1. Definition of shochu
Shochu is distilled in two ways, single-distilling or multiple-distilling, resulting in two categories of shochu.

Multiple-distilled shochu:

2. Raw Materials
Shochu is made from one of several ingredients while sake is made from only rice.

1) Rice Shochu – Made with rice
2) Awamori – Rice shochu made in Okinawa
3) Imo Shochu – Made with sweet potatoes
4) Mugi Shochu – Made with wheet
5) Soba Shochu – Made with buckwheat
6) Kokutou Shochu – Made with sugar canes
7) Kasutori – Made with sake distilling byproducts

Additionally, shochu can be made from corn, sesame seeds, squash, or carrots depending on the desired taste. No matter what the ingredients, shochu is always clear and has a light flavor.

3. Facts

•	Single-distilled shochu can be enjoyed straight, or as a compliment to a meal.
•	Shochu originated in the southern regions of Japan and is very popular there. However, its popularity has spread to Tokyo area.
•	According to statistics, the amount of all types of shochu shipped within Japan in 2003 exceeded that of sake for the first time in 53 years. (Nihon Keizai Shinbun, March 11, 2004).

4. The Premium Shochu Category
On Japan’s Internet auction sites, you will see clear distilled spirits that are traded at a premium of more than 40,000 (approximately US$350) per bottle.
No, this is not Bordeaux First Growth, nor Opus One, not even Penfolds Grange. No, it is not Cognac or 20 year old single malt whisky.
What is being offered here is Japan’s own distilled spirit called Authentic Shochu.
At 25 percent alcohol by volume (50 proof) on average and at maybe just one year in age, the 40-thousand Yen price tag for such a shochu may seem steep.
But what justifies the price is not just the excellent flavor and drinkability of this drink, but also the overall scarcity of the product

– especially at the quality end of the spectrum. Here’s an example.
Using only locally grown premium raw material, say sweet potatoes harvested fresh in the morning and carefully peeled by hand, the Authentic Shochu is made in small batches, in tiny pots and stills.
The pot-strength undiluted shochu is kept for about a year, then the alcohol level is adjusted to about 25 % ABV by adding local spring (or ground) water.
The average production for a boutique distillery is around 100,000 sho (a sho is a 1.8 liter unit), which would equate to roughly 40,000 liters of pure alcohol.
By comparison, this is less than one fiftieth of the production volume of the world famous Macallan distillery, the fifth largest malt whisky distillery in the world, which produces 5.19 million liters of single malt whisky at 40% ABV.

5. Classifications of Japanese Distilled Spirits

As with single malt and grain whiskies, there are strict regulations that define the different classifications of this Japanese distilled spirit. Continuous distilled shochu is classified as White Liquor (25% ABV) and generally sold at 300-400 (US$2.50 – 3.30) per liter. This accounts for roughly half the volume of shochu sold.

The other group is single pot-distilled, known as Authentic Shochu. A single pot-distilled ‘Authentic’ shochu can also be mass-produced, even using cost-efficient, imported raw materials (such as rice from Thailand, sweet potato from China, etc.).  The ten best-selling single pot-distilled shochus make up about 80% of the entire category sales.  But only the remainder, that is made by small independent distillers (some of which are deemed cult distilleries, making ‘Super Premium Authentic Shochus’) and made using only locally produced raw materials, is ‘truly’ Authentic Shochu.

	Japanese sake, which is perhaps more commonly understood outside Japan (for now!), also has structured classifications.  Aside from ‘ordinary sake’, there are ‘special designation sakes’, such as Junmai and Honjozo.  Within each special designation, there are ‘premium’ - categories such as Junmai Ginjo with rice weight polished to 60% and Junmai Daiginjo with rice milled to 50% or less.
Whisky, brandy and wine also have similar grading systems, but they are often complicated for the amateurs to understand and, hence, the likelihood of buyers trading without an adequate knowledge of pricing justifications.  We can’t change that; but we do aim in this booklet to provide shochu buyers with a clear understanding on which to base their consumption decisions.

6. Introducing The Premium Shochu Collection
The Premium Shochu Collection (known as The Maboroshi Shochu Collection in some countries) was created in 2001 with a goal to present to the discriminating consumer carefully selected, truly great Authentic Shochus and Shochu-based liqueurs. Since its inception, 13 independent, family-owned distilleries have worked cooperatively and released more than 60 labels under The Collection, making it one of Japan’s most prominent ranges of premium shochus, with over a million bottles sold annually. Since 2002, we have been actively promoting our Authentic Shochus overseas and are now exporting to 9 countries. Trade and media tastings have been held in London, New York City, Atlanta (at an official Mayoral dinner), Paris, Bordeaux and Milan. In each city, the events have attracted much positive attention. The Japanese media, TV and newspapers alike, have also proudly reported how shochu was welcomed away from home. When shochu producers are assessed for The Collection, they must satisfy the following basic criteria such as:

•	They are truly independent, family-owned distilleries
•	Their production process is entirely or nearly all by hand, starting from raw material preparation, through fermentation and distillation, to bottling/labeling
•	The production is small scale, especially that the size of the pot still is no bigger than 10 tons, which is the size said to be appropriate for highest quality shochu making
•	They have the capacity for long term aging that allows for milder shochu flavors and/or of earthen/ceramic pot fermentation which creates complexity in shochu
•	The attitude of the management must be to seek quality rather than quantity
•	The raw materials are sourced locally, not imported.

From these perspectives, we selected 13 producers from the more than 500 shochu distilleries that exist in the country. The super premium Authentic Shochus introduced in this booklet were selected by the Master of Sake, professional sake sommeliers and marketers, together with the distillers themselves. Each of these fine shochus is impeccable – like a sharpened fine Samurai sword - in terms of the raw materials used, fermentation and distillation processes and aging. We invite you to enjoy The Premium Shochu Collection from the top 1% of Japan’s distilled spirit category.

© 2006 OVAL ONE Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.