Iichiko Shochu Saiten
Iichiko Shochu Saiten is a 43% ABV (86 proof) honkaku shochu in a 750mL bottle — Japan's best-selling barley shochu, raised to cocktail strength. Made by Sanwa Shurui in Oita Prefecture from 100% two-row barley with koji fermentation, Saiten blends low-pressure and atmospheric distillates for a shochu with real presence: honeydew, citrus, and white pepper over an umami core. It is in stock and available to order online now at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 43% ABV / 86 proof
- Size: 750mL
- Style: honkaku (single-distilled) mugi shochu — 100% two-row barley
- Origin: Sanwa Shurui, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
- Production: koji fermentation; low-pressure + atmospheric distillation blend; launched US 2019, developed with bartenders
The Shochu Built for Bartenders
Most shochu lands at 25% ABV — fine for sipping, shy in a cocktail. Saiten was developed over three years with American bartenders across five or six iterations specifically to fix that, bottling honkaku barley shochu at 86 proof so it can stand up to citrus, vermouth, and amaro. The base is classic Iichiko: 100% two-row barley, koji-fermented, distilled both low-pressure (for softness) and atmospheric (for character), then blended. It earned Double Gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Discover more Iichiko Shochu, or compare with cask-finished Nankai Shochu at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Honeydew melon, white grape, kabosu citrus, and white pepper over barley grain.
Palate: Umami and jasmine tea, white peach, minerals, and earth with a saline edge.
Finish: Clean and peppery, with lingering citrus.
How to Enjoy
This is the shochu for cocktails — a Saiten highball with soda and lemon is the house move, and it subs into any vodka or white-rum cocktail where you want more character. Serve chilled neat to taste the barley and koji before mixing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Saiten" mean for Iichiko?
Saiten is Iichiko's 86-proof honkaku expression, developed with US bartenders for cocktail use — stronger than the standard 25% ABV shochu.
What is honkaku shochu?
The highest grade of shochu: single-distilled from a single ingredient — here, 100% two-row barley.
What is the ABV of Iichiko Saiten?
43% ABV (86 proof).
Who makes Iichiko?
Sanwa Shurui, in Oita Prefecture, Japan — Japan's best-selling shochu brand.
Cocktail-strength shochu, straight from Oita — order Iichiko Shochu Saiten online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.