Shochu that goes with oolong tea
Tea and coffee
These are bottles to mix oolong tea into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
Unsweetened, cold. One part shochu to three or four parts tea, over ice. Drinks with food better than almost anything else here.
Best bottles for oolong tea
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
Oolong-hai and green tea highballs are izakaya staples, and barley is clean enough to let the tea lead.
barley, banana, white peach, tea
Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it.
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
barley, rice, umami
barley, rice, umami
Roasted oolong meets barley on its own ground: the tea is toasty where the shochu is toasty, so neither has to win
Rice shochu is light enough to let the tea lead, which is how it is drunk with dinner in Kyushu.
barley, chocolate, rich, full-bodied
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
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.
sweet potato, tea, rich
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
sweet potato, soft, tea
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
Show the other 155 oolong tea matches
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, umami, silky
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
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, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, umami, smooth
sweet potato, whisky-like, cask
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, sweet
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, rich, clean
sweet potato, umami, rich
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich
sweet potato, smooth, clean, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, fruity, earthy, mineral
sweet potato, umami, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, sweet
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, sweet, smooth, aged
sweet potato, earthy, crisp, aged
sweet potato, yogurt, creamy texture
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, rich, soft, aged
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, clean, aged
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, full-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
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
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
sweet potato, floral, fruity, umami
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
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, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, sweet, soft
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, funky
sweet potato, light-bodied, dry, aged
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, 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, 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
sweet potato, lychee, white peach, tropical fruit
muscat, citrus, floral, sweet potato
sweet potato, floral, fruity, clean
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, smooth
Mugi shochu
Oolong-hai and green tea highballs are izakaya staples, and barley is clean enough to let the tea lead.
barley, citrus, melon, white peach
barley, banana, white peach, tea
barley, rice, umami
barley, rice, umami
barley, chocolate, rich, full-bodied
Show the other 94 oolong tea matches
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
barley, earthy, mineral, pepper
barley, sesame, caramel, chocolate
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, crisp, clean, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
barley, crisp, clean
barley, chocolate, earthy, smooth
barley, tropical fruit, light-bodied
barley, soft, light-bodied, clean
barley, smooth, rich, light-bodied
barley, pear, soft, spice
barley, smooth, long finish, aged
barley, rich, crisp
barley, soft, clean
barley, smooth, light-bodied, clean
barley, smoky, soft, cask
barley, smooth
barley, umami, rich, sweet
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, aged
barley, smooth, rich, whisky-like
barley, umami, rich, sharp
barley, vanilla, spice, cask
barley, earthy, clean, bright
barley, honey, chocolate, spice
barley, roasted grain
barley, citrus, melon, banana
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, chocolate, coffee, rich
barley, umami, light-bodied
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, rich, cask, aged
barley, crisp, light-bodied, fruity
barley, toast, cereal, rich
barley, fruity, light-bodied
barley, sweet, clean
barley, vanilla, nutty, toast
barley, banana, berry, bread
barley, dry, cask, aged
barley, melon, banana, floral
barley, clean, off-dry, smooth
barley, bright, clean, light-bodied
barley, umami, savory, clean
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, soft, bright
barley, soft, cask, aged
barley, smooth, crisp, aged
Awamori
Oolong and jasmine both belong to the same Chinese-adjacent kitchen awamori grew up in.
A rice base and oolong is what gets poured alongside dinner
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
Show the other 102 oolong tea matches
rice, cask, aged
rice, whisky-like, cask, aged
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, soft, aged
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, smooth, sweet
rice, smooth, sweet
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, sherry-like, aged
rice, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, smooth, sweet, oily
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, cherry, vanilla, caramel
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, nutty, dry, aged
Oolong's tannin flattens delicate perfume
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
caramel, smoky, rich, earthy
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
umami, rich, full-bodied, cask
aged, caramel, smooth, spice
rich, smooth, clean, soft
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, citrus, dried fruit, floral
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
rice, vanilla, smooth, fruity
Show the other 64 oolong tea matches
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, melon, vanilla, toast
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, pear, jasmine, light-bodied
rice, smooth, light-bodied, sweet
rice, light-bodied, clean
rice, soft, umami, rich
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, soft, smoky, creamy texture
rice, aged, cask, smooth
rice, rich, clean, bright
rice, soft, light-bodied, aged
rice, light-bodied, cask
rice, light-bodied, dry, aged
rice, vanilla, cask, aged
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, rich, bright
rice, cask, aged
rice, floral, ginjo-like, clean
rice, ginjo-like, floral, aged
rice, floral, smooth, soft
rice, floral, fruity, smooth
Soba shochu
Roasted tea and buckwheat are one flavour from two plants. Hojicha and soba-yu are the same instinct.
Roasted oolong meets barley on its own ground: the tea is toasty where the shochu is toasty, so neither has to win
The bottle carries the grain and the mixer carries it roasted, so it is one ingredient reaching the glass two ways.
buckwheat, smooth, aged
Show the other 4 oolong tea matches
buckwheat, cask, aged
buckwheat, umami
Unsweetened, cold. One part shochu to three or four parts tea, over ice. Drinks with food better than almost anything else here.
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.
sweet potato, soft, crisp, clean
rice, soft, crisp, clean
barley, soft, crisp, clean
soft, light-bodied, clean, sweet
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.
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
kokuto, cask, aged
kokuto, rich, long finish, aged
Show the other 21 oolong tea matches
kokuto, smooth, smoky, cask
kokuto, smooth, cask, aged
Unsweetened, cold. One part shochu to three or four parts tea, over ice. Drinks with food better than almost anything else here.
kokuto, molasses, vanilla, spice
kokuto, vanilla, spice, cask
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
kokuto, soft, light-bodied, sweet
kokuto, light-bodied, clean, aged
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
Roasted oolong meets barley on its own ground: the tea is toasty where the shochu is toasty, so neither has to win
Tea is in this bottle, not just on its nose, so this doubles it rather than introducing it.
ginger, dry, crisp, citrus
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
Oolong's toast meets sweet potato's roast
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
Show the other 1 oolong tea matches
Shiso, sesame, yuzu and other flavoured shochu
Roasted oolong meets barley on its own ground: the tea is toasty where the shochu is toasty, so neither has to win
A rice base and oolong is what gets poured alongside dinner