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soba shochu reviews

In the 1970s in Miyazaki Prefecture, soba shochu (soba shōchū そば焼酎) was first created. Long considered a healthy food, soba, or buckwheat as it is called in English, soon caught on as a healthier way to drink alcohol. The famous Unkai Distillery capitalized on this with their popular Unkai brand, which remains the most popular buckwheat shochu in Japan.

Buckwheat (soba) is often used to make noodles in Japan, but can also be used to make shochu.

Despite its name, buckwheat, or soba, is not a wheat, but a seed from the marigold family. Most of us know of soba noodles, which are buckwheat noodles that are essentially soul food in Japan. And they are delicious whether served hot in a soup or cold with a dipping sauce. Beyond that, soba noodles have purported health benefits compared to ramen or udon, which are made with wheat flour.

The Nagano region of Japan has now made buckwheat shochu their own local product as one of the top soba producing regions of the country, though most buckwheat shochu is still produced in Miyazaki thanks to Unkai Distillery, which is now one of the largest shochu distilleries in Japan.

SOBA SHOCHU REVIEWS

Exceptional

Towari A 100% buckwheat shochu with rich, nutty, roasted flavors and a surprising caramel popcorn flavor when diluted with water.

Recommended

Kagura Tensho A buckwheat (soba) blend. Smooth and easy to drink.

Worth Drinking

Kagura no Mai A light buckwheat shochu with an interesting aroma profile.

Unkai An affordable, approachable soba shochu.

KANPAI!

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ShochuTengokuKANPAI.US@ShochuTengoku·
8 Jan

This coming week's #shochusday promises to be a memorable one. @ChrisPellegrini & @shochu_danji tackle Korean #soju rather than Japanese #shochu. Please leave weapons at home. https://kanpai.us/event/shochu-pros-shochusday-34-soju/

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Shochu Reviews

iichiko Kurobin

My personal favorite iichiko brand available in the US is iichiko Kurobin. Kurobin is literally translated as "black bottle," which is a pretty on the nose description of this evocative packaging. It is simply too pretty to throw away after finishing.

Shochu Reviews

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu IMO

The SG Shochu IMO is a clear invitation to create the classic imo cocktail. If you get it right, it will resonate and cascade around the world until you can't not have sweet potato shochu on your menu if you consider yourself a proper drinking establishment.

Tasting Notes: Nankai

Nankai Shochu
At first whiff, Nankai smells faintly grassy, which is common in kokuto shochu owing to how kokuto sugar is made from fresh cut cane and that fresh grassiness is a sign of well made kokuto sugar. Sugar cane is, after all, a tall perennial grass. It is still pretty wild that they can capture that after fermentation and distillation.

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu MUGI

The SG Shochu MUGI Label
The SG Shochu MUGI wraps several barley shochu identities into one. It's lightly barrel-aged and carries the associated sweet notes. But there's also a graininess that is revealed when the temperature of the drink drops. It's a versatile barley shochu that can be enjoyed a variety of ways.

Shochu Reviews

Tasting Notes: Lento Shochu

Lento is the top selling kokuto shochu in Japan, and it is available internationally as well. Try it on the rocks or with sparkling water for a refreshing taste of the Amami Islands. Kanpai!

Tasting Notes: The SG Shochu KOME

Putting your nose in a glass of The SG Shochu Kome shows you just how complex a vacuum distilled rice shochu can be. Ginjo sake aromas from the yeast, pineapple, melon, and a faint hint of dairy-like lactic acidity are all present.

Mizu Lemongrass Shochu

Mizu Lemongrass Shochu may not be an authentic honkaku shochu due to the use of lemongrass, but this is a case where a beautiful spirit breaks the rules.

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