Let's face it, when it comes to fancy cocktails, gin and whisky usually steal the spotlight. But how about a little love for shochu, Japan's national spirit? Well, the folks at Mizunara – the spirits specialists running retailer Mizunara: The Shop and the classy Mizunara: The Library cocktail bar in Hong Kong – are setting the stage for shochu to shine.

They're kickstarting Singapore's first-ever dedicated shochu cocktail competition, the Hachi Shochu Cocktail Competition 2024. This is your chance to step behind the bar and show off your wicked mixology skills, especially if you have a knack for transforming the unique flavours of shochu into something spectacular.

The Hachi Shochu Cocktail Competition 2024 invites cocktail enthusiasts from both Hong Kong and Singapore to get involved. The competition has a few rounds to shake things up with the star ingredient for this competition being The Hachi Shochu.

The competition will unfold in three stages:–

Country Preliminaries: Participants will compete in local heats held in Hong Kong and Singapore, where they will present their signature Hachi Shochu cocktail creations to a panel of judges.

Semi-Finals: The top three contestants from both countries would then compete in the Semi-Finals for a spot in the Grand Finale.

Grand Finale: Held in Kagoshima, Japan, where finalists vie for the title of HSCC2024 Champion

Waiting at the finish line is the Winner's Trophy & Award and a prize of HK$10,000 (or the equivalent in Singapore dollars) for the overall champ. The champion would also have a shot at becoming the official brand ambassador for The Hachi Shochu.

But this isn't just about the win; the competition aims to spread some love for Japanese culture and Kagoshima, where the grand finale goes down. Expect a deep dive into the fascinating world of shochu while you're there!

For more information and to register for the competition, please visit the competition's official site. 

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team