We thought with SS.L, a rising star in the shochu world.
What kind of shochu is sought after in the world bar scene?
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This month features SS.L., a completely new line launched by Satsuma Shuzo.SS.L. is a new line of Japanese spirits created with an eye on bar use and the global market.

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

The fifth gin, SS.L_05, just released in August, is a gin made with a lot of ingredients from Makurazaki!

Key botanicals are black tea from Makurazaki!

SS.L _05, a fully-fledged release from SS.L, is a gin conceived with a local theme.

The main botanical ingredients used are Makurazaki black tea 'Benifuuki', locally produced tangcans and lemon peel.

Benifuuki is a blend of first-, second- and third-batch teas, each with different tastes of astringency, acidity and sweetness, and is made using a combination of the maceration and basket methods.

For the lemons, only the peel was sourced locally after the juice was pressed, in line with SDGs.

From the basic botanicals that make up the gin, juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root and liquorice were chosen.

The packaging is thoroughly modern, but the production site has the feel of an old-fashioned shochu brewery.This gap is a wonderful example of Japanese craftsmanship.

What is it about Japanese spirit that the world needs?

Honbo-san became familiar with bar culture through The SG Shochu Project and started visiting various bars on his business trips to Tokyo.

The gin, 05, was born from this background.Although it has not yet been realised due to the Corona disaster, they would like to bring SS.L to bars in Tokyo and get feedback from bartenders on its potential as a base spirit for cocktails.

They would like to continue to make use of bartenders' opinions in their manufacturing.

SS.L_04' is a cacao shochu.Selected Trinidad and Tobago cocoa powder is added to the secondary mash, which is fermented in a kame jar that has been handed down for over 100 years.

Brewing drinks of interest to bartenders.

Where is the future of sake and shochu making headed?At a time when Japanese spirits are attracting attention to Japanese whisky, what are you conscious of as a shochu maker?

'First of all, we are thinking about 'creating added value' as a necessity for shochu.

In the future, I think the liquor market will polarise into two categories: reasonably priced everyday liquor and liquor for special occasions.

What we aim for with SS.L is the Hare (special occasion) side of the market.

There is no shochu on the market that costs 10,000 yen for a No. 4 bottle, is there?Why is that not the case with shochu, and how can we make it worth that much?

Japanese whisky sells out within seconds of its release, but why is this not the case with shochu?

While sticking to manufacturing quality products that can compete with the original sake, the producers need to brush up on how to create added value, how to communicate and how to make proposals.

I believe that the bar is an entity in the process of extending such value.

The raw material for SS.L_02, sweet potatoes after smoking.Daring to bottle it in its original state, without blending or adding water, gives it a unique and impactful taste.

In order to compete in the international market, it is essential to offer shochu to a wide range of markets, with an eye on the bars.

We believe that the most important thing is to get Japanese bartenders interested in shochu and to communicate it to the world as ambassadors.

To do this, we need to communicate with many bartenders and learn what kind of alcohol they are looking for.

In addition, we need to incorporate new values such as ethics, says Hombo.In addition, it is necessary to incorporate new ethical values, Honbo says.This is because many people will find products with such a background new and interesting.

A sweetpotato brew that defies industry convention, it should be well chilled and served in an elegant wine glass.It could also be used in cocktails.

However, it is necessary to have ethical principles deeply rooted in the very essence of manufacturing, rather than just claiming the SDGs as a PR strategy.

For decades, Satsuma Sake Brewery has been reusing tens of thousands of tonnes of shochu waste and potato waste generated in the production process as fuel, feed and fertiliser.

We are thinking of updating these initiatives more and more."

In the future, as well as deepening our approach to bars, we are also looking at the global market and developing the quality of sake required for aperitifs and after-dinner drinks, what is needed for pairing, and what is needed for food and sake.In the future, he hopes to further deepen his understanding of the quality required for aperitifs and after-dinner drinks, what is needed for pairing and the relationship between food and alcohol.

A new wave of Japanese spirits, likely to start with 'SS.L'.Expect a breakthrough in shochu!