Ancient
The
JAPANESE SHOCHU
OFFERS A WHOLE NEW
WORLD OF FLAVOR
and the
Undiscovered
by Courtney Humiston / photos by Hardy Wilson
1 10 / the tasting panel / october 2014
Takara Sake USA Inc. imports an impressive portfolio of
shochus, Japan’s traditional distilled beverage.
it’s
not often that you get a room full of beverage professionals who admit to knowing nothing about the liquor at hand. But such was the case
recently at Takara, a saké brewery in Berkeley, CA. Its parent company, Takara Shuzo,
is both Japan’s leading saké maker and the top producer of shochu, the traditional
Japanese distilled beverage. The company’s American arm, Takara Sake USA Inc.,
imports many Japanese spirits. In the center of the tasting room were ten bottles of
shochu—the labels were in Japanese and the only information we were given was
the base ingredient for each: rice, barley, buckwheat, sweet potatoes and grain.
It’s rare for those of us whose job it is to taste booze to encounter something new.
Not that shochu is new—the Japanese have been distilling it for over 400 years
(“since the Edo Period,” says Izumi Motai, Takara’s Marketing Manager). But in the
U.S., it’s been largely ignored. “I don’t really know anything about it,” admits Angel
Valdez, a long-time Bay Area bartender who is eager to incorporate shochu into the
bar program at Iyasare, a Japanese restaurant in Berkeley.
Like any distilled spirit, there are varying degrees of quality of shochu. The ones
we are tasting today—and the ones that Takara hopes will gain ground in the U.S.—
are mostly single- or pot-distilled: As in any good gin or whiskey, the character of the
base ingredient and the terroir, shine through. There are also multiple- or columndistilled shochus, which are cleaner, more neutral and typically used as a cocktail
base (especially in California), commonly diluted to 48 proof or less in order to skirt
liquor laws.
The Real Deal
But the real deal, the single-distilled shochu, is an incredibly complex and balanced
product with distinctive characteristics, as we discover. “I had no idea they could be so
different,” says Christopher Moreno, a bartender at Bar Agricole in San Francisco. “It’s
not just a single note, says Valdez. “They can be fruity, they can be perfumey or earthy.
It has a lot of complexity.” Jessy Slim, also of Bar Agricole, agrees: “It’s almost like you
can taste the different regions.”
Besides the dramatic difference in the base ingredients—we find the barley to be
grassy and smoky like a rye whiskey, while the sweet potato offers up more roundness
and fruitiness—the type of koji (mold) used to ferment the base ingredient (like whiskey, shochu starts with a fermented mash) adds another layer of complexity. A black
koji mold gives one of Takara’s sweet potato shochus, KuroYokaichi, a distinctive earthy
nose, like a root vegetable decomposing in rich, dark soil. This may not sound entirely
pleasant, but Christian Geideman, owner of Ippuku, a hip yakitori-style restaurant in
downtown Berkeley, puts it best: “The same people who appreciate whiskey appreciate
the effort that goes into shochu.”
Shochu paired with cuisine from
Ippuku, a yakitori-style restaurant in
Berkeley, CA.
Sampling shochu (Left to right):
Takara’s consulting mixologist, Martha
Chong; author Courtney Humiston;
Christopher Moreno and Jessy Slim,
both of Bar Agricole in San Francisco.
Traditional vs. Modern Concepts
At Ippuku, where the majority of the menu is grilled or fried, Geideman offers
more than 50 shochus—many of them served on tap— and only about 20 sakés.
“Shochu is a better match with grilled meat than saké,” says Geideman. Stronger
flavors from both the wood charcoal they use on the grill, as well as the umami-rich
sauces, call for a stronger beverage: “Shochu is more palate-cleansing,” he says.
Here, shochu is mainly served neat, on the rocks or diluted with a little cold or
warm water. Geideman is not a fan of mixing it in drinks (although they do serve
Chu-Hi, a simple cocktail made with fresh fruit and soda water that is popular among
young people in Japan): “It’s such a unique product, I don’t want to dilute the experience,” he says. But the bartenders who attended the tasting, who are accustomed
to using high-end, complex products in their drinks, were excited by the potential
shochu has behind the bar. “These are some really interesting flavors,” says Moreno
reflecting on the possibility of substituting barley shochu (which is often aged in old
whiskey barrels) for whiskey in classics like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
Martha Chong, who has been working with Takara to create cocktail recipes with
shochu for the last couple of years (see sidebar), warns against overpowering or
diluting the shochu. “It can be difficult to work with because it has a very delicate
quality. You don’t want to stir it; just serve it over ice.”
Motai and his colleagues at Takara are open to just about anything as long as it
means getting it in front of more drinkers: “It’s a very undervalued product,” he says.
In today’s spirit-savvy world, the potential to turn guests onto something they haven’t
had before is compelling. “Shochu is about discovery and exploration,” says Motai.
Mixologist Angel Valdez is eager
to incorporate shochu into the bar
program at Iyasare in Berkeley, CA.
october 2014 / the tasting panel / 111
Shochu Tasting Notes
Here are my notes on shochus offered by Takara, along with serving suggestions.—C. H.
Yokaichi Kome (rice,
50 proof)
Clean, pure and smooth
with mild soft-rice aromas
and bright floral notes, this is
the perfect vodka substitute
and would liven up the
typical vodka soda.
Gankutsuoh (rice, 50 proof)
Dry, crisp and clean with
notes of vanilla, tropical fruit
and melon. Sophisticated
and well rounded, serve
neat or chilled with white
vermouth and a lemon twist.
Jun (grain, multi-distilled,
70 proof)
Obscure, confident and
untamed, pair this fully
spirited shochu with the rawest of meats and fermented
soybeans.
Yokaichi Mugi (barley, 50
proof & 48 proof)
Round, creamy mouthfeel
with aromas of roasted
grass, baked bread and burnt
toast. A rich texture with
umami-like flavors of mushroom and earth. Serve neat
with bitters and pair with red
meat like beef tataki.
Beniikko (sweet potatoes,
50 proof)
Delicate aromatics of
green grass with hints of
clove and freshly grated
ginger. Slightly sweet and
fruity on the palate, with a
patient flavorful finish, pair
with squid or other grilled
seafood.
Towari (buckwheat, 50
proof)
Gentle, smoky and refined
with aromas of roasted soba
noodles, barnyard, wholegrain bread, banana and
vanilla bean. A rich, earthy
nose leads to a light delicate
charcoal quality on the
palette; serve with stews,
potatoes and lamb.
Kurokame (sweet potatoes,
50 proof)
Crisp, dry and minerally
with intense aromatics
of fresh, just-harvested
root vegetables. Elegant
and gentle with complex
textures, subtle saline-like
flavors; serve with seaweed,
salads and fruits.
Kuro Yokaichi Imo (sweet
potatoes, 48 proof)
Fruity and floral with a
soft mouthfeel reminiscent
of overripe root vegetables.
Refreshing and harmonious,
serve with eggplant and
sprouted grains.
Ikkomon (sweet potatoes,
50 proof & 48 proof)
Mellow, earthy, floral and
perfumey; sophisticated,
full bodied, with a balanced
texture and smooth, sweet
snow-melt character. Serve
with sweet and creamy
dishes.
Takara Shochu (grain,
multi-distilled, 48 proof)
Gentle and refined, with
a quiet beginning and rich
complex, slightly menthol
finish. Serve with chicken
and grilled peppers. This is
the best-selling shochu in
Japan for making Chu-Hi.
Shochu Availability:
All Takara shochu products
are available nationwide.
Please contact Takara for the
distribution at 510-540-8250
or write to
[email protected].
Modern Concepts in Premium Shochu: Cocktails by Martha Chong
Southern Harvest
Yokaichi Royale
This has a classic cocktail structure,
and I love the combination of brown grain
spirits with Amaro Nonino!
The earthiness of the shochu is nicely balanced
by the floral qualities of the Lillet, and the drink
has incredible depth and body.
◗ 3 oz. Yokaichi Mugi (barley shochu)
◗ ½ oz. Dolin Rouge sweet vermouth
◗ ¼ Amaro Nonino
◗ 2 oz. Kuro Yokaichi Imo (sweet potato shochu)
◗ 1 oz. Lillet
◗ ¼ oz. Grand Marnier
◗ one light dash Angostura Bitters
◗ Mix ingredients, chill, and serve on the rocks;
The Southern Harvest, made with barleybased shochu Yokaichi Mugi.
1 12 / the tasting panel / october 2014
garnish with a cherry.
◗ All the contents should be bottled together,
chilled and served on the rocks.