Everyone falls in love with Tatenokawa Kodakara Nanko Umeshu immediately on tasting it and it’s so wonderfully versatile that no fridge should be without a bottle. This plum liqueur is made with the brewery’s exceptional Junmai Daiginjo sake, shochu (a Japanese distilled spirit) made with the lees (spent yeast) of the same sake, a touch of sugar and lots of Nanko plums from Yamagata Prefecture. The result is sweet and perfumed liqueur with notes of marzipan, plum, cherry and lemon rind. The tartness of the plums and that citrus note perfectly balance the sweetness. And if you’re worried about how to use it, fear not because we have a whole stack of ideas. Firstly, the addition of shochu protects this umeshu once opened, so there’s no rush to consume it once you’ve twisted that cap off, just keep it in the fridge and it will last for several weeks. Then you’re free to get creative with it. Serve it chilled or on the rocks, and it works equally well as an aperitif or as a dessert wine alternative. Pour it over sorbet or vanilla ice cream; top it with soda, tonic or Prosecco to create a long and refreshing summer drink; swap it for the peach puree to make a Japanese-inspired Bellini; add a splash to barbeque marinades; or just get the cocktail book out and start experimenting. You’ll soon wonder how you lived without it. Tatenokawa (meaning “Castle Brook”) is a sake producer with a long and illustrious history, going back almost two hundred years. What we love about them is that they don’t get bogged down in all that tradition though, leaving them free to innovate and spread the word of sake culture throughout the world. So, expect a very modern style of sake aimed at a younger audience, and also one or two very exciting celebrity collaborations. Located in Sakata City, Tatenokawa was the first brewery in Yamagata Prefecture to make only Junmai Daiginjo – the most refined kind of sake. They focus on locally grown rice and particularly one called Dewasansan, a sake-specific rice that creates complex, slightly sweet and wonderfully aromatic flavours that remind us of top-quality Pinot Gris.
£4.72 per 100.00ml
