Shochu, Japan’s native distilled spirit, represents a relatively small slice of the market here in the U.S. But with rising interest here in Japanese-inspired bars and restaurants, it’s time to get to know shochu a little better.
In brief, it’s a traditional spirit, with roots that can be traced back to the 1500s. The production process is unique: shochu can be made from more than 50 agricultural products, including rice, barley, sweet potato and sugarcane, and uses koji (usually a grain or legume inoculated with koji mold spores) for
