IT MAY ONLY BE THE KOREAN STRAIT   that separates South Japan’s shochu and South Korea’s soju but, in terms of global outlook, the spirits are oceans apart. 

Soju is more akin to vodka – big brands with big ambitions, selling on a pitch of neutrality. While shochu can swing that way too, in the form of its mass-produced Korui, its crafted Otsurui style is where many producers are pinning international hopes. 

Japanese whisky acts as precedent to shochu’s band of producers. In whisky it was the crafted styles that made an impression – who outside of Japan is familiar with the large groups’ volume brands, Suntory Kakubin and Black Nikka? So what does shochu have to do to repeat the trick? 

“Shochu just needs to be marketed right,” says Wakana Omija, global brand development manager of Akashi-Tai shochu. “For the European audience, serving on the rocks is probably the best way to enjoy what each style of shochu has to offer. Commissioning somebody like Michel Gondry to make the commercial and James Bond to drink Shochu Martini in his next film will be big help.”

Stirred, not shaken (see How to make a Mizuwari, right) might not have the same ring – but drinking shochu with water, over ice, or straight up are elegant enough serves for the connoisseur. The starting point for most consumers though – once they have pegged the difference between shochu and sake (which is brewed not distilled) – will be Japanese restaurants. Served in the right setting, and ideally paired with Yakitori, shochu could garner a narrow but significant following.

Masafumi Ando, chief of Takara Shuzo’s London office, has visited 95% of the 650 Japanese restaurants in London.  “The cost of marketing is a lot – education has to come first,” he says. “I present ideas to restaurants for Asian-themed cocktails.”

Ando is realistic about shochu’s ability to ever compete with the big categories, but a presence at Imbibe Live 2013 shows the UK restaurant and bartending fraternity are certainly listening.  “Ten years ago we would never have come to a show like this but now it’s worth our while,” says Adrian Cohen of Tazaki foods, importer of Takara’s  shochu. 

Cohen reports that the past five years have seen a boom for the spirit in the UK – no longer are his shochu customers purely of Japanese origin.  “In the past year or two, interest has really stepped up,” he says. Along with London, Takara also distributes its seven brands in France. “Paris is also exciting. Along with London it is the biggest shochu market,” says Ando.

Akashi-Tai shochu can be found in Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore. The UK, though, is its biggest and fastest-growing market. “I spent the past seven years in the UK planting the seeds and nurturing,” says Akashi-Tai’s Omija. “For the past three years or so Eaux de Vie has been our sole importer in the UK and it really took us to the next step and beyond. The timing was also right for this kind of product.”

Pivotal moment

A pivotal moment in the UK for shochu was the opening of Zuma’s sister restaurant Roka and its downstairs bar Shochu Lounge. Conceptually devised by author, bartender and drinks pseudo-scientist Tony Conigliaro, the menu offers large jars and glasses of infused shochu (peach, jasmine, cherry, plum, coffee and strawberry are all on offer), cocktails such as shochu, cucumber and sake and experimental libations such as Roka Sangria. 

Some believe shochu has a future outside of Japanese-themed bars and restaurants. Hisanori Tengeiji of the Oenon group, which owns Hakata No Hana, Big Man and Mugi Zakari, says schochu’s international success hinges on its low abv.  “Usually, the alcohol degree of shochu products is 20% or 25% by volume. It is lower than whisky or brandy. Therefore, it must be better for consumers who are concerned about their health.” 

Tony Conigliaro doubts the spirit can ever thrive outside of its traditional setting. “The big barrier is that shochu is so cultural it stays within the realm of Japanese cuisine. The Japanese flavour palate is very different from ours – it is savoury and umami based. “There are then people that will feel cheated by the abv – and shochu is also very expensive.”

At Iichiko, an Otsurui style, but also the largest shcochu brand at 8.2 million 9-litre cases, the feeling is that shochu must adapt, not consumers. 

“Iichiko’s characteristic is it can change the style for each customer. We don’t persist with the traditional Japanese style. Of course we will inform consumers about Shochu’s culture, history and traditional style, but we think the most important thing is to adapt Iichiko to each culture like the California Roll (a type of sushi).” Iichiko might not be on every Japanese menu, as the Californian Roll, but it now exports to 30 international countries, with the US and China its biggest markets.

Breakthrough potential

For Takara’s Ando, the breakthrough potential lies in Korui shochu, which he sees as competing with other neutral and mixable white spirits. The frosted bottle of Takara’s Japan brand is more of a nod to Grey Goose or Belvedere than traditional Japanese shochu. “Korui has the most potential – foreigners like the Japan bottle – it is very identifiable,” he says.

In the domestic market the general trend over recent years has been towards Otsurui shochu. “In general in Japan, people prefer to drink Otsurui because of the natural flavour of ingredients,” says Tetsuro Miyazak of Iichiko. “Also Japanese people believe Otsurui is good for health, has no sugar and doesn’t cause a hangover after drinking it. Korui is consumed for mixing with something, such as oolong-tea. In this case Japanese people don’t care about its taste.”

According to Oenon’s Tengeiji the trend towards Otsurui was arrested somewhat because of the downturn. “Many consumers have gone to the cheaper Korui shochu due to the economic recession,” he says. “However, since then Highball (whisky and soda) trend, the overall consumption of shochu is on a downward trend.”  

Tengeiji’s observations are backed by Euromonitor International’s calculation that the category shrunk by 13% during 2007-2013 to 112 million 9-litre cases. So, with stagnation at home, exporting becomes less of a vanity project and more of a logical step. It’ll be a long wade into the mainstream, but a small trickle of sales in a number of markets could help to create momentum. 

Just think, 20 years ago not a soul would have guessed Suntory could win Distillery of the Year twice in a row at the International Spirits Challenge. Without an established market for the spirit, shochu’s international challenge will be even stiffer.