mugi (barley)

Mugi shochus tend to be among the most popular shochu styles in the United States. The smooth, balanced flavor is pleasant and easily drinkable. It’s good for mixing into cocktails or drinking on the rocks. Some barley shochus can be more flavorful, but many are just easy drinking.

When we first began exploring shochu a few years ago, our first introduction was iichiko silhouette, which was also the first shochu we reviewed for this site (out of nostalgia).

Without further explanation (see individual notes below), here are our compiled barley shochu reviews.

Kampai!

EXCEPTIONAL:

iichiko Kurobin – an elegant blended 100% barley shochu from those master blenders at Sanwa Shurui.

Kintaro A roasted barley shochu with depth and breadth and a beautiful nose.

Nakanaka A full bodied barley shochu with pleasant aromas and flavors of chocolate.

Tenpai An aromatic, richly flavored mugi aged in ceramic jars. Nutty, yeasty with hints of macadamia nuts and vanilla.

Yamanomori Rich, earthy, full bodied traditionally distilled mugi shochu.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

Kougin No Sasayaki A high-proof barley shochu with light, round flavors.

Mizunomai A high proof barley shochu that’s richly complex with lovely packaging.

Tsukushi Kuro A full bodied 100% mugi shochu. Delicate roasted flavors.

Tsukushi Shiro A full bodied mugi aged in ceramic pots that remains surprisingly drinkable despite the robust flavors.

Window’s Migaki A barley shochu aged in virgin oak barrels. Delicious.

RECOMMENDED:

Daigano Ideki A light whiskey barrel aged mugi with hints of tree sap and molasses.

Ginza no Suzume Kohak u A complex mugi, aged in bourbon barrels. Delicious!

iichiko silhouette Still one of our favorites. We may be biased, but we think this is the perfect starter shochu.

Kakushigura An oak aged mugi with a drier, woodier flavor profile than the other barrel aged mugi shochus.

Kannoko An oaked mugi aged 3 years. Should be a favorite among whiskey drinkers.

WORTH DRINKING:

Akaoni A straightforward mugi. Sweet, mellow, refreshing.

iichiko seirin An even lighter version of silhouette with just 20% ABV.

Ginza No Suzume Kuro Koji A full flavored black koji barley shochu. Not for the faint of heart.

Tombo A full flavored mugi at a korui shochu price. Globalization comes to shochu production.

Yokaichi Mugi A smooth, drinkable mugi. No surprises. One of the best bargains on the market.

COCKTAILS!

Juhyo Special Suntory Habanero Infusion! This is actually a korui shochu, which gives it a much more neutral, alcoholic flavor than the honkaku shochus.

Barley photo credit.

iichiko silhouette

This iichiko silhouette is probably the most common Japanese shochu currently available in the United States. In NYC I’ve seen it in random mom & pop liquor stores as the only shochu among a shelf of sake options. It’s most commonly available in 750ml bottles, though I’ve seen other sizes in other countries. This is a great starter shochu, which is why I’ve chosen it for my first tasting note. It was my introduction to shochu back in 2008. I’d had Korean soju before, but Japanese shochu is a strikingly different (and better) experience.

Shochu for the Summer Months

Humid evenings wearing a jinbei or yukata, fireworks over the water, and being reminded once again that old-school strawberry kakigori doesn’t taste much like strawberries at all. These are the indelible hallmarks of summer for many. But I am happy to propose a new addition, Japan’s summer shochu and awamori category.

Semi-officially known as natsu (summer) shochu, the seasonal sub-category is an industry newcomer, interfacing smoothly with the trend toward carbonated drinks such as chuhai and highballs. Summer versions of various sweet potato shochu brands have been joined on the market by rice, barley, kokuto, and awamori (also made with rice) to name a few.… Read More “Shochu for the Summer Months”

Nakanaka – a pleasant surprise

Nakanaka is the main brand of barley shochu from the very well respected Kuroki Honten in Miyzaki, which makes a wide range of delicious shochu across two different distilleries, but under the same ownership. Their premium barley shochu, Hyakunen no Kodoku, a 40% ABV barrel aged barley shochu, is arguably the most famous barley shochu in Japan. Nakanaka takes a more straightforward approach with atmospheric distillation and 100% barley.