Undeniably unique
Tanuki SHŌCHŪ
Rice Shōchū
A Japanese-styled spirit with a citrus nose, creamy and umami notes on the tongue, and a smooth finish. Enjoy with ice and soda water to bring out the flavours. Our unique rice Shōchū comes in 750ml bottles with a 30% alcohol volume.
Wooded Rice Shōchū
Aged for three months on medium roasted oak chips, this unique take on a rice Shōchū gives a golden appeal with smokey notes. Enjoy neat, with ice, or with soda and bitters. Our unique wooded rice Shōchū comes in 750ml bottles with a 44% alcohol volume.
Hand-woven Reed Basket
Hand-woven reed baskets from rural KwaZulu-Natal that pairs perfectly with a bottle of Tanuki Shōchū. All profit goes towards empowering the Zulu women weaving these baskets.
Tanuki Apron
A handmade robust and minimalist Tanuki branded half-apron, styled to the traditional Japanese ‘Maekake‘ aprons. It is made from robust denim cotton with a thick wrap around cotton strap.
Tanuki Gift Set
A combination of taste and pragmatism, our unique Premium Rice Shōchū and a handmade Japanese-styled half-apron are combined as a unique gift set.
Umeshu
Our Umeshu is back for another round! A South African take on a traditional Japanese liqueur, made by steeping unripe, green plums in a clear spirit with sugar.
Rice Shōchū
Japanese-styled spirit with a citrus nose, creamy and umami notes on the tongue, and a smooth finish. Enjoy with ice and soda water to bring out the flavours. Our unique rice Shōchū comes in 750ml bottles with a 30% alcohol volume.
Wooded Rice Shōchū
Aged for three months on medium roasted oak chips, this unique take on a rice Shōchū gives a golden appeal with smokey notes. Enjoy neat, with ice, or with soda and bitters. Our unique wooded rice Shōchū comes in 750ml bottles with a 44% alcohol volume.
Our Shōchū is also available for purchase online and in-store at the Bar Keeper, Cape Town. Click on the link to be redirected to the Bar Keeper.
Tanuki Gift Set
Our Tanuki gift-set combines taste and pragmatism with our unique Rice Shōchū and a handmade half-apron. Our Rice Shōchū has soft floral notes and is ready to be enjoyed on ice or with soda water and a splash of citrus. Our apron is styled to the Japanese ‘Maekake‘ aprons and made from robust cotton fabric to use in a variety of work environments. Limited stock available!
Umeshu
Umeshu is back for another round! A South African take on a traditional Japanese liqueur, made by steeping unripe, green plums in a clear spirit with sugar. Limited stock available!
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Historical Products
The first batch of African made Shōchū was released in 2021, during the Covid times. It was a small batch with fewer than 150 bottles produced in partnership with Cape of Storms Distillery, Cape Town, South Africa. Traditional saké fermentation methods were used, however, the final product has a distinctly South African style.
This Shōchū was superseded by the new batch of rice Shōchū, made to replicate the traditional Japanese style of Shōchū.
Our limited release South African Umeshu, produced in partnership with Pienaar&Son distillery, was an instant success. Using a traditional Japanese Umeshu recipe as a foundation, we adapted the formula to feature locally sourced green Souvenoir plums, which impart a unique and unforgettable flavor. Unlike traditional Umeshu, we used a whisky base to give the drink a distinctive character. The response was overwhelming, and we sold out within a week. We are aiming to do a batch, once per year!