Fancy turning your favourite way of sipping a drink into a shot at US$1,000? Japanese shochu specialist The Hachi Shochu has thrown its annual competition open to everyone this year, swapping the professional bar contest of previous editions for a global Instagram Reel challenge that home enthusiasts and bartenders alike can enter from Singapore.
From bartender battles to a global digital stage
Now in its third edition, The Hachi Shochu Competition began as a professional bartender showdown staged in Hong Kong and Singapore, celebrating the versatility of this cask-matured Japanese spirit. For 2026, the organisers behind retailer Mizunara: The Shop have reimagined the format as a digital-first contest, inviting creators and drinks lovers around the world to take part.
“My Hachi, My Way”: how to enter
The theme is refreshingly open: My Shochu, My Way. My Hachi, My Way. Whether you enjoy it neat, on the rocks, as a highball or in a cocktail of your own creation, the brief is simply to show your personal way of drinking it. Entrants film an Instagram Reel, tell the story behind their drink, and stand to win US$1,000 in cash (or equivalent).
- Who can enter: anyone of legal drinking age, worldwide
- The prize: US$1,000 or equivalent
- How to enter: post an Instagram Reel on the theme “My Hachi, My Way!”
- Timeline: entries open 1 August 2026; deadline 30 September 2026
- Winner announced: 1 November 2026 (World Shochu Day) via @thehachishochu
What makes Hachi Shochu different
Launched in 2020, The Hachi Shochu is a premium, cask-matured Japanese Honkaku shochu that bridges the spirit’s 500-year-old heritage with modern cask-maturation. Bottled at 30% ABV, it is built to be versatile, working neat, over ice, in a highball or as a cocktail base, and designed to pair well with food. That flexibility is exactly what the competition hopes to showcase.
Why Singapore drinkers should take note
Shochu remains a quiet achiever on Singapore’s drinks scene, often overshadowed by sake and Japanese whisky. A low-stakes, creative challenge like this is a fun way for local home mixologists to get acquainted with the category, and a rare chance to win a meaningful cash prize just for sharing how you like to drink. Singapore entrants can find full details via Mizunara: The Shop’s local competition page.
For more of what’s pouring and plating up around town, see our reader’s guide to the MICHELIN Guide Singapore 2026 and our look at Roberta’s Pizza at Marina Bay Sands.
