Black Sugar Shochu
Here is another Shochu variety that I sampled last weekend. Black Sugar Shochu.
From what I can work out this bottle came from Okinawa, where black sugar is a very popular ingredient in a lot of food. They grow and refine sugar down there and have done so for many years and so black sugar sweets, recipes and spirits often feature in their diet.
As for this shochu, it was no where near as sweet as I expected, quite dry actually. I was surprised until I realised that the black sugar is actually just the fuel for the fermentation. The alcohol that results is sweet scented but most of the actual sweetness has been consumed. What is left is a dry and rather aggressive spirit.
It is great on a cold winter’s night but is equally as nice in another Okinawan classic Chu Hi which is a Shochu Hiball mixed drink. These hiball drinks will feature any number of refreshing fruit juices but are well off my shopping list in winter.
While some would say that Japanese spirits are all alike, I am beginning to understand how wrong that can be. Try them if you get the chance, but don’t bank on walking too well afterwards
Tags: Beverages, Japanese
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