Japan's single-distilled spirit, made with koji and a base it tastes of — sweet potato, barley, rice or brown sugar — usually at 25%, so it's drunk long, with water, ice or soda.
Look for honkaku (single-distilled) on the label — it keeps the taste of what it's made from. Japanese grocers and specialists.
Worth knowing
Oyuwari: hot water in the cup first, then shochu, about 4 parts water to 6 shochu — it opens imo shochu right up. At 25% it's also the base for a low-alcohol highball or chuhai.