Following last year, iichiko again hosted a booth at BCB 2024, inviting Kenta Goto, owner of Bar Goto, as a guest bartender to serve special iichiko cocktails to attendees. How is shochu, known as Japan’s “Kokushu (national spirit) ⋆¹,” being received worldwide? We spoke with key individuals to find out.
⋆¹ Kokushu (National Spirit): Refers to the alcoholic beverages that represent a country. In June 2009, at the ordinary general meeting of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, it was officially decided that Japan’s national spirits would be sake, honkaku shochu (single distillation shochu), and awamori.
⇒Read Part 1: “Unraveling the Next Trends at BCB 2024: Industry Opinion Leaders Gather in NY”
Text: Reiko Suga / Photography: Koichi Mitsui /
Composition: Contentsbrain / English Translation: LIBER
Top Bartenders from Around the World Gather at BCB 2024 to Talk Shochu
Shochu has been growing in prominence even outside of Japan, with Sanwa Shurui’s honkaku mugi shochu (single distillation barley shochu), iichiko, leading the way. Shochu cocktails made with iichiko are also gaining attention and contributing to greater awareness in the U.S., supported by popular bartenders in metropolitan areas like New York.
First up was Kenta Goto from New York’s renowned bars Bar Goto and Bar Goto Niban, known for his refined and elegant cocktails. After serving at Sanwa Shurui’s booth at BCB, he returned to Bar Goto Niban to continue offering cocktails made with iichiko, delighting patrons with their exceptional taste.
The Japanese-Style Bloody Mary with iichiko and Dashi Umami is a Huge Hit
Kenta Goto
Owner-bartender at Bar Goto and Bar Goto Niban
I feel that BCB is growing in scale each year. Even within this venue, the awareness of iichiko is noticeably increasing, with many fans of the brand gathering around the booth. This time, we served the Umami Mary, a Japanese-style Bloody Mary made by mixing both iichiko Silhouette and iichiko Saiten.
At the iichiko USA booth in the BCB venue, Kenta Goto served two types of iichiko cocktails.
iichiko Saiten has savory and earthy notes, which pair well with the flavors of dashi made from ingredients like bonito flakes, kombu, and dried shiitake mushrooms. We infused these dashi flavors into iichiko Silhouette and balanced the taste with iichiko Saiten. This Umami Mary is very popular at my bar as well.
Kenta Goto
After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, Kenta Goto pursued a career as a bartender. In January 2008, he joined the popular New York bar Pegu Club (closed in 2020), and in July 2011, he was awarded American Bartender of the Year at the Tales of the Cocktail 2011 Spirited Awards®, the world’s largest cocktail festival. In July 2015, he opened Bar Goto in New York’s Lower East Side, followed by Bar Goto Niban in Brooklyn in January 2020, both of which have become highly popular.
- Bar Goto
245 Eldridge St., New York, NY 10002, USA
- Bar Goto Niban
474 Bergen St., Brooklyn, NY 11217, USA
A Showcase of Top Bartenders from Around the World Gathered in New York
While BCB is an industry-focused event, the off-site venues around New York City also serve as spaces to educate the general public, fostering a community centered around enjoying drinks. This, too, is an essential purpose of holding BCB.
Here, we spoke with guest bartenders invited to the iichiko Night event at Katana Kitten: Hidetsugu Ueno from BAR HIGH FIVE, along with Holly Graham and Wakana Murata from TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL.
Its Unique Flavor Stands Out in Any Mix, Making it Easy to Use
Hidetsugu Ueno
Owner-bartender at BAR HIGH FIVE / President of the Nippon Bartenders’ Association
In Japan, shochu still has a somewhat casual image in most typical bars, however, it is increasingly being used in cocktails outside Japan. When using shochu as a cocktail base, its relatively low alcohol content of around 25% can make it seem less potent, which sometimes makes it challenging to achieve the desired volume and kick.
However, at BAR HIGH FIVE, we welcome guests from all over the world, so we also serve cocktails made with TUMUGI, a spirit that uses Japanese koji, which has been well-received. It’s great to see shochu gaining acceptance abroad. iichiko Saiten has a unique flavor and a higher alcohol content of 43%, allowing its distinctive character to remain even when mixed, making it extremely versatile as a cocktail base.
Hidetsugu Ueno
Born in 1968 in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Passionate about baseball from elementary through high school, and American football in university, where he also studied abroad in the United States. In December 2000, he joined Hisashi Kishi to open Star Bar Ginza. In July 2008, he opened his own bar, BAR HIGH FIVE. Ueno has served as a judge, speaker, and demonstrator at global cocktail competitions hosted by various companies. In November 2023, he was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon, and in July 2024, he received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tales of the Cocktail® 2024 Spirited Awards®.
- BAR HIGH FIVE
Efflore Ginza5 Bldg. BF, 5-4-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Focusing on Shochu’s Lower Alcohol Content (ABV) Could Be Beneficial
Holly Graham
Owner at TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL
Wakana Murata
Head bartender at TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL
At our bar TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL in Tokyo, we typically offer 12 different cocktails, two to three of which are shochu-based. Our menu also includes cocktails made with iichiko Saiten, which are hard to find in Japan.
The awareness of shochu is growing, and international customers, in particular, are looking for unique offerings. When we explain what ingredients shochu is made from, they show interest, so we offer shochu cocktails made with different ingredients such as barley, sweet potato, and rice. Depending on the base ingredient, shochu can have a gentle flavor or feature delicate, flavorful characteristics. Although it has a lower ABV, focusing on this aspect can be beneficial, especially considering the current preference for lower-alcohol options among the relatively younger demographic.
Holly Graham
Born in London, Holly Graham has traveled across Asia, living in Thailand, Seoul, and Hong Kong, before founding TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL, which opened in 2020, where she serves as Founder and Creative Director. She is the author of Cocktails of Asia (Man Mo Media, 2023) and Editor-in-Chief of the online DRiNK Magazine. Graham is also active in various roles, including as a judge for global cocktail competitions. But first and foremost, she describes herself as a bartender and journalist by trade.
Wakana Murata
After working for a major Japanese corporation, Wakana Murata moved to Singapore to pursue her dream of becoming a bartender. She gained recognition by competing in various competitions, and in 2022 joined the opening team of Gold Bar at EDITION at the Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon. One year after its opening, the bar ranked 56th on the extended list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023. She later became the head bartender at TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL. Wakana has a particular fondness for unique Japanese spirits like awamori and doburoku.
- TOKYO CONFIDENTIAL
The V-City Azabujyuban Place 9F, 1-6-1 Azabujyuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
A Word from the iichiko Maker: More and More Bartenders are Gaining a Deep Understanding of Shochu
Kensuke Oka
Sales Manager, iichiko USA., Inc.
Kensuke Oka of iichikoUSA.,Inc. (front left) in front of Katana Kitten.
2024 marked our second time participating in BCB. While working at the booth, I felt that awareness of iichiko is increasing, as more attendees approached us compared to the previous year. Since BCB is an event for industry professionals, we can definitely see that more bartenders are gaining a deep understanding of shochu, Japan’s traditional distilled spirit.
We hope that by introducing people to iichiko and having them try it, they will continue to use it as a cocktail ingredient. By building stronger relationships with top bars and leading bartenders, we aim to share the appeal of iichiko through cocktails with customers in New York and across the U.S.
⇒Read Part 1: “Unraveling the Next Trends at BCB 2024: Industry Opinion Leaders Gather in NY”