take me to tokyo

Welcome to the Party Shochu!

Pop & Cultured was given the honor of slipping under the velvet rope to attend The Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and Japan Houses’ Shochu Kick-off party here in the states

We’ve been sleeping on Japan’s Favorite spirit or spirits we should say! For the first time ever these hidden gems are finally able to be sold in the US.

Shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit that is typically made from barley, sweet potatoes, rice, or buckwheat. So it’s like Sake but Shochu has a higher alcohol content than sake, typically ranging from about 25% to 35%.

The taste of shochu can vary depending on the base ingredient used in its production. Barley shochu tends to have a clean and smooth flavor - like an American Whiskey.

While sweet potato shochu has a more robust and earthy taste closer to a vodka and rice shochu has a delicate and slightly sweet flavor profile-more like wines and sake.

We even tasted a champagne like shochu that had a slight lemon burst with bubbles. It was refreshing and lovely!

Like everything else in Japan, shochu embodies the essence of Japanese craftsmanship and tradition, offering a sensory journey that celebrates the rich heritage and culinary excellence. In a mixed drink or on the rocks? It’s good both ways -so take a moment to journey (even if it’s emotionally) to the land of the rising sun. Grateful for another gift from our friends in the East! Kanpi!