Everyone loves Japan’s national drink, sake, but do you know that in Japan, distilled spirits shochu and awamori are consumed more than nihonshu and whisky? Made from sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat, and sugar cane, these distilled spirits have five centuries of history and are rich, complex and versatile liquids that can be consumed neat, on the rocks, or in various cocktails. This November, taste and learn more about Japan’s best-kept secret. From now until November 7, top bars in Hong Kong are celebrating its first Shochu and Awamori Week, and it’s an event you won’t want to miss. Taste various styles of shochu and awamori, pair them with delectable bites or sip signature concoctions made by the city’s top mixologists.
From now until November 5, explore food pairing with shochu at Tonkichi in Causeway Bay and enjoy tonkatsu dishes with the traditional spirit. For a full-tasting course menu, head over to Sake Central and sit down for a six-course menu ($988/person) and pair your meal with various styles of shochu and awamori.
Japanese bars Mizunara: The Library and Kuromaru Shochu Cocktail & Music Lounge will present well-balanced cocktails that will make you fall in love with these versatile Japanese spirits and get you introduced to different labels and styles.
Over at Kowloon, Tenju Bar is also offering a wide selection of shochu and awamori, while Bound by Hillywood will spotlight their signature concoctions with coffee.
From November 8 to 9, delve into the world of shochu and let Tell Camellia’s Gagan Gurung and The Aubrey’s Devender Seghal teach you about this must-try spirit. Devender will head to Tell Camellia for this two-day special bar shift from 8pm to 12am. For those who would like to learn more about tea and shochu, catch the masterclass on November 9, 3pm to 5pm.
On November 7, catch the closing party at Mizunara: The Library and sip on craft cocktails ($100/drink) with complimentary food bites from 6pm to 1am.
