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A versatile spirit that spans a broad spectrum of flavours and textures depending on which raw ingredients are chosen, the distillation method, and choice of maturation vessel. Comparative to other spirits, it is difficult to label shochu with a single descriptor.
Shochu can be made from various ingredients, Imo (sweet potato), Mugi (barley), and Kome (rice) are the three most common, but also widely found is Kokutou (brown sugar), Sakekasu (sake lee), Shiso (perilla), and Soba (buckwheat). In Okinawa, they produce an indigenous spirit called awamori made in the same fashion but using Thai rice.
Brewing is done with the addition of Koji and yeast. Koji, made by adding koji mold to steamed rice and letting it reproduce, is essential for Japanese fermented foods such as soy sauce and miso. Similarly, koji plays a major role in shochu and awamori and is vital to bring forth the flavour, oiliness, and deep sweetness of these spirits.
Like Irish whisky distillation can be done in either continuous or batch distillation but with stills made of stainless steel rather than copper. There is no limit on the number of distillations, however the alcohol by volume must not exceed 46 percent. Small batch shochu is typically distilled only once and finished at 20-25 percent. For this reason, it is a spirit with many aromatic components, and one that displays the characteristics of its ingredients well.
Most shochu is aged in stainless steel tanks or ceramic jars, as it ages organic aromas typical of newmake spirit are eliminated, and the flavour becomes more rounded, mellow and smooth. A small amount of shochu is aged in wooden casks. Rice and barley shochu work particularly well when barrel-aged, developing characteristics comparable to single malt whisky.
Shochu is a largely unknown spirit in the world right now, but we strongly believe it has big potential in the Australian market and should enjoyed on a much wider scale. At Goodram’s we import shochu from craft breweries all over Japan to give Australian consumers the opportunity to experience this hidden gem firsthand.
Sweet potato shochu is aromatic and varied in its elements. It has fruit notes such as lychee and mango, and floral notes of lavender and roses. It can range in profile from pisco, to more full-bodied types resembling jenever. It becomes richer as it ages and has the strongest character of all shochu.
Barley has a richness and flavour that rivals lightly barrel-aged whiskey or rum. As it matures, the nose settles down and its flavour develops to becomes fuller and more intense.
Rice has a light and high fragrance like that of Ginjo sake, with hints of green apple, citrus, melon, amongst many others and covers everything from fresh, vodka-like styles to those with a maltiness more akin to a Speyside whisky.
Brown sugar shochu has a light, crisp, green aroma, comparable to unaged rums and cachaça. As it matures, it develops a richer, fuller body, with a subtle change in fragrance.
Awamori is moderate in both fragrance and character. With age, it develops a richer and fuller flavour with fruity nuances.
Okayama Shochu is served in beautiful, locally made porcelain decanters each with their own unique Kanji.
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