Not that long ago, shochu was considered a poor man’s drink and was said to have all the delicacies of drinking dishwashing liquid.

Not anymore. Shochu now outsells sake in Japan. The drink formerly known as rotgut is enjoying A-list status abroad and starting to make inroads in America.

Shochu vs. Sake
What’s the difference between shochu and sake? Sake is brewed from rice, while shochu is distilled from a variety of ingredients like sweet potato, barley, rice, soba, brown sugar, sesame, and dates.

Less is More
Compared to other distilled spirits, shochu has less calories, less alcohol, and is said to cause less of a hangover. Think vodka-light, but with more flavors and tastes, ranging from the subtle to the complex.

Drink Up
Depending on the style of shochu, it can be consumed straight up, on the rocks, with fruit juice or tea, mixed with hot water, or as a cocktail.

Kanpai
In Japanese, the common toast is “kanpai” (dry your cup). But if your cup goes dry, it’s customary to wait for your drinking companion to replenish your glass and you refill theirs.

Read the full article for a more in-depth view of shochu.

WHERE TO BUY SHOCHU

• Sakaya
  324 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10003
  T: 212.505.SAKE (7253)

WHERE TO DRINK SHOCHU

Sakaya recommends:

• Umi No Ie
  86 East 3rd Street, New York, NY 10079
  T: 646.654.1122
• EN Japanese Brasserie
  435 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
  T: 212.647.9196

Umi No Ie recommends:

• Greenwich Grill & Sushi Azabu
  428 Greenwich Street, New York NY 10013
  T: 212.274.0428

Gotham Bar and Grill's Jason Hall recommends:

• Izakaya Ten
  207 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
  T: 212.627.7777

WHERE TO DRINK KOREAN SOJU

• Don's Bogam BBQ
  17 East 32nd Street, New York, NY 10079
  T: 212.683.2200

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