As global interest in Asian spirits continues to grow, shochu is steadily finding its place beyond Japan – appearing on back bars, in highballs and, increasingly, in more spirit-forward drinks.
First produced more than 500 years ago, shochu is a highly versatile Japanese spirit defined by its raw material. While it can technically be made from a wide range of ingredients, the most common styles are based on sweet potato (imo), barley (mugi), rice (kome) and buckwheat (soba), each offering a distinct character – from earthy and robust to light and aromatic.
Much of the category’s identity lies in honkaku shochu, the traditional style distilled only once, typically in pot stills, to preserve the nuances of its base ingredient. Produced using koji fermentation, these expressions prioritise flavour clarity and a strong sense of place.
Shochu is also unusually flexible in how it’s enjoyed. It can be served diluted with hot or cold water to open up its aromas, poured over ice, or lengthened with soda for a refreshing highball, a versatility that has helped drive its growing appeal internationally.
While some expressions may see time in vessels, such as ceramic pots, stainless steel tanks or even, occasionally, oak, maturation is generally used to round and integrate flavours rather than dominate them, allowing the character of the base ingredients to remain at the fore.
Moon Distillery Awamori Shochu occupied the top spot on this year’s IWSC list, with a remarkable 99 points, praised by the judges for ‘a bold yet harmonious blend of chestnut and pecan’, complemented by a ‘delightful umami hint of baked mushroom’.
A total of five shochu bottlings scored an impressive 98 points in this year’s IWSC, each earning a Gold Outstanding medal. Judges were eager to highlight the finish of orange and cola in Amami-Oshima Shuzo Takakura Shochu, while the Hamada Syuzou Co. Daiayme 40 Imo Shochu surprised the judges with a harmonious blend of sweet potato, crisp apple and delicate rose. On the other end of the scale, herbaceous, grassy flavours were at the forefront of Sanwa Shurui Iichiko Reserve Saiten 2025 Shochu. In a more delicate approach, Sakagura Ohtemon Ringi Sho Shochu combines an earthy complexity with layers of classic imo character. Lastly, Kitaya Co. Authentic potato Tsurusora Premium Shochu brought aromas of olive brine and mushrooms that caught the attention of the panel. All five go a long way to demonstrating the gamut of flavours and aromas encompassed within this versatile style of spirit.
All the shochu on this list was tasted blind by an expert panel of judges, including Master Sake Sommelier Toshio Ueno, co-founder of Kaiju Drinks and sake sommelier Barry McCaughley, and spirits educator and writer Antony Moss MW.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?
Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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12 award-winning shochu bottlings from the IWSC 2025
