Dassai Shochu — When Sake Becomes a Spirit

This one confuses people at first.

It says Dassai, but it's not sake. It's shochu, but it doesn't drink like most shochu.

Once you understand what it is, it makes a lot of sense.

What is Dassai Shochu?

Dassai Shochu is a kasu-tori shochu, meaning it's distilled from sake lees. Those lees come directly from the production of Dassai's Junmai Daiginjo sake.

Instead of starting from raw rice like most shochu, this starts from something that's already been refined, fermented, and full of aroma. In simple terms, it's a distilled expression of Dassai sake.

Why It Exists

Dassai focuses only on Junmai Daiginjo. That means highly polished rice, precision brewing, and a large amount of sake kasu as a byproduct. Instead of treating that as waste, they turn it into something else, Dassai Shochu is built from the same foundation as the sake, just taken one step further.

How It's Made

The process starts the same way as their sake: brew Junmai Daiginjo, collect the sake lees, distill to extract aroma and alcohol, then bottle as a clean, high-proof spirit. Because the starting material is already so refined, the final product stays light, aromatic, and controlled.

What It Tastes Like

Aroma: Fruity, floral, very similar to Dassai sake

Taste: Clean, slightly sweet, soft rice character

Finish: Dry but smooth, with lingering fruit notes

It doesn't have the heaviness of sweet potato or the grain-forward edge of barley. It feels closer to sake, just more structured.

How to Drink It

Keep it simple and let it show: neat, on the rocks, or as a soda highball. The highball works especially well. It lifts the aromatics and makes it very easy to drink.

Why We Carry It at Juraku

It bridges a gap. If you like Dassai sake, this is an easy step into spirits. If you usually drink whiskey, this is something lighter and more refined.

Pair It With

Yakitori, karaage, and lighter dishes where the aroma can stand out. It won't overpower the food, but it still holds its own.

Try It at Juraku

Available now at Izakaya Juraku, Lower East Side. If you like Dassai, this is worth trying.