At 70 proof it is more concentrated like shochus of old, yet the introduction of lemongrass is a first in shochu production; an innovative twist by master distillers Shinji Wada and Hirofumi Okoba. Grown organically atop nearby mountains, the freshly cut lemongrass is added to a rice-based mash just three days before distillation. Oils from the leaves commingle with local rice and white koji to create a distinctively refreshing shochu.