How Umenoyado Shuzo Elevated “Sake” into an Exquisite Botanical
Nestled at the foot of Mt. Katsuragi in Nara Prefecture—the southwestern edge of the Yamato Basin—lies Umenoyado Shuzo. Founded in 1893 (Meiji 26), this historic brewery has perfected the art of sake crafting for over 130 years. Its name is inspired by a magnificent 300-year-old plum tree gracing the brewery’s courtyard. Bush warblers would once alight on its branches, enchanting visitors with their elegant melodies. From this serene scene came the name “Ume no Yado” (Plum Inn), later affectionately stylized as “Umenoyado.”
Nara is renowned as the birthplace of seishu (refined sake). At Bodaisan Shoryakuji Temple stands a stone monument inscribed “Birthplace of Japanese Seishu,” a testament to a profound connection between this land and sake that spans over a millennium. In July 2024, this prestigious Nara brewery unveiled a Japanese craft gin to the world: UMENOYADO GIN. It was born from a visionary idea only a true sake brewery could envision—incorporating its own meticulously brewed nihonshu as one of the defining botanicals.
The Art of Utilizing Sake as a Botanical A gin’s soul is defined by its curation of botanicals and the masterful extraction of their aromas and flavors. UMENOYADO GIN features five core botanicals: yuzu, lemon, apple, juniper berries, and coriander seed. To this curated selection, Umenoyado introduces its own brewed nihonshu as a rare sixth botanical, integrating it directly into the heart of the distillation process.
Rather than merely blending sake in afterward, the sake is steeped alongside the other botanicals before being distilled together in perfect harmony. Through this bespoke method, the amino acids and esters inherent in sake dissolve into the very structure of the gin, infusing it with a profound umami depth and a luxurious, full-bodied richness rarely encountered in conventional gins.
Only an establishment with 130 years of sake-crafting mastery could possess such an intimate understanding of sake as an exquisite ingredient.
The Mastery of Three-Category Separate Distillation Another hallmark of this brewery’s craftsmanship is its precise “three-category, separate distillation method.”
The six botanicals are divided into three groups based on their unique volatility characteristics, and each group is meticulously steeped and distilled individually under optimal conditions. Hard seeds and spices are extracted boldly at higher temperatures, while delicate citrus peels are coaxed gently at lower temperatures. Fruits containing sugars and amino acids—along with the sake—are distilled under their own bespoke conditions. Distilling everything at the same temperature risks unwanted harshness, but by optimizing conditions for each specific ingredient, only the most pristine aromatic expressions are captured.
In the final blending stage, the expertise honed through Umenoyado’s signature “Aragoshi Series” takes center stage. This innovative line of fruit liqueurs—created by blending masterfully curated fruit pulp with sake—pioneered an entirely new market category. The profound experience gained there now elevates the gin, maximizing fruit profiles while maintaining an impeccably precise balance.
From Luminous Citrus Top Notes to a Lingering Umami Finish The resulting flavor profile is built upon a beautifully orchestrated three-tier structure.
The opening is marked by the vibrant, refreshing citrus aromas of yuzu and lemon. Behind them unfolds the gentle acidity and sweetness of apple, elegantly bridging the citrus and the sake. Juniper berries and coriander seed provide the structural backbone of the gin, while at the deepest layer, amino acids derived from sake lend an opulent richness and an elegantly resonant finish.
It is brightly fruity, yet beneath that luminosity lies a profound, understated umami depth. This distinctive profile sets it entirely apart from European gins that emphasize flamboyant aromatics, as well as from other Japanese gins that pursue herbal complexity through traditional local botanicals.
Pioneering a New Era of Sake Culture The ethos of Umenoyado Shuzo is to create an entirely new drinking culture. Rather than simply following trends, the brewery seeks to define them. Just as the Aragoshi Series opened up a completely new realm for fruit liqueurs, this gin represents an audacious new endeavor—bringing the unparalleled craftsmanship and sensibility of a legacy sake brewery into the sophisticated world of gin.
Under the visionary leadership of fifth-generation president Kayo Yoshida, Nara’s first female kuramoto (brewery owner), this craft gin—born in the very birthplace of sake—now graces the palates of connoisseurs in more than 20 countries. Umenoyado’s sake itself has enjoyed a prestigious global expansion since its entry into the United States in 2002.
A heritage of 130 years of tradition and innovation now converges masterfully in a single bottle. The elegant song of the warbler in the old plum tree has begun to resonate quietly across sophisticated dining scenes worldwide. (Mr. Bacchus)
This article is intended solely to explore the distillation techniques and cultural heritage of Umenoyado Brewery and the UMENOYADO GIN brand, and does not aim to promote or encourage the consumption of alcohol. / บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อนำเสนอข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับเทคนิคการกลั่นและมรดกทางวัฒนธรรมของ Umenoyado Brewery และแบรนด์ UMENOYADO GIN เท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมหรือโฆษณาเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ สำหรับผู้มีอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป โปรดดื่มอย่างรับผิดชอบ