COURTESY IICHIKO BLU
Iichiko Blu is now widely available from retail outlets.
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Iichiko Blu, a shochu made in Japan for the Hawaii market, has been expanding its availability in the state. Previously offered only in bars and restaurants, Iichiko Blu can now be found in several retail outlets.
Blu has a slightly higher alcohol content (30 percent, or 60 proof) and bolder flavor compared with Iichiko’s other bottlings. It is distilled — rather than brewed like sake — from barley milled down 70 percent, so that only the core of the grain is used. It sells for about $25 for 750 millileters
On Oahu find Iichiko Blu at many ABC Stores, Don Quijote stores, Fujioka’s Wine Times, Marukai stores, Tamura stores and Times supermarkets, as well as other specialty shops.