A new limited-edition flavor is joining the Takara Shochu Highball lineup. "Takara Shochu Highball Kire no 5% <Hiya Shio Lemon>" goes on sale nationwide on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in limited quantities.
In the RTD (Ready to Drink) market, there has been a growing shift toward lower-alcohol options alongside rising demand for dry, food-friendly flavors — trends driven by lifestyle diversification and heightened health awareness. The Kire no 5% series was developed to deliver the signature drinkability and strong-carbonated, dry taste of Takara Shochu Highball at just 5% alcohol. Since its debut last September, the lineup has won over both longtime Takara Shochu Highball fans and a new audience of consumers who pay close attention to alcohol content.
The latest entry, "Hiya Shio Lemon" (Chilled Salt Lemon), is a seasonally limited flavor centered on an immediate sense of coolness upon the first sip. Combined with the subtle saltiness characteristic of a salt-lemon profile, the drink delivers a chilled, salt-accented lemon acidity that's ideally suited to the summer heat.
Product Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Name | Takara "Shochu Highball" Kire no 5% <Hiya Shio Lemon> |
| Category | Spirits (carbonated) |
| Alcohol Content | 5% |
| Pure Alcohol | 14g per 350ml / 20g per 500ml |
| Volume / Container | 350ml & 500ml / Aluminum can |
| Packaging | 24-bottle cardboard box |
| Suggested Retail Price (excl. tax) | 350ml: ¥159 / 500ml: ¥217 |
| Sales Area | Nationwide |
| Release Date | June 2, 2026 (Tuesday) |
About Takara Shochu Highball
Takara Shochu Highball is a dry chuhai that pursues the taste of the original "shochu highball" born in Tokyo's shitamachi (downtown) taverns in the late 1940s — widely considered the origin of the word "chuhai" itself. The drink is known for its robust drinkability and the crisp, refreshing kick of strong carbonation, alongside zero sugar*, zero purine*, and no sweetener additives*. The brand celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 7, 2026.
Official website: https://shochu-hiball.jp/
*Zero sugar: Per food labeling standards, less than 0.5g of sugar per 100ml is labeled as zero sugar. The Ramune, Grape, Ginger, Daishū Sakaba no Ume, Daishū Sakaba no Akashiso, and Tateishi Uchida's Ume flavors do not qualify as zero sugar.
*Zero purine: Less than 0.5mg of purine bodies per 100ml.
*No sweeteners: No food additives classified as sweeteners are used.
