Honkaku Shochu
What is Honkaku Shochu? Choose by Base Ingredient
Honkaku shochu is single-distilled to bring out the character of its base ingredient. Sweet potato, barley, rice, brown sugar — each gives a distinct personality. At Nishizawa we carefully select honkaku shochu that reflects each distillery’s craft.
By ingredient
Flavor by ingredient
Sweet potato (imo)
Sweet, lush aroma and body. The fragrance blooms in a hot-water mix.
Barley (mugi)
Light and easy to drink, with little edge. Great on the rocks or with water.
Rice (kome)
Clean and refined with a gentle sweetness. Pairs well with Japanese food.
Brown sugar, soba & more
Distinctive ingredients too — we will guide you to your taste.
How to enjoy
How do you best enjoy honkaku shochu?
- Hot-water mix (oyuwari): pour the hot water first, then the shochu — the aroma blooms (especially imo).
- Water / on the rocks: enjoy the lightness of barley or rice.
- Maewari (pre-mixed): mix with water the day before and rest it for a rounder taste.
Find the honkaku shochu that suits you.
We will help you choose by ingredient, strength and how you like to drink it.