WASPIRITS

Sanwa Shurui, the company behind iichiko shochu, has officially launched WA-SPIRITS in London. With their distinctive flavors born from koji, these spirits are opening up new possibilities for the cocktail scene. And there’s more—the UK’s largest bar event, London Cocktail Week 2025, is just around the corner! On October 9, iichiko will host a special pop-up event, where 10 leading bartenders will craft an unforgettable night.

One of the world’s largest cocktail and spirits industry events, Tales of the Cocktail® 2025, was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, from July 20 to 25, 2025. Known as the birthplace of American classic cocktails, the city has hosted this event, now in its 23rd year. During Tales of the Cocktail®, Sanwa Shurui staged a pop-up event where world-renowned bartenders served special shochu cocktails. How did WA-SPIRITS, a Japanese distilled spirit made using traditional brewing with koji—an essential element of Japan’s food culture—resonate with attendees? Here is our report from Tales of the Cocktail® 2025.

iichiko has teamed up with Italy’s iconic liqueur brand Campari for Negroni Week, a global event, rolling out a variety of exciting collaborations. From an innovative “Shochu × Negroni” cocktail to a special video and highlights from the August event, here’s the latest update.

Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB Brooklyn), which brings together opinion leaders from across the global food and beverage industry, was held on June 9 and 10, 2025, at Industry City in Brooklyn, New York. Since its launch in 2018, this marked the seventh edition of the event (excluding 2020, which was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic), with both exhibitors and visitors increasing year by year. In 2025, the number of exhibitors surpassed last year’s record high, with more than 275 brands (official) participating. Featuring an impressive array of spirits from around the world, the show is truly at the forefront of industry trends. Against this backdrop, just how far has Japan’s signature spirit, shochu, made inroads on the global stage?

Following its debut in the United States, iichiko Saiten, a honkaku (single distillation) barley shochu, has finally made its triumphant return to Japan. On June 17, 2025—the official domestic launch date—a special event was held to mark the occasion, inviting members of the media and professionals from the bar industry to experience the world of iichiko Saiten through cocktails and presentations. Prior to the Tokyo launch, similar events were held in Fukuoka and Osaka, where top bartenders from around the world showcased original cocktails crafted with iichiko Saiten, unveiling a bold new expression of shochu—one that bloomed vividly in every glass.

Six years after its initial launch in the U.S., iichiko Saiten, a spirit that maximizes the umami flavor derived from traditional Japanese koji, is now available in Japan. Here we present the latest information, including a new concept movie and the awards iichiko Saiten has won.

Once again, the Tokyo International Bar Show brought together bartenders, bar professionals, and spirits enthusiasts from across Japan and around the world. In addition to tastings of spirits and cocktails, the event featured flair bartending performances, talk shows with top bartenders, and many other programs designed to deepen attendees’ appreciation of spirits. During this two-day celebration of Japan’s bar scene at its most vibrant, Sanwa Shurui took a bold new step with iichiko Saiten, a honkaku (single-distilled) barley shochu presented as a cocktail base.

Honkaku shochu (single distillation shochu) typically has an ABV of 20-25%, but in 2019, iichiko Saiten debuted in the U.S. market as a honkaku shochu with a higher 43% ABV. The product has generated buzz as a groundbreaking honkaku shochu that was developed as a cocktail base. This adds options to the typical ways shochu is imbibed in Japan, where the distilled alcohol is typically served mixed with hot or cold water, or on the rocks. Offering a new way to enjoy honkaku shochu, iichiko Saiten has inspired creative ideas from bartenders and is gradually gaining acceptance in the U.S. as a base for craft cocktails. This article reports on the iichiko IRODORI Cocktail Competition. Sanwa Shurui organized this contest for mixing drinks with iichiko Saiten in New York City on March 16, 2025.

Singapore continues to evolve as a central hub for the bar and beverage industry in Asia. Now attracting global attention beyond Asia, it hosted Bar Convent Singapore (BCB Singapore) 2025 on March 3 and 4. This report highlights Sanwa Shurui’s booth and events, offering a glimpse into the latest industry trends showcased at the venue, where spirits brands and professionals from around the world gathered to exchange ideas—and the vibrant pop-up events held outside the main venue.

Sanwa Shurui held iichiko Design Week 2024 in Tokyo’s Shibuya district in October 2024 to commemorate 40 years of the brand design for honkaku barely shochu iichiko. At the reception the day before, iichiko Saiten’s release in Japan was announced. During iichiko Design Week, top global bartenders mixed and served cocktails with iichiko Saiten and other iichiko products. （The bottle pictured bears the previous design. The current product may have a different label or shape.）