DAIYAME, SEKITOBA

Aromatic Shochu Renaissance

June 19, 2024

How Aromatic Shochu are Changing the Game

Shochu is starting a new boom. Aromatic shochu is attracting particular attention among young people and women. Shochu with fruity aromas such as banana, lychee, and melon have been introduced one after another, renewing the image of shochu as a traditional spirit.

Different from sake and wine, shochu can be enjoyed in a variety of drinking styles. The recent trend of mixing shochu with soda is gaining popularity as a new way to enjoy shochu. At Japanese izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), customers who are not used to drinking shochu say that the soda mix is very popular with them. The soda mix enhances the variety of shochu flavors and provides the enjoyment of choice with the introduction of new flavored shochu. According to National Tax Agency data, domestic sales of authentic shochu and awamori are on the decline, but aromatic shochu has bucked this trend, with a record 14 products released in 2023. These products make full use of unique technologies, including the ingenious use of yeast to produce the aroma. Of course, these aromatic shochu are also in the authentic shochu category.

The source describes aromatic shochu through fruit- and flower-like profiles. It cites Hamada Shuzo’s Daiyame, CHILL GREEN made with Taiwanese maqaw, and Kokubu Shuzo’s “flamingo orange” and “Yasuda” as examples of this category. Soda service is mentioned in the source as one presentation style, not as a reader recommendation.

The article records a shift from traditional presentation styles toward soda-based service in parts of the aromatic-shochu market.

Consumer-directed tasting language from the original closing has been removed.

Related category information: shochu