What is Australian Shochu? And what makes it different?

Shochu has been made -and enjoyed - in Japan for hundreds of years. So what happens when you take centuries of tradition, add in some Australian ingredients and make it from start to finish in a small distillery in Victoria's High Country? You get a spirit that's familiar, but with a distinctly Australian flavour.

Many Australians are still discovering Shochu. While it's the most consumed alcoholic beverage in Japan, less than 1% of the Shochu made there ever leaves the country, so spirit-lovers around the world are only just beginning to understand it.

But, here at Reed & Co. Distillery in Bright, we've been exploring Shochu for years. Our founders, Hamish & Rachel, had been visiting Japan and drinking Shochu for years when they decided to try and produce an Australian expression at their Australian distillery. After around three years of research and development, we produced what we described at the time as Australia's first craft Shochu – helping establish a tiny Australian Shochu category that is still represented by only a handful of producers today.

So what exactly is Australian Shochu, and what makes ours different?

First things first: what is Shochu?

Shochu is a distilled spirit with its origins in Japan. It can be made from ingredients including rice, barley and sweet potato, with the starchy base ingredient, koji, fermentation and distillation all influencing the flavour of the spirit that eventually ends up in your glass.

Read more about Shochu here.

So what makes Australian Shochu different?

The simple answer is place, ingredients and the producer making it.

Our approach at Reed & Co. has never been about trying to reproduce somebody else's spirit thousands of kilometres away. Instead, we draw on the ancient techniques that first fascinated us and we explore what they can become using Australian ingredients and our own approach to flavour and distillation.

Rachel and Hamish's love of Japanese techniques eventually led to an intensive period of research into koji, fermentation and Shochu production.

“We produce every element ourselves from the first Koji inoculations, to the ferment through to the blending and final bottling.” - Hamish Nugent

That process eventually grew into Koji Spirits – our range dedicated to exploring Shochu and other koji-based spirits through an Australian lens.

Australian ingredients, Japanese techniques

Ingredients are a vital important part of the story.

During our years of R&D, we spent time cultivating our own koji cultures, so we didn't have to purchase it from overseas. This means we have complete control over the koji, and the flavours it imparts on our spirits.

Our Rice Shochu uses rain-fed Tachiminori Rice from New South Wales, while our Barley Shochu uses Victorian biodynamic pearl barley, and our Yuzushu features yuzu from the nearby Mountain Yuzu farm.

Why make Shochu in Australia?

Because we're curious.

Reed & Co.'s approach to spirits has always sat somewhere between creativity and science. Our background is in food, our home is Victoria's High Country, and we're interested in what happens when ingredients, fermentation, distillation and time are allowed to interact.

Shochu brings all of those things together. And for Australian drinkers, it offers an entirely new category of spirits to discover.

Want to try Australian Shochu?

The best way to understand Australian Shochu is to taste it for yourself.

You can explore our Koji Spirits online or visit Reed & Co. Distillery in Bright for a guided spirit tasting.

Shochu can also be explored at Koji Bird, our vibrant cocktail bar and restaurant. We spin traditional, laid-back Izakaya dining into something uniquely Australian, focusing on great spirits, big flavours and shared plates.

Frequently asked questions

What is Australian Shochu?

Australian Shochu is Shochu produced in Australia. At Reed & Co., we make ours in Bright, Victoria, from koji and fermentation through to distillation, blending and bottling.

Who made Australia's first craft Shochu?

After around three years of research and development, Reed & Co. Distillery produced what it described at launch as Australia's first craft Shochu.

What is Australian Shochu made from?

Shochu can be made from different base ingredients. Reed & Co.'s Koji Spirits range includes Shochu made from rice and barley, as well as Shochu-based spirits featuring Australian-grown Japanese citrus.

Where is Reed & Co. Shochu made?

Reed & Co.'s Koji Spirits are produced in Bright, Victoria, in Victoria's High Country.