This cocktail is served on an L-shaped cocktail stirrer that raises and lowers a large rectangle of ice, creating a heady fizz similar to freshly brewed beer. One of the most popular drinks on Jigger & Pony's menu.
Unlike most available brands that have a neutral grain alcohol taste, carefully crafted shochu often has flavorful aromas like mushrooms and hazelnuts.
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The most well-known version of this spirit is the artificially flavored and sweetened version, invariably produced by South Korea's largest soju maker, Jinro, whose green bottles are the subject of many late-night drinks. Scattered around the karaoke room.
Jinro not only dominates the shochu market, but is also the world's top alcoholic beverage brand. Parent company HiteJinro generated approximately US$1.13 billion in revenue from soju in 2022. That year, Jinro became the first alcoholic beverage brand to sell more than 100 million cases, up from 65.3 million cases a decade earlier.
Jinro's dominance stems from decades of austerity in rice production and distribution, which have made it difficult to produce high-quality shochu. In 1965, the South Korean government banned the use of rice in alcohol production in response to widespread starvation after the Korean War (1950-1953).
The regulatory hurdles were a blessing in disguise for big companies like Jinro and Lotte, which led to the mass production of spirits using ethanol-based distillates made from cheap commodity starches such as tapioca and sweet potatoes.
The departure from traditional small-batch production has encouraged the development of commercialized shochu for mass consumption.
Today, craft distillers such as Tokki, whose Boilermaker Chan has the characteristics of Black Label shochu, are using more artisanal production methods and rice, Nurk – Traditional Korean fermentation starter used for alcohol – Produces higher quality spirits.
Tokki Soju was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 2014 by Brandon Hill, who moved the business to Chungju, South Korea in 2020 with CEO Douglas Park.
The company has achieved an average annual growth rate of 90% over the past seven years, nearly doubling production in one year from 29,000 cases in 2022 to 54,000 cases in 2023. The company sells his 375 ml and his 750 ml bottles at approximately US prices. $25 to $60.
Its products are featured in seven of the World's 50 Best Bars, including New York's Double Chicken Please (No. 2) and Overstory (No. 17), as well as Hong Kong's Argo (No. 34).
As a spirit and as a craft, shochu has a depth comparable to Japanese craft spirits.
Sondre Cassin, principal bartender at Gracious Hospitality, the parent company of Kokodak, says, “A variety of shochu has the flexibility to be used as a neutral, low-alcohol spirit, or as a high-alcohol, grain-forward spirit that stands out in cocktails.'' It can be used for.”
As former bartenders, Tokey's Hill and Park see the value in promoting their brands at prestigious cocktail venues. “Our strategy has always been to target top restaurants and bars,” Park says.
Another label gaining attention in the U.S. is a collaboration between Brooklyn-based Hanamakgeolli, which produces high-quality rice wine, and Matchbook Distillery in Greenport, New York.
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Hana Soju 60 ($60 for 375ml) Nurk Distilled at 60% alcohol (more than three times the alcohol content of most Green Bottle soju), it brings out the bright, floral character of the spirit. It was launched in December and is being served at top Korean restaurants such as Atomics in New York and Baloo in Los Angeles.
Alice Jun, co-founder of Hanamakgeolli, said the company plans to expand its brewing capacity in the spring and start exporting by the end of the year.
High-end importers are importing more craft soju from South Korea to meet demand from restaurants and cocktail bars.
I want it to reach a level where people don't even think it's Korean anymore.
Since its founding in 2020, KMS Imports, a New York-based company specializing in small-batch shochu, has doubled its number of producers in less than four years and built a portfolio of 20 different craft products . American demand has long been limited to niche areas.
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Fashim Brewery, an up-and-coming distillery located on the outskirts of Seoul about an hour, has teamed up with Zest (Korea's highest-ranked bar, No. 18 on the World's Best list) to create a private label brand that incorporates the bar's zero waste. Developing shochu. Philosophy: Used garnishes, such as rosemary sprigs, are used in production.
Zest co-founder Noah Kwon said the team plans to debut a sustainable milk wash cocktail using Fasim's smoked rice soju. “Almost 70 percent” is flavored with recycled fish bones, green tea and vinegar.
Meanwhile, Tokki is expanding its portfolio of artisanal shochu to include upscale expressions. Among them is a premium shochu finished in Pedro Jimenez sherry casks, priced at $60, more than twice the price of Tokki's entry-level white label shochu.
The company believes that the greatest growth opportunity for craft shochu lies in large cities with thriving cocktail cultures.
“We want to get to a level where you don't even think it's Korean,” Tokki's Hill says. “When you think of vodka, you don't think of 'Eastern Europe' anymore. That's exactly what happens at the bar. ”
