Beverage News
iichiko Announces “Go for the Gold” U.S. Bartender Cocktail Competition
iichiko, Japan’s leading barley shochu brand, today announces its iichiko Saiten “Go for the Gold” U.S. Bartender Cocktail Competition. Open to professional bartenders in North America, entries will be inspired by Olympic sports. The Gold Medal Grand Prize, to be awarded in May 2020, is an all-expenses-paid trip for the winner and their guest to Japan. Full competition details will be announced in January 2020.
“We are excited to unleash the creativity of the U.S. bartending community,” says Daniel Mandelbaum, VP of Marketing, Davos Brands. “iichiko has long been synonymous with shochu in Japan. We look forward to bartenders creating innovative cocktail recipes that will make iichiko Saiten relevant to the wider drinks world as a highly versatile cocktail base.”
iichiko Saiten is a pioneering higher-proof shochu that is optimized for mixology. It has captured the imaginations of American bartenders at the vanguard of the craft mixology scene since launching nationwide in Summer 2019. Produced on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, iichiko Saiten was developed with insights from top U.S. bartenders.
While shochu is traditionally bottled at around 25% ABV, iichiko Saiten, at 43% ABV, is comparable in proof to Western spirits like vodka, tequila, gin and rum. A unique clear spirit, iichiko Saiten is rich in flavor and umami character, resulting in genuinely innovative cocktails. It is produced by Sanwa Shurui, Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s most esteemed producers of shochu, sake and wine. In the U.S., Davos Brands imports iichiko Saiten.
Source: iichiko
