Whereas sake has lengthy been extra acquainted to American palates, shochu is lastly prepared for its second within the solar. In contrast to sake, which is a brewed rice wine, shochu is Japan’s native distilled spirit, with exceptional utility for consumption neat, on the rocks, in cocktails, and past.
And at a proof level usually hovering between 50 and 80, shochu can be suited to lengthier tastings throughout meals and social gatherings — no less than in comparison with a class like cask-strength whiskeys.
Earlier this 12 months, Drinkhacker had the prospect to take pleasure in a exceptional pairing of shochu and meals in one among New York Metropolis’s most revered Japanese eateries. Tucked away underground on the hidden but capacious Sakagura restaurant, we skilled a number of expressions, preparations, and pairings that will very properly preview a brand new wave of stateside ingesting tradition.
Who’s Behind a Potential Shochu Wave?
Shochu is the kind of drink that might very properly comply with within the footsteps of mezcal, with demand powered by each novelty-hungry shoppers and a burgeoning craft cocktail scene. It simply wants the proper advertising plan.
Spearheading one such plan is a collaboration between Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Affiliation (which represents over 270 shochu distillers) and the NY Japanese Restaurant Affiliation. By specializing in America’s largest restaurant and bar market, the 2 organizations are hoping to construct consciousness of and demand for shochu, one companion institution at a time. To that finish, they’ve designated February as Shochu Month, with 2023’s launch specializing in 24 NYC bars and eating places to pair bespoke meals programs with shochu tastings.
One companion restaurant is East Midtown’s Sakagura. Almost unmarked, and accessible solely by way of the foyer of an workplace constructing, Sakagura serves meals izakaya fashion and has been one among NYC’s prime locations for sake lovers since 1996. However they’ve additionally been a proponent of shochu’s adaptability and memorable taste selection.
Masatoshi Omichi, Sakagura’s longtime supervisor, thinks shochu is well-primed for reputation amongst a youthful era of drinkers. And the most effective vector for that new wave of development, he believes, is the very conventional highball.
Taking Highball Tradition Mainstream
The traditional shochu highball is remarkably easy: shochu, seltzer water, ice, and a garnish (usually citrus) added or squeezed in for taste. Palate-cleansing and refreshing, Omichi says the highball is a perfect approach to begin a meal, usually instead of beer or wine. To Omichi, a brand new era of diners is a bit more acutely aware of their consumption, with booze much less integral to the meal; as such, he targets dilution to between 8 and 12% abv.
At Sakagura, Omichi and his employees use imported Japanese water — famend for its gentle qualities — to make highball ice.
And for the reason that garnishes in highballs are adaptable, he says, cooks and bartenders can collaborate to match highballs with taste parts of the meals. (For instance, pairing lemon in a highball paired with a dish heavy on citrus parts.)
After introducing prospects to shochu through a highball, Omichi has a number of common tips for getting probably the most out of the spirit in its base type. When pre-chilled, shochu is greatest served neat; afterward in a meal, sure expressions can be served over a rock, which helps unlock aromas as one may discover with a high-quality whiskey. Each neat and rocks preparations, Omichi says, are helpful when paired with heavier or fried dishes to mood fattiness and cleanse the palate between bites.
A Shochu for Each Course
As with every spirit, the bottom for the shochu’s mash has a big effect on taste: rice, barley, buckwheat, candy potato, and potato can all impart totally different flavors, as can distillation types and yeast. Omichi particularly factors to each potato and candy potato shochu as fashionable profiles, more and more well-liked each neat and in highballs.
Over the course of our dinner at Sakagura, we sampled practically a dozen labels and preparations of shochu, every paired with particular menu gadgets.
A primary spotlight was a shochu highball paired with shishito peppers and white fish. Made with Daiyame 40, it carried exceptional lychee notes, indicative of present taste developments.
One other candy potato shochu, this time Komaki Jozo, was served neat and paired with fried lotus root and shrimp. Fermented in a extra conventional fashion, it had what Omichi says is a attribute funkiness whereas chopping by way of any fatty aftertaste.
Hyakunen no Kodoku — or “100 Years of Solitude” — was an aged expression served with the primary protein programs. At round 6-7 months of age, it carried an earthy, mushroom-like be aware that paired properly with heavy umami flavors within the dish, on this case salmon marinated in sake leaves.
Our post-meal pour was Tenshi no Yuwaku Candy Potato Shochu, aged as much as 10 years in used sherry barrels and ideally suited to taper off a dessert course.
With new imports coming on-line within the subsequent 12 months, it’s straightforward to see shochu’s U.S. growth making its method past the nation’s greatest markets. In our thoughts, the earlier, the higher.
