Message from Beverage Director, Sam Miyazawa:

When I lived in Japan, especially as a student, I preferred shochu and awamori to sake.

For a poor student like me, sake was a little too expensive for everyday drinking, so shochu and awamori, which could be bought for under 1000 Japanese Yen, were the most affordable.

It's not true that cheap alcohol is always bad alcohol. I've been involved in the wine business since the '80s, so I know how much the difference in the "class" and price of wine affects the taste, but that doesn't apply to sake, shochu, and awamori.

The reason is that the manufacturing process of sake, shochu, and awamori is more complicated than wine, and there are many options available in the manufacturing process, which greatly affects people's taste preferences.

The appeal of shochu and awamori is that, like Western spirits, they can be enjoyed in a very versatile way. The rich flavor of the various ingredients makes them great for drinking neat or on the rocks. You can also mix them with soda to make a highball. You can also make your own cocktails using your own recipes.

Shochu and awamori are also low in calories and sugar, and are said to have anti-aging properties due to the polyphonols (anthocyanins) they contain (especially sweet potato shochu), and a relaxing effect due to the linalool they contain (especially when mixed with hot water). And they are less likely to cause hangovers than sake (just be careful not to drink too much!).

We at Kuraichi are very happy to finally be able to introduce these appealing shochu and awamori products for under $20!