pear, jasmine, light-bodied
rice, cask, aged
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, light-bodied, clean
rice, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, floral, ginjo-like, clean
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, floral, fruity, smooth
Mugi shochu
Oolong-hai and green tea highballs are izakaya staples, and barley is clean enough to let the tea lead.
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all
barley, rice, umami
A creamy bottle is already doing what milk does in a matcha latte
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
The bottle is already savoury, and this puts more of that in the glass.
barley, umami, rich, sweet
Show the other 93 matcha matches
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, umami, rich, sharp
The bottle already smells of tea, and this puts more of it in the glass.
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, citrus, melon, banana
barley, umami, light-bodied
barley, smooth, mint, caramel
barley, jasmine, honey, vanilla
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
barley, bright, clean, light-bodied
barley, earthy, mineral, pepper
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, vanilla, spice, cask
barley, honey, chocolate, spice
barley, roasted grain
barley, sesame, grassy, chocolate
barley, caramel, rich, sweet
barley, vanilla, chocolate, nutty
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, toast, rich, light-bodied
barley, smooth, crisp, cask
barley, toast, spice, rich
barley, chocolate, coffee, rich
barley, smooth, dry
barley, white peach, cherry, soft
barley, banana, toast
barley, pear, banana, bread
barley, caramel, chocolate, smoky
barley, cask, aged
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
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.
Matcha and brown sugar is a wagashi
kokuto, soft, light-bodied, sweet
dried fruit, chocolate, honey, kokuto
kokuto, sweet, clean, rich
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
Show the other 21 matcha matches
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
kokuto, molasses, roasted grain, dry
kokuto, molasses, vanilla, spice
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, light-bodied, clean, aged
Soba shochu
Roasted tea and buckwheat are one flavour from two plants. Hojicha and soba-yu are the same instinct.
The bottle is already savoury, and this puts more of that in the glass.
A creamy bottle is already doing what milk does in a matcha latte
buckwheat, nutty, earthy, vanilla
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
Show the other 4 matcha 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.
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all
Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
soft, light-bodied, clean, sweet
barley, soft, crisp, clean
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Tea is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
The bottle is already savoury, and this puts more of that in the glass.
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
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all