Shochu that goes with yuzu kosho
Spice and warmth
These are bottles to mix yuzu kosho into. Some of them taste of it too, and where that is the reason a bottle is here, its line says so.
The Kyushu condiment, in a tube in any Japanese grocer: fermented yuzu peel, green chili and salt. A quarter teaspoon stirred into an oyuwari, which is the serve Asahi publishes.
Best bottles for yuzu kosho
The strongest matches in the catalogue, across every style. Everything below is the same ranking opened out by what the shochu is made from.
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
caramel, smoky, rich, earthy
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, umami, silky
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, citrus, floral, sweet
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
The chili leaves warmth at the back rather than heat on the tongue
Warm spice meets the brown-sugar aroma the distillate keeps. The sugar itself is gone, so sweeten separately if the drink needs it.
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
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
Warm spice gives an earthy bottle a pulse without covering the earth itself.
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
sweet potato, umami, rich, sweet
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
sweet potato, umami, sweet, rich
sweet potato, umami, soft, full-bodied
Show the other 153 yuzu kosho matches
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, floral, fruity, umami
sweet potato, fruity, umami, rich
sweet potato, citrus, floral, caramel
sweet potato, umami, rich, aged
sweet potato, smooth, soft, clean
sweet potato, smooth, nutty, umami
muscat, citrus, floral, sweet potato
citrus, pear, sweet potato, clean
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, umami
sweet potato, rich, smooth, umami
sweet potato, smooth, umami, light-bodied
sweet potato, citrus, fruity, mint
sweet potato, sweet, clean, rich
sweet potato, pear, grassy, rich
sweet potato, smooth, sweet, vanilla
lychee, grape, jasmine, rich
vanilla, cask, rich, crisp
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, pineapple, maple, mineral
sweet potato, rich, clean, sweet
sweet potato, floral, full-bodied
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, tea, rich
sweet potato, milky, soft, aged
sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, smooth, rich, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, spice, clean, sharp
sweet potato, shiso, smooth, tea
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, yogurt, creamy texture
sweet potato, lychee, floral, fruity
sweet potato, soft, light-bodied, sweet
sweet potato, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, vanilla, creamy texture, bright
sweet potato, rich, purple sweet potato
sweet potato, whisky-like, aged
sweet potato, rich, crisp, soft
sweet potato, tea, vanilla, mushroom
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, floral, soft, maple
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, tropical fruit, floral, caramel
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, aged
sweet potato, sweet, rich, full-bodied
sweet potato, tropical fruit, pepper, sweet
sweet potato, purple sweet potato, berry, yogurt
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, soft, tea
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, sweet
sweet potato, roasted grain
sweet potato, smooth, toast
sweet potato, sweet, soft
sweet potato, earthy
sweet potato, spice, sweet
sweet potato, light-bodied, clean, sweet
sweet potato, coffee, earthy, pepper
sweet potato, floral, fruity, clean
sweet potato, melon, banana, sweet
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, tropical fruit, floral, smooth
sweet potato, pear, grassy, light-bodied
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, roasted grain, sweet
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, bright
sweet potato, roasted sweet potato, sweet
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
Awamori
Spice reads as native on this base rather than imported, star anise and chilli and ginger most of all.
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
caramel, smoky, rich, earthy
rich, full-bodied, aged, umami
The chili leaves warmth at the back rather than heat on the tongue
rice, citrus, cereal, aged
Show the other 102 yuzu kosho matches
rice, citrus, roasted grain, sweet
rice, smooth, maple, umami
rice, citrus, vanilla, chocolate
rice, citrus, tropical fruit, vanilla
rice, smooth, soft, clean
rice, umami, clean, light-bodied
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
rice, clean, smooth, aged
rice, pear, caramel, rich
rice, cherry, vanilla, chocolate
rice, bright, aged
rice, clean, bright, 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, sherry-like, aged
rice, soft, smooth
rice, steamed rice, soft, caramel
rice, sweet, soft, smooth
rice, smooth, sweet, aged
rice, smooth, crisp, aged
rice, smooth, sweet, oily
rice, sweet, rich, full-bodied
rice, vanilla, funky, creamy texture
rice, nutty, dry, aged
The Kyushu condiment, in a tube in any Japanese grocer: fermented yuzu peel, green chili and salt. A quarter teaspoon stirred into an oyuwari, which is the serve Asahi publishes.
floral, clean, sharp, aged
clean, off-dry, soft, light-bodied
rice, smooth, cereal, sweet
rice, light-bodied, sweet
rice, earthy, mushroom, rich
Kokuto shochu
Warm spice meets the brown-sugar aroma the distillate keeps. The sugar itself is gone, so sweeten separately if the drink needs it.
kokuto, tropical fruit, vanilla, sweet
kokuto, soft, light-bodied, sweet
dried fruit, chocolate, honey, kokuto
kokuto, sweet, clean, rich
kokuto, chocolate, nutty, sweet
Show the other 21 yuzu kosho matches
kokuto, cask, aged
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
Kome shochu
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
rice, umami, crisp, sweet
Show the other 17 yuzu kosho matches
rice, citrus, silky, light-bodied
rice, steamed rice, citrus, pineapple
rice, citrus, apple, pineapple
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
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
Mugi shochu
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
barley, chocolate, umami, smooth
barley, umami, rich, sweet
barley, umami, rich, aged
barley, umami, rich, sharp
Show the other 12 yuzu kosho matches
barley, rice, umami
barley, rice, umami
The chili leaves warmth at the back rather than heat on the tongue
barley, toast, savory, rich
barley, umami, light-bodied
barley, banana, berry, bread
There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it.
barley, rich, full-bodied, cask
barley, apple, pineapple, creamy texture
Salt and chili walk over a peach note
Kasutori, chestnut and other bases
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Fermented peel gives citrus without the acid a fresh yuzu would add
barley, smooth, honey, vanilla
citrus, plum, sweet, yuzu
Citrus is in this bottle itself, not just on its nose, so this adds more of the same rather than a second flavour.
Show the other 3 yuzu kosho matches
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
Citrus is in this bottle itself, not just on its nose, so this adds more of the same rather than a second flavour.
Soba shochu
The chili leaves warmth at the back rather than heat on the tongue
The salt in it raises the perceived sweetness of koji
Korui, the continuous-still shochu
The chili leaves warmth at the back rather than heat on the tongue