koji

To create novel flavor profiles, Western distillers are increasingly embracing a mold that is traditional in many Asian food and drink fermentations —and they’ve only begun to tap into its potential.

As small, independent distillers find more curious consumers, they’re learning how to communicate the technical side of their craft—and it’s driving interest in their spirits.

In the second of two articles on the making of soju and shochu, we take a closer look at the all-important koji mold, and we hear from three different producers of shochu—the light spirit that’s been outselling sake in Japan since 2003.