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I've consumed my fair share and wish so desperately that those would come stateside. Based on taste I'd be pretty sure it's whiskey. Also, the english language suntory site states that they are whiskey.

https://www.suntory.com/brands/cannedkakuhighball/

It certainly tastes like whiskey. I always assumed it was just low-shelf stuff. It's probably just as expensive to make bad shochu as bad whiskey, so I can't imagine that there's much of a cost advantage to faking it.

Also, those highballs can't be using that much booze -- they're incredibly weak.

Shochu highballs are marketed as such as a selling point (for example the popular Chu-Hi brand). I'm going with whiskey for what he drank.