How it is made

Keeping pulp at the centre of the liqueur

Ripe-ume pulp remains in abundance and is integrated with a base containing the brewery’s KOTSUZUMI sake, placing fruit ahead of liquid clarity.

Preserving ripe-ume pulp

Peach-like aroma and sweet-tart ume are retained as physical fruit density.

Finishing without filtration

The pulp is not stripped away, preserving deep cloudiness and particles that can be felt on the palate.

The result

Closer to eating than drinking

Both sweetness and acidity are high, and the chew of the fruit becomes part of the drink’s identity.

Taste profile

Ripe ume, peach and an extraordinary fruit texture

Opaque deep yellow, with ripe-ume and peach-like aroma. Pulp is tangible through the viscous liquid, carrying an intensely sweet-tart finish.

Food affinities

Dishes that layer onto ripe ume’s pulp

OOIRI Nigori Ume-shu Daku-Daku leaves the pulp of ripe ume unfiltered and abundant, built on a base that includes the producer’s own sake, Kotsuzumi. The pairings below are not an official recommendation from the producer, but a reading based on the flavor characteristics recorded on this page.

A ripe ume aroma reminiscent of peachPoached peach with white miso, yum poo mamuang (Thai crab and green mango salad), peach melba. The ripe ume aroma reminiscent of peach echoes dishes and desserts built on peach or citrus fruit.

Overwhelming pulp textureTororo kombu clear soup, sakusai mai (Thai sago and coconut milk dessert), risotto cooked al dente. The granular texture from the unfiltered pulp echoes dishes with their own grainy or thickened texture.

Intense sweet-sournessSweet and sour pork (subuta), pla tod rad prik (Thai sweet-spicy glazed fish), balsamic and honey pork ribs. The intense sweet-sourness echoes dishes seasoned with a bold sweet-savory glaze.

A thick, syrupy liquid textureMountain yam dressed with ume paste, sangkaya (Thai coconut custard), crème caramel. The thick, syrupy liquid texture echoes dishes and desserts with a smooth, rich mouthfeel.

Following the texture axis described in Logical Pairing, this reading pairs the granular texture of the unfiltered pulp with dishes carrying their own thickness or grain. The way the ripe ume’s peach-like aroma resonates with fruit-based dishes follows the shared-aroma-compound idea in The Science of Food Pairing (summary).

Pairing guide — Umeshu

The producer

Nishiyama Shuzoujou, established in Tamba in 1849

Founded in Tamba, Hyogo, in 1849, Nishiyama Shuzoujou is the maker of KOTSUZUMI sake and a range of liqueurs that preserve the character of ume fruit.

Official producer website

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