Ways to Enjoy "Shochu"

Ways to Enjoy "Shochu"

Find the Best Way to Drink it to Suit Your Tastes

One feature of Shochu is its variety of flavors,
depending on the ingredients used.
Shochu can be made from potatoes, wheat, rice, brown
"muscovado" sugar, and chestnuts.
Please find the best way to drink each kind.

Straight ＝natural (
1. Straight ＝natural ("ki" in Japanese):
To savor its original flavor

When drinking a brand for the first time, you can savor it "as is".
With all five senses, take time to experience the original aroma and taste.

To make it even more delicious...
  • Instead of using an everyday glass, why not drink it from a shot glass?
  • Depending on what type it is, your Shochu will be even more delicious if you chill it in the fridge or put it in the freezer for a little while to thicken it up a bit.
On the Rocks: (To feel how the taste changes from when you start drinking it to when you finish)
2.On the Rocks:
To feel how the taste changes from when you start drinking it to when you finish

At first, the full impact of the flavor will hit you. After a while, as the ice melts, you can enjoy its change in taste as the Shochu is diluted with water.
(How to make it)
The trick is to place large ice cubes in a glass. Once you fill the glass with ice cubes, slowly pour the Shochu along their sides and you're done!

To make it even more delicious...
  • If you use ice made with delicious water that melts slowly, it will taste even better!
Mizuwari (Diluted with cold water): (To enjoy a refreshing taste)
3."Mizuwari" (Diluted with cold water):
To enjoy a refreshing taste

This cool, refreshing way of drinking may become a habit! As the Shochu mingles with the water, it develops an exceptional taste!
(How to make it)
Pour the Shochu in first! Fill the glass with ice, then pour water to the brim in a proportion of 6 parts Shochu to 4 parts water, stir it and you're done!

To make it even more delicious...
  • If you're willing to go to a little extra trouble, we recommend the "Maewari" method.
    This means you do the above "Mizuwari" and let the water and Shochu "rest" for a day or two, allowing them to blend.
    When you drink it, you'll be surprised at how mild it feels in the mouth! Of course, you can also enjoy the "Mizuwari" by warming it up.
Oyuwari (Diluted with hot water): (To bring out the aromas of the Shochu's ingredients)
4."Oyuwari"(Diluted with hot water):
To bring out the aromas of the Shochu's ingredients

The shochu blends with the hot water, creating a mild mouthfeel.
In fact, potato shochu contains an aroma compound used in aromatherapy, and when blended with hot water, the fragrant steam will have a relaxing effect on you.
(How to make it)
Pour the hot water in first! That way, the container or glass can warm up while that hot water cools down to a comfortable temperature.
Everything will also blend more quickly this way than if you pour the Shochu in first.
The proportion is six parts Shochu to four parts water for a glass filled approximately 7/10ths full.
Convection will occur by adding room-temperature Shochu to hot water, so you don't have to stir it.

To make it even more delicious...
  • As for the ideal temperature,65-75 degrees (depending on room temperature) is recommended.
    In terms of the ratio of Shochu to hot water, in addition to the usual 6:4, try other proportions like 5:5 and 4:6 to find your preferred combination.
Sodawari(Diluted with soda): (Recommended for first-time drinkers)
5."Sodawari" (Diluted with soda):
Recommended for first-time drinkers

For those who might hesitate to try Shochu, we would like to suggest diluting it with soda so you can enjoy it like a whiskey "highball".
(How to make it)
Just like a "Mizuwari" preparation, fill a glass with ice and pour potato Shochu over it. With the same 6:4 proportion, pour ice-cold soda water over it, and you're done!

To make it even more delicious...
  • Recently, women who are new to Shochu have tried diluting it with coke!
    By adding a sprig of mint or a squirt of lime, we also recommend enjoying Shochu "cocktail-style"!