A spicy one, not a sweet one. The mule format works for every dark shochu, and it is the most forgiving way to serve one.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Imo shochu mule: ginger beer, lime, over ice A shochu mule, and it is on menus Cold, and fizzy enough to matter. One part shochu to three or four parts soda; if it tastes thin, go one to two next time.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Daiyame and other new-wave imo shochu are marketed as highballs by the distilleries themselves Shochu and soda over ice is the most ordinary drink in Japan Bitter orange: sour and aromatic rather than sweet, the citrus that goes into ponzu. Bottled juice is sold for cooking and works straight in a glass. Use the peel too, it carries most of the smell.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Daidai is the citrus in ponzu, and ponzu is already on the table next to imo shochu The peel is doing what the orange twist on an old fashioned does A Miyazaki citrus eaten with the white pith left on, which is sweet rather than bitter. Gentler and more floral than lemon, so it flavours a drink without taking it over.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. A Miyazaki citrus and a Miyazaki spirit, which is usually all the reason a pairing needs Softer acid than lemon, so the rice sweetness stays in the glass The Japanese citrus that tastes like grapefruit, mandarin and lemon at once, with a floral peel. A little zest or juice goes a long way.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Kagoshima bartenders reach for yuzu with imo shochu first The classic pair: rice sweetness under yuzu zest Unsweetened, cold. One part shochu to three or four parts tea, over ice.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Rice shochu and oolong is a Kyushu dinner drink 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. A dry tonic (Fever-Tree, Q). One part spirit, three parts tonic, a citrus wedge.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Tonic's sweetness fights aged notes Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Shochu tonic: bitter, sweet, low proof, and better than it sounds The most useful tropical fruit for mixing: intensely aromatic and properly sour. Pulp with seeds, or a good puree.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Passion fruit's acid gives lychee-scented bottles the edge they lack Tropical acid against sweet-potato depth is a modern Kagoshima cocktail The gentle ginger. For bottles that a ginger beer would bully.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Gentler than ginger beer; right for a soft rice bottle Dry cava or crémant. Acid and bubbles in one pour, which is exactly what a distilled spirit has none of.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Shochu and brut sparkling is a French 75 at lower proof; the acid is the point A small green citrus from Tokushima, sharper and more herbal than lime. Sold frozen or as juice in Japanese markets.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Squeezed over rice, it is the flavor of a Japanese autumn table Montenegro, Nonino, Averna. Equal parts with a dark shochu over ice is a whole drink.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. Amaro and aged notes are a winter bar Amaro's herbs answer imo shochu's earth There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Angostura or a Japanese aromatic. Two dashes.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. Two dashes wake up an aged bottle Bitters give imo shochu a stirred-drink shape There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. A few crushed pods, or a syrup. Floral, citrusy and warm at once; it bridges fruit and spice.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Cardamom and lychee is a perfumer's pair Spice on aged, nutty notes There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. A stick in hot water with the spirit, or a light syrup. Winter.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Cinnamon and aged notes are a hot toddy Cinnamon on sweet potato is a pie There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Fresh juice, a syrup, or a good ginger beer. The spice that makes a low-proof drink feel like it has a backbone.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Ginger and sweet potato is a Japanese autumn kitchen Ginger and rice: think of the pickled ginger next to sushi There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Soft water, cold, over ice or not. One to one is normal. Mix a day ahead (maewari) and the edges round off.
Why this works Hot water is the Kagoshima serve and it earns its reputation: heat pulls the earth and the sweetness up out of the glass. Cold water does the opposite and lengthens it without changing its shape. Rice shochu mizuwari is a dinner drink in Kumamoto Maewari: mix imo shochu and water a day ahead and it rounds out Cold-brewed Earl Grey brings bergamot; plain black tea brings tannin. For the aged and brown-sugar bottles.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Black tea's tannin sits well with aged notes There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cold-brewed. Floral without sugar. The jasmine highball is a real menu item in Japan.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Lychee and jasmine share a perfume There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Whisked into a slurry first, never dumped in dry. Bitter, umami and creamy at once.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Rice and matcha agree, which is why the pairing turns up on menus at all There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. The shortcut to a sour when there is no fresh lemon. Less sweet is better.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. Sweet soda and aged notes argue Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Rice shochu and lemon soda Umeboshi (salt-pickled), ume syrup, or the fruit's own liqueur. Sour, salty and savory at once.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Ume sour: the second most ordered shochu drink in Japan after lemon Salt-plum and imo shochu in hot water is a Kagoshima winter Cold-brewed sencha, unsweetened. The green tea highball is one of the most common ways shochu is actually drunk in Japan.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Bitter tea and a sweet bottle argue Ryokucha-hai: rice shochu with green tea is an ordinary Kyushu order Green tea softens the earth in imo shochu without hiding it One salted plum, crushed with a spoon in the glass. Salty, sour, savory.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. Imo shochu, hot water, umeboshi: a Kagoshima winter Ume and rice is a rice ball Orange with a raspberry edge. Winter fruit; worth waiting for.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Oita's citrus, softer than sudachi. Bartenders in Oita mix it with the local barley shochu and soda.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Okinawa's own citrus, picked green and sharp, more bitter than lime and more floral than sudachi. Squeezed over awamori and soda it is what the islands actually drink.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Campari, Aperol, or a Japanese bitter like Kina. Shochu is low enough in proof to make an aperitivo you can actually have two of.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. A negroni built on shochu is a real drink on real menus There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Eaten whole, peel and all. Muddle a few in a glass; the peel gives bitterness, the flesh gives tartness.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. Kumquat's bitter peel stands up to aged, nutty notes A pinch of ground sansho over the top, or a few peppercorns steeped. Numbing, citrusy, green.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Sansho and rice is a Kyoto kitchen There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. One star, steeped, for the dark bottles.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Anise and aged notes are a winter cabinet There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cold-brewed or hot. Roasted green tea, low in bitterness, high in toast. The oyuwari of teas.
Why this works This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that. Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Hojicha and imo shochu: a roasted pair Roasted tea and aged notes are a fireside Sweet, low-acid Japanese mandarin. Juice it or drop segments in a glass. It needs a squeeze of something sharper alongside.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. Mikan juice over rice sweetness is gentle and familiar Kagoshima bartenders pair imo shochu with mikan when it is in season Cold-brewed hibiscus tea: sour, cranberry-red and floral. Acid and color in one pour.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Its acid is what rice bottles need Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. A plain or ginger kombucha. Acid, bubbles and a little funk, none of which survive a still.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. No Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. Acid and bubbles on rice sweetness The non-alcoholic koji drink, sweet from rice starch alone. Blend with the spirit and ice; it is a shochu smoothie.
Why this works Koji rice porridge on a rice drink; the same koji, before and after fermentation Amazake softens imo shochu into a winter dessert Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination. Bitter, bright and forgiving. Ruby or white both work; white is drier. The grapefruit sour is a real bar order in Japan, not a novelty.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. On an already sweet bottle it turns to grapefruit candy There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Grapefruit and imo shochu is a Kagoshima bar staple; the bitterness answers the earth A syrup or a few dried blossoms steeped. See jasmine tea for the long drink.
Why this works Lychee and jasmine, again Jasmine against imo shochu's floral side is a real Kagoshima cocktail idea Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Fresh juice, never bottled. It is the whole basis of the lemon sour, and the quickest way to put acid into a spirit that has almost none of its own.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. Fresh lemon reads harsh against aged, caramel notes There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Rice sweetness wants acid, and lemon is the simplest acid there is Dried osmanthus flowers steeped, or the syrup. Apricot and honey, and the smell of October in Japan.
Why this works Kinmokusei blooms when the new imo shochu is released, same season Honeyed flower on honeyed age Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Food-grade citric and malic powder from the canning aisle, 10 grams whisked into 100 grams of cold water; two parts citric to one malic is close to lime. Some bartenders find a drink with no juice in it thin, so it is worth trying both ways.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. The most fragile aromas are the ones a juice takes away first Unsweetened juice. Sharp and a little tannic, useful for cutting sweetness.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Tart cranberry gives soft rice sweetness structure Muddled with the seeds. Green, sour and refreshing, and cheap year round.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Sakamoto's, fermented outdoors in earthenware jars in Fukuyama and aged at least a year; Toiro and Japanese Taste ship it in the US. A teaspoon in a mizuwari is the whole intervention, and a second one is usually a mistake.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. Sour enough to be useful. Muddle a handful, or use a good puree.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Its acidity is what soft rice bottles need Eden Foods sells it as Ume Plum Vinegar in most US supermarkets, and it is one of the cheapest things on this list. A bar spoon, and unlike a crushed umeboshi it can go into a shaken drink.
Why this works There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. St-Germain or similar. A half ounce is enough.
Why this works Shochu, elderflower liqueur, lemon: a sour that tastes like spring Lychee-scented shochu and St-Germain Fino or manzanilla. Savory, salty, bone dry.
Why this works Oxidative on oxidative Rice shochu and fino, stirred: a bamboo variation Domaine de Canton or similar. The mule flavour without the sugar load of a ginger beer, and it works hot as well as cold.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato is a winter kitchen pairing before it is a bar one Warm spice against caramel, without the sugar a ginger beer brings A small piece steeped in the bottle overnight. Savory depth without salt.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. Steeping kombu in alcohol is a real preparation in a Japanese kitchen Fresh in early summer, canned in syrup the rest of the year (drain it). The signature aroma of a whole school of imo shochu.
Why this works The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Some imo shochu smell of lychee on their own; the fruit makes it undeniable A spoon of the brine, and a slice as garnish. Sweet, sour and hot at once.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. Gari sits next to sushi rice; it sits next to a rice spirit for the same reason A pinch in the glass or a half rim. Salt does not make a drink salty in small amounts; it makes it taste more like itself.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. A salt rim on an imo shochu drink is a Kagoshima bar trick A dried shiitake steeped in the spirit for a day. Savory and strange in the best way.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. A long aged spirit and dried mushroom share a forest floor note Sweet, sour, almondy. A splash does the work of both syrup and citrus.
Why this works Umeshu is usually built on shochu in the first place, so adding it back is coherent Umeshu rounds imo shochu for a first-timer A few grinds over the top. Aroma more than heat.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cynar, 16.5 percent, which is weaker than the shochu itself, so equal parts lands near 20 percent and the drink stays long. Soda or a grapefruit soda over the top is the producer's own serve.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Scrappy's leads with the seed, Fee Brothers has garlic and ginger behind it, The Bitter Truth reads more astringent than bitter. Two dashes.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. A quarter ounce. Menthol and bitterness, for the darkest bottles.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Suze or Salers. Bitter root, bright yellow. A little in a highball changes everything.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cocchi Americano: moscato steeped with cinchona bark, gentian and bitter orange. Lillet dropped its quinine in 1985, so only the Americano side of the category still tastes of the bark, and equal parts with a shochu is about 21 percent.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. A rim of shichimi, or a slice of fresh chili. Heat on fruit, not on rice.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Jack Rudy's Extra Bitter, made with real cinchona bark, or Small Hand Foods'. Half a teaspoon and soda, set to the bottle in front of you rather than to a tonic maker's idea of a spirit.
Why this works Amaro and gentian answer the earth with more earth, which is why a split-base imo drink reads as intentional rather than odd. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. 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.
Why this works Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cold brew, unsweetened. For barley, brown-sugar, cask-aged and awamori bottles; it will bury a daiginjo.
Why this works This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that. Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Coffee and chocolate There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Green tea with popped, toasted rice. Cold-brew it.
Why this works This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that. Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Toasted rice tea and a rice spirit are the same grain twice There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Cold, unsweetened barley tea. Every Japanese fridge has a pitcher in summer. Mix one to three over ice.
Why this works This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that. Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Mugicha softens imo shochu's earth into something you drink all evening There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Hoppy Beverage Co. has made it in Tokyo since 1948; at 0.8 percent it is legally a soft drink, and it is hard to find outside Japan. Chill the bottle, the shochu and the mug and no ice is needed.
Why this works The distilleries themselves now sell imo shochu as a highball. Soda lifts the aroma off the glass instead of burying it. An aged bottle is the one you would not lengthen with a beer substitute Carbonation carries aroma up out of the glass, so a highball shows an aromatic bottle off rather than diluting the point of it. One white, dry-shaken. Texture without flavor.
Why this works Egg white on a rice spirit is a silky, low proof pisco sour Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination. Sharper and greener than lemon. The citrus for anything built on brown sugar or tropical fruit.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. Lime's green edge can read metallic against soft rice sweetness There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. A drop of rose water, or a rose syrup. A drop; it takes over.
Why this works Rose and lychee is a classic pair, and lychee-scented shochu meet it Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Salt-pickled blossoms (rinsed) or sakura syrup. Floral, faintly almond, a touch of salt.
Why this works Salt-pickled blossoms in a rice drink is a Japanese spring Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Hot water in the glass first, spirit poured on top so it mixes itself. Around 40C in the glass is the sweet spot. This is not the only way, it is one way.
Why this works Hot water is the Kagoshima serve and it earns its reputation: heat pulls the earth and the sweetness up out of the glass. Cold water does the opposite and lengthens it without changing its shape. The lychee note is lost warm Oyuwari: hot water first, then shochu, six to four. Imo shochu opens up in warmth A rice-grain amount, dissolved. For the savory, cucumber glass, not the fruit one.
Why this works Wasabi and sweetness do not agree Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. Wasabi and rice is sushi There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Lustau or González Byass. Fino is salt and living flor; this is what is left after the flor dies, and at 18 percent an ounce lengthens the glass rather than strengthening it.
Why this works Both have spent years going quietly brown, and they meet in the middle Fresh in season, dried the rest of the year. Apricot and umeshu share a family, which is why they get along.
Why this works Long aging turns a spirit towards stone fruit; the apricot joins what is already there Rothman and Winter, or a Japanese anzu liqueur. Closer to umeshu than to a candy liqueur if you buy a good one.
Why this works Long aging turns towards stone fruit anyway; this meets it there Late summer fruit with a savory edge. For the deeper bottles.
Why this works Blackberry and imo shochu is a bramble with a Kyushu accent Dolin blanc or Lillet. Sweeter and more floral than dry; for the aromatic bottles.
Why this works Lychee-scented shochu and blanc vermouth, stirred, is a perfumed martini A bar spoon. Cassis-oolong is one of the most common izakaya orders in Japan.
Why this works A kir at half the proof: rice shochu and a spoon of cassis Fresh in early summer; morello or amarena in syrup otherwise. Dark cherry for aged bottles, bright cherry for sparkling.
Why this works Dark cherry against aged, oxidative notes Coconut water for lengthening, coconut milk or cream for weight.
Why this works The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Tempus Fugit or Giffard. Clear, so the drink stays pale, and at about the shochu's own strength, so an ounce lengthens rather than fortifies.
Why this works The cocoa note is already in the tasting notes; this makes it the point of the drink Ribbons or muddled slices. Cucumber is what turns a serious glass into something you drink outside without thinking about it.
Why this works Cucumber and rice is the flavor of a Japanese summer lunch Fresh figs muddled, or fig jam. For the aged and the brown-sugar bottles only.
Why this works Fig meets the dried fruit that kusu awamori and long aged shochu already carry Sweeter and rounder than brewing your own matcha, and it dissolves properly, which matcha powder in a cold drink does not.
Why this works Rice and green tea is an ordinary Japanese meal, not a novelty Young sansho leaves, clapped between the palms and floated. Hard to find outside Japanese markets in spring, worth the hunt.
Why this works The classic spring garnish for rice dishes; it belongs on rice wine too Bruised stalks steeped in the spirit, or a syrup. Citrus without acid, which is useful when you want aroma but not sourness.
Why this works Southeast Asian flavors together Kwai Feh or Dita. Perfumed and quite sweet, so treat it as the aroma and let the shochu stay the drink.
Why this works The note is already in the bottle and this makes it unmistakable Torn leaves steeped briefly. Perfumed citrus without juice.
Why this works Southeast Asian perfume on a lychee-scented bottle Midori, or a drier Japanese one if you can find it. Half an ounce is plenty; this is a flavour, not a base.
Why this works Ginjo-scented rice shochu and melon are the same aroma family Green muscat grapes, halved or juiced. Shine Muscat if you can find it.
Why this works Lychee and muscat is a perfume counter Cointreau or a dry curaçao. The sweet-and-citrus half of any sour.
Why this works Aged bottles and orange peel liqueur Loose or bagged, brewed weak: at full strength it takes the glass over. Takara's own guide to tea-wari lists it alongside mugicha and sobacha.
Why this works Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. Dark fermented tea dulls a bright bottle There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. A dry junmai as the lengthener for rice shochu, one to two. Low proof, all rice.
Why this works Rice shochu lengthened with a junmai: the same grain, fermented and distilled, in one glass Green shiso leaves, slapped or muddled gently. Red shiso as a syrup. Japan already makes shiso shochu, which tells you it works.
Why this works Shiso and rice is an onigiri flavour, and rice shochu is rice Usually red shiso, so it comes out pink. Sharper and more herbal than it looks, and a little goes a long way.
Why this works Shiso and rice is an onigiri flavour Dewazakura's from Yamagata plums, or Machida Shuzo's on Amami kokuto shochu. It does umeshu's job and leaves the glass drier, which matters when the bottle is already sweet.
Why this works Acid and colour at once, and the drink stays drier than it would with umeshu Carpano Antica or Cocchi. A quarter of the shochu's volume, stirred cold, is a manhattan at well under half the usual proof.
Why this works An aged bottle already has the caramel a manhattan wants; this brings the botanicals A sesame syrup, or a rim of ground sesame and salt. Toasty and rich.
Why this works Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. The bellini fruit. Nectar from a Japanese market, or a ripe peach muddled through a strainer.
Why this works Lychee-scented imo shochu and white peach is a fruit stand in a glass Ripe mango puree. Needs lime beside it or it goes flat.
Why this works This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Two tropical perfumes in one glass Dark, in small amounts, for the cask and sweet-potato bottles.
Why this works This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. Maple on sweet potato Maple and aged, caramel notes Roasted buckwheat, in any Japanese grocery, hot or cold. In a soba restaurant the same serve is made with soba-yu, the starchy water the noodles were boiled in, which is thicker and cannot be bought.
Why this works This bottle's aroma is the reason to own it, and a roasted or smoky mixer covers exactly that. Green tea and oolong are how shochu is drunk with dinner across Kyushu. Tea's tannin meets the earth without covering it. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. The Korean-style yuzu preserve sold in jars. A spoon in hot water with shochu, or shaken cold.
Why this works This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. Yuzu tea and imo shochu oyuwari is a Kagoshima winter Hot water, rice shochu, a spoon of yuzu tea The concentrate, diluted with soda. Yogurt-sweet and sour. The Calpis sour is a national drink in Japan.
Why this works Calpico and aged notes do not agree Calpis and rice shochu is a sweet-and-sour sour Calpis softens imo shochu for people who think they do not like it Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination. Fresh juice when you want it long and easy; the peel when the bottle is aged and the drink is stirred.
Why this works Citrus acid is what cuts sweet potato's weight, which is why Kagoshima bars pour imo shochu with grapefruit and yuzu before anything else. This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. A split bean in a syrup, or a good extract, in small amounts.
Why this works This bottle brings its own sweetness. More sugar is the most common way a drink built on it goes wrong. Ginger and sweet potato are the same autumn kitchen. Heat gives an earthy bottle a pulse. There is enough weight here to stand up to a bitter or a spice without disappearing under it. Fresh juice, or grilled wedges for a smokier drink. The awamori fruit.
Why this works Pineapple's acid and sugar overwhelm a soft rice bottle There is real sugar in this bottle already, and acid is what keeps it from reading as syrup. The newer imo shochu are bred for lychee and tropical aromatics, so tropical fruit is agreeing with the bottle rather than fighting it. Dolin dry or Noilly Prat. A quarter of the shochu's volume, stirred cold.
Why this works Dry vermouth and a sweet bottle argue Rice shochu and dry vermouth, stirred, is the martini bars actually serve at this proof Rice shochu, dry vermouth, a lemon twist A bar spoon, no more. Salt, and the savory note that comes with it.
Why this works Brine and sweetness do not agree Umeboshi in hot shochu is a Kagoshima winter, and salt is the fastest way to make an earthy bottle taste like more of itself. Dirty, on a rice base: the sweetness and the brine argue in a good way Cold-brewed chamomile as a lengthener, or steeped in the spirit.
Why this works Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Half-and-half or heavy cream, in the after-dinner glass only.
Why this works Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination. Cordial or the liqueur. Muscat, lychee and honey in one flower.
Why this works Only for the lychee-scented bottles. On a heavy, roasted imo the flowers simply disappear. Cold whole milk. Shochu milk-wari is a real order in Kyushu, not a dare.
Why this works Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination. The dairy-free milk that tastes of cereal, which is why it likes grain spirits.
Why this works Milk and Calpis do soften imo shochu, and that is exactly the point for someone who thinks they dislike it. It is a gateway, not a destination.