🥃 Soba shōchū
Japanese shōchū made from buckwheat (soba), created in Miyazaki Prefecture in the 1970s; single distillation gives up to 45 % vol. Buckwheat is not a true cereal, but the law counts this distillate as grain.
Soba shōchū is a Japanese distillate whose main raw material is buckwheat (soba). It is fermented together with koji and distilled like other shōchū. Botanically buckwheat is not a cereal, yet the drink is classed as grain shōchū. The style is very young: it was developed in Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
How it is made. In most brands the mash is made of buckwheat and rice koji. There are also versions where the koji is grown on buckwheat itself: according to Japan Distilled, this is how Towari is made, a shōchū from 100 % buckwheat. The hard husk makes the work harder, so the buckwheat is probably crushed. Single distillation gives up to 45 % vol., vacuum distillation a lighter, softer taste.
Taste. The vacuum-distilled Unkai has a bright aroma and soft sweetness, while Towari is deep and rich, with a note of toasted grain. The common trait is a slightly nutty buckwheat base, which sets soba shōchū apart from barley or rice versions.
History and regions. Gokase Distillery released Unkai in 1973; other sources give nearby years too (1970–1974), so the exact year should be taken as approximate. Miyazaki is the home of the style, with 38 distilleries in the prefecture. Nagano, the largest buckwheat-growing region, has few soba shōchū distilleries.
Why it matters to you. The word «soba» on the label refers to buckwheat in the mash, not to strength: bottles from Miyazaki range from weaker to 45 % vol. It can be served with ice, soda or hot water. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Raw material | buckwheat (soba) and koji; rice koji or koji grown on buckwheat |
|---|---|
| Distillation method | single distillation (atmospheric or vacuum) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | up to 45 % vol. for single-distilled shōchū |
| Year founded | 1970s, Miyazaki (Unkai — 1973) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Soba shōchū → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Japanese
- Part of
- 🥃 Shochu
- Related to
- 🌍 East Asia
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Kome shōchū, 🥃 Mugi shōchū, 🥃 Imo shōchū, 🥃 Iki, 🥃 Iki, 🥃 Kuma, 🥃 Kuma, 🥃 Satsuma, 🥃 Satsuma
- In other topics
- Buckwheat noodles, 🍜 Noodles, Soba
Frequently asked questions
Is soba shōchū a buckwheat vodka?
No. It is shōchū: buckwheat is fermented with koji and distilled, as rice or barley is. Japan classes this distillate as grain shōchū, although buckwheat is not a true cereal.
When did soba shōchū appear?
In the 1970s in Miyazaki Prefecture. Gokase Distillery released the Unkai brand in 1973; different sources give nearby years.
What is soba shōchū made from?
From buckwheat and koji: rice koji, or koji grown on buckwheat itself, as in the Towari brand.
Where is soba shōchū made?
Mainly in Miyazaki Prefecture; some is made in Nagano, the largest buckwheat-growing area.
How is soba shōchū drunk?
Japanese drinkers serve it with ice, with soda, or as oyuwari, diluted with hot water.
What to read next
- Buckwheat noodles — Buckwheat noodles are noodles whose main flour is buckwheat; the best known is Japanese soba, but there are also Chinese hele and Italian pizzoccheri. Pure buckwheat has no gluten, so wheat is usually added.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🌍 East Asia — A region in the east of Asia — China, Japan and Korea: milk became an everyday food only in the 20th century, but there are old traditions such as rushan and so; China ranks third in the world for vineyard area.
- 🥃 Kome shōchū — Japanese single-distilled shochu from rice and rice koji, up to 45% ABV; the best known is the protected name Kuma from Kumamoto Prefecture (since 1995).
- 🥃 Iki — Japan's protected geographical indication for barley shōchū from Iki Island (Nagasaki): only barley and rice koji in roughly 2:1 ratio, island water, single distillation.
Similar
🥃 Imo shōchū · 🥃 Mugi shōchū · 🥃 Kokutō shōchū · 🥃 Kome shōchū · 🥃 Shochu · 🥃 Kūsu
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Japan Distilled: Soba shōchū — developed in the 1970s in Miyazaki; Gokase (Unkai) Distillery released Unkai soba shōchū in 1973; buckwheat is not a true grain but is classed as grain shōchū; Towari is 100 % soba with koji grown on buckwheat; Unkai uses vacuum distillation; Miyazaki the home of the style, Nagano the leading soba region
- Miyazaki Prefecture tourism: Honkaku shōchū — shōchū rooted in southern Kyushu; 38 distilleries in Miyazaki, first in Japan by shipments; serving hot or cold, neat or on the rocks
- Liquor Tax Act of Japan (Act No. 6 of 1953), Art. 3 items 9–10: continuous-distilled and pot-distilled shochu
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)