Crafted by renowned London hospitality veterans Maxim Kassir and Francesco Braun, Kami Barley Shochu is an authentic, single-distilled (Honkaku) Japanese spirit. Bottled at a versatile 25% ABV, it offers clean notes of roasted barley, delicate cereal sweetness, and a soft, velvety texture. Perfect served neat, over ice, or topped with soda water.
A collaboration between celebrated industry veterans Maxim Kassir and Francesco Braun, Kami Spirits brings the rich tradition of Japanese craft distillation to modern spirit lovers. Unlike mass-produced multi-distilled spirits, Kami is a true Honkaku shochu – distilled just once to preserve the natural aromas, cereal oils, and subtle sweetness of the finest barley.
Kami Barley Shochu is handcrafted by Tensei Shuzo Co., a historic distillery founded in 1901 which is located in Osaki, Kagoshima, one of Japan’s most celebrated regions for traditional shochu. Backed by over a century of heritage near Shibushi Bay, Tensei Shuzo draws on the legendary, exceptionally soft underground waters of the Hishida region to craft true Honkaku shochu.
Production remains steeped in time-honoured Japanese tradition, concentrating on the meticulous, hand-tended cultivation of rice koji – the crucial fermentation catalyst that defines the spirit’s remarkable depth. By fusing generations-old craftsmanship with a forward-thinking approach to distillation, Tensei Shuzo represents the pinnacle of modern Japanese spirits, making it the ideal partner for Kami Spirits.
At 25% ABV, Kami Barley Shochu provides a lower-alcohol, flavourful alternative to Scotch whisky or vodka, making it incredibly versatile in the glass:
Best Food Pairings for Kami Barley Shochu:
What does barley shochu taste like?
Smooth and light, with toasted grain, warm barley straw, and subtle cereal sweetness. Distilled just once (Honkaku), it retains natural grain oils for a soft, velvety texture and a clean finish without a heavy alcohol burn.
How is shochu different from sake or vodka?
Who makes Kami Shochu?
It was created by London hospitality veterans Maxim Kassir and Francesco Braun to bring authentic Japanese barley shochu into modern Western highballs and cocktail culture.
Shochu (焼酎) is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit. Typically bottled at 25% ABV, it is lower in alcohol than Western spirits like vodka or gin (usually around 40% ABV), but stronger than brewed beverages like sake or wine. The name shochu translates as “burned liquor”, a reference to its distillation process.
Unlike spirits distilled from a single standard base, shochu is made using koji mould (Aspergillus oryzae) to convert starches into fermentable sugars, and can be distilled from several primary ingredients, including barley, sweet potato, rice and sugar cane.
