WAKA ITSUKI Japanese Aperitif
Yuzu, hinoki, apple, burdock and ginger are layered to express spring through aroma and bitterness in a Japanese herbal aperitif made for slow sipping.
Thailand · Product information
Product information from Bacchus Global Co., Ltd., based in Bangkok, Thailand. About Bacchus Global
Japanese herbal liqueur
Macerating botanicals separately to build layers
Its character comes from the way the main ingredient meets the base spirit. Two choices are central to the result.
Three to four macerations by ingredient
Ingredients are extracted separately so each keeps its own aromatic definition.
Blending the individual extracts
The extracts are composed so aroma, sweetness and bitterness unfold in sequence.
Layered aromatics inspired by spring
Bright yuzu and hinoki wood meet rounded apple, earthy burdock and a measured ginger warmth.
The story behind this bottle
Aya and Kenji discuss the spring-tree theme, botanicals, aroma, flavour and maker of WAKA Itsuki. English · 3 minutes 20 seconds.
Question 1
Which pair does the page place at the centre of its spring description?
- Yuzu and hinoki
- Red shiso and hojicha
- Ume and shiso leaf
Read the answer and explanation
Correct answer: A — Yuzu and hinoki
Itsuki pairs bright yuzu with the woody aroma of hinoki. The other pairs belong to different WAKA products.
Question 2
Which sequence is described on the page?
- Distil all ingredients together, then age in a cask
- Macerate and extract ingredients separately, then blend the extracts
- Add botanicals after bottling and let them ferment
Read the answer and explanation
Correct answer: B — Macerate and extract ingredients separately, then blend the extracts
Ingredients are extracted separately, then blended so aroma, sweetness and bitterness emerge in sequence. The page does not describe cask ageing or fermentation in the bottle.
Question 3
According to “Taste profile”, what rounded note joins yuzu and hinoki?
- Vanilla
- Peach
- Apple
Read the answer and explanation
Correct answer: C — Apple
The profile describes rounded apple alongside yuzu and hinoki. This is a flavour description, not a complete list of added ingredients.
Spring herbs, fruit and measured bitterness
Bright yuzu and hinoki wood meet rounded apple, earthy burdock and a measured ginger warmth.
Where a spring-toned layering meets the table
The food affinities below for WAKA Itsuki are not pairings the distillery has stated officially — they are a reading of the characteristics recorded on this page. Four directions are built around the spring-toned layering of yuzu’s brightness and hinoki’s woodiness, apple’s roundness, and burdock and ginger’s earthiness.
This pairing rationale draws on the following reference books: Food Pairing Encyclopedia notes that citrus zest pairs with apple, melon, and mustard, and that ginger pairs with citrus, pork, and yuzu. The Science of Food Pairing explains that citrus’s sharp aroma resonates with the oxidized-lipid notes in seafood and sharpens a sense of freshness — a structure that connects to how smoky, woody aromas answer each other here. Under the weight theory in Logical Pairing, an apple-like roundness plays a role in softening fat. Itsuki’s aromas and textures divide these roles across its four directions.
Kanegasaki Herb Liqueur Distillery in Kanegasaki, Iwate
Kanegasaki Herb Liqueur Distillery is based in Kanegasaki, Iwate. For this liqueur, it brings ingredient selection and established production craft together in a distinctly Japanese expression.
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