iichiko Saiten

Brand: iichiko Saiten

Distillery: Sanwa Shurui

Location: Usa & Hita, Oita Prefecture, Japan

Grain: barley (mugi)

Koji: white (shiro)

Distillation: blended

Alcohol: 43% (86 proof)

Price: $$$

Introduction

You don’t have to travel far to hear someone claim that Japanese shochu’s easiest path to America’s belly is through cocktails. Sidecar to that discussion are the caveats of full proof and unmuted aroma profiles; basically, a spirit that won’t get overwhelmed by other ingredients in a cocktail.

It appears that Sanwa Shurui, the talented people behind the iichiko line of barley shochu products (see Stephen’s recent Kurobin tasting for more about the company’s philosophy), has been listening. Saiten is a 43% ABV all-barley shochu that is no lilting flower.

Tasting Notes

Saiten is sweet on the nose and balanced from front to back on the palate. The largest slice of the aroma pie here is banana bread, oddly. There is also a subtle toast and sweet nuttiness underneath.

The palate is layered and the finish long. The banana notes continue, but they’re joined by melon sweetness with a tart kiwi accent. In short, Saiten is a medium-bodied, mouth-coating barley shochu unlike any other.

I also enjoyed Saiten on the rocks. The bread loses some of its sweetness with the change in temperature and reminded me of dinner rolls. I noticed buttered toast on the palate with a soft hint of caramel. I would also recommend trying it with sparkling water (Saiten 1:2 bubbles) where it becomes markedly refreshing, sessionable, and dangerous.

The Verdict: Exceptional

After winning some awards on the international spirits circuit (including double-gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition), there’s ample evidence that iichiko Saiten deserves serious consideration by bartenders everywhere. It’s a layered spirit that can add a sweet and nuanced barley quality to pretty much anything under the sun, which makes perfect sense because Saiten (彩天) means ‘colorful sky’ in Japanese.

Kanpai!