SHOCHU.PRO was created in 2013 to abet the international market’s growing affinity for Japan’s indigenous distilled drinks, shochu and awamori.
As interest in all forms of Japanese cuisine grows, we expect that shochu and awamori will advance simultaneously. The goals of this website are twofold: first, to serve as an information portal and guide for people in the trade; and secondly, to advise manufacturers on marketing and international product distribution.
SHOCHU.PRO is maintained by shochu experts and industry professionals working together to help shochu and awamori reach new markets.
Christopher Pellegrini
Editor
Christopher Pellegrini is a shochu and awamori expert living in Tokyo, Japan (licensed by SSI in Japan and SSA in the United States). He is the author of “The Shochu Handbook,” the first book about shochu and awamori written in a language other than Japanese. Additionally, he is a contributor to the upcoming “Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails,” and serves as a judge on the international spirits competition circuit.
Stephen Lyman, PhD
Contributor
Based in New York City, Stephen is the editor of Kanpai.US and a certified shochu and awamori expert (licensed by SSA in the United States). He has extensive experience working on shochu distillery floors and is undertaking a multi-year apprenticeship at Yamato Zakura Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture. He received a James Beard nomination for his 2019 publication, "The Japan Drinks Guide" (authored with Chris Bunting).