Shochu, Japanese Distilled Spirit

Shochu, Japanese Distilled SpiritShochu, Japanese Distilled SpiritShochu is another alcoholic beverage imported directly from Japan. The difference between Japanese sake and shochu is that Japanese sake is categorized as brewed liquor, but shochu is categorized as distilled liquor and is in the same category as whiskey, scotch, and vodka.
Shochu is made with several raw ingredients and is usually produced in warmer regions like the southern area of Japan. Currently there are approximately 635 different shochu sakaguras (distilleries; Otsu type) that have come a long way in developing many new remarkable shochus. 
Within the past couple of years, there has been a huge shochu boom taking place in Japan, and the consumption of shochu has increased dramatically.