Distillery: 旭酒造 Asahi Shuzō
Address: 2167-4 Shutomachi Osogoe, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 742-0422
Website: https://www.asahishuzo.ne.jp/
Additional Content: Nice short video on Dassai and how they make their sake, not much on the shochu, but still worth watching (Japanese only).
Name: 獺祭 焼酎 Dassai Shōchū
Type: 粕取り焼酎 Kasutori Shōchū
蒸留方法: 減圧蒸留 (Vacuum Distillation)
Ingredients:
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清酒粕 Sake Lees
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清酒 Sake
Alcohol: 39%
In the bottle: Sweet, rich, and full of big sake notes—it really feels like you opened a bottle of sake, or in this case a bottle of Dassai. Licorice takes center stage along with dried fruits and canned peaches, all condensed with flavor. At 39% alcohol there is basically nothing on the nose that would indicate so—the alcohol stays very much in the background, keeping the focus on those familiar, elegant sake-like aromas.
On the rocks: Just like the nose, the sweetness and the familiar sake notes you typically find with Dassai sake really come through in a big way. At first it feels a bit head-heavy in the mouthfeel department. That being said, once the big impact notes of sake subside a little, this really opens up in a great way by letting some of the softer notes rise to the surface. Until then, it’s really like drinking a condensed sake. While certainly not my favorite kasutori shōchū, if you are a fan of Dassai sake then it is worth trying if you are willing to fork over ~3,800 JPY.
水割り Diluted with water
4:1 ratio: Not only does this hold up with a little water, it really opens up with some added depth as the licorice fades away and some of the lighter sake notes get some time to shine. In addition to the peach and dried fruit, there are some nice black pepper and vanilla Tootsie Roll notes that add a little more to the overall flavor profile. The dilution keeps things smooth and balanced, making it very pleasant for slower sipping.
Enjoy on the rocks
Reflections on this shōchū
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It’s big, it’s bold, and I guess everything you would expect from a Dassai product.
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At first I did not enjoy the sweetness so much—it was really a bit heavy in the mouthfeel department. However, once it opened up it was quite nice and really drinkable. The initial thickness softens as you sip, letting the familiar sake-like fruit (peach, lychee) and subtle sweetness come through more cleanly.
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From a cost-performance perspective, I think this was a bit overpriced. But given the popularity of the Dassai brand with overseas customers, I can see why it’s priced on the high side—the name carries weight, and the quality is solid even if it doesn’t feel like exceptional value for the money.
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If I were to recommend a way to drink this, it would be to add a little water. It opens up a nice set of flavors that were masked by the sweetness when drunk on the rocks. The dilution smooths out the heaviness and lets the lighter, more elegant sake notes breathe better—making it much more enjoyable over multiple sips.
Bottle label and Information
Front Label
