How to choose a Taiwanese shochu

There are many kinds of Taiwanese shochu. Those who like it are no doubt drawn by its distinctive aroma and mellow taste. But with so many different bottles, what sets them apart, and how should you choose? Here are a few pointers to help you find the Taiwanese shochu that is uniquely yours.

Step one: know the different types of Taiwanese shochu

Taiwanese shochu comes in many different types, including light, rich and aged. A light shochu usually has a fresh aroma and a lighter taste, and suits people trying it for the first time. A rich shochu has a strong aroma and plenty of flavor, for those who like complexity. An aged shochu has more mature flavors, for those who like depth. Knowing the different types helps you choose one that better matches your own taste.

Step two: where the rice is grown and the quality of its water

Where the rice is grown directly affects the taste and quality of a shochu, so when choosing a Taiwanese shochu, consider where its rice comes from. Rice from eastern Taiwan is a good choice. Hualien and Taitung have plentiful, clean rainfall and fresh air. That makes them an excellent place to grow rice, and it affects the rice's flavor and quality too. Shochu made from rice grown with clean, unpolluted water naturally has a finer, richer flavor.

Step three: the distillery and its methods

Production methods directly affect a shochu's flavor and quality, so the methods a distillery uses, such as fermentation, distillation and aging time, matter too. Japanese shochu is known for its refined distillation, so one option is a distillery that uses Japanese methods. Skilled distillation controls the purity and flavor of the shochu and produces a high-quality spirit.

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