I sometimes worry that shochu may never catch on the way I want it to. Many types are acquired tastes for sure, and who can blame people for not spending the time when there is so much else to drink? But then again, it’s 2021, and people are drinking Chamisul and random gins neat so why not the superior (to soju), more approachable and far cheaper (vs gin) shochu?
Obviously the marketing for shochu is fragmented in a way (especially overseas) that Jinro never has to worry about, but even on the grassroots level, I’ve been sharing shochu in best-intentioned but probably misguided ways. For example, I’ve always introduced shochu neat/with water/on the rocks/and if in winter, with hot water. As someone who enjoys the taste of most shochus neat and wants to promote the traditional and uncompromising nature of authentic (honkaku) shochu production, this seems like an obvious approach. However, I can’t count how many times this has been greeted with grimaces or choked swallows – would anyone introduce vodka this way? Distilled drinks just take some getting used to – I still remember my first time trying a Islay single malt neat, yikes
Perhaps it’s time shochu evangelicals embrace new ways of presenting the drink; with soda as the default; simple shochu cocktails e.g. with syrup or citrus; embracing the new gimmicky aromatic/fragrant varieties that traditionalists don’t love (like Daiyame or Flamingo Orange). As soju-fans don’t gripe when a shot of soju is dunked into a beer, neither do gin-lovers question your appreciation of gin when you ask for a tonic. People drink gin neat because G&Ts have been mainstream for just that long.
I don’t think of myself myself as a shochu snob, but if I’m actively doing things that prevent people from drinking more shochu just because of ‘principle,’ what other word is there? Thinking back, I got into shochu through a green tea shochu (Gyokuro), and used to gag on my friend’s favorite Kannoko (which i love now). Maybe it’s time to go back to the drawing board…
