Nearly 10 years ago, shōchū was all the rage in Japan. In 2004, shipments reached an all-time high, and producers were struggling to keep up with the exploding market. Everyone was drinking it — everyone, it seems, but me.
I vaguely recall my first experience with shōchū, in 2007. Shōchū had a reputation as a "healthy" drink, one that wouldn't make you fat or result in a debilitating hangover. My shōchū-loving friends — many of them women — assured me that I'd quickly develop a taste for imojōchū made from sweet potatoes, and advised me to have it on the rocks.
After two glasses, I remained skeptical. In the years that followed, I tried shōchū again in various guises: straight (too strong), sōda-wari with club soda (nose-tingling), and oyu-wari, diluted with hot water, which was supposed to be the best way to have it. Rather than giving the shōchū a mellow flavor, though, the addition of hot water seemed to make the alcohol more prominent.