How it is made

Building herbal layers on a rice foundation

Its character comes from the way the main ingredient meets the base spirit. Two choices are central to the result.

Using hon-mirin and sake

Rice-derived sweetness and savoury depth create a lower centre of gravity than wine.

Macerating botanicals separately

Wormwood anchors individually extracted ingredients, which are then layered.

The result

Rice roundness and herbal bitterness

Rounded hon-mirin sweetness meets herbs, spice and wormwood bitterness in a deep, warming finish.

Taste profile

Japanese sweet vermouth

Rounded hon-mirin sweetness meets herbs, spice and wormwood bitterness in a deep, warming finish.

Food affinities

Where round sweetness meets herbal warmth

These pairings are not combinations stated officially by the producer; they are a reading drawn from the characteristics recorded on this product page.

Round sweetness meeting glazed, sweet-savoury dishesHoney-glazed pork and other caramelised, sweet-savoury dishes align with the rounded hon-mirin sweetness, as do Thai grilled chicken with its sweet-savoury sauce and Japanese teriyaki chicken or mitarashi dango.

Herb and spice bitterness meeting warmly spiced dishesGingerbread and other warmly spiced Western baking share a direction with the wormwood and spice bitterness, alongside Thai massaman curry’s cinnamon and cardamom and the toasted root-vegetable notes of Japanese kinpira gobo.

A deep, warming finish meeting fermented richnessBeef stew and other slow-braised Western dishes share the same lingering warmth as the finish, as do Thai panang curry and Japanese miso-braised pork.

Rice-derived roundness meeting grain and root vegetablesRoasted root vegetables draw out natural sweetness in the same way as the rice’s lower centre of gravity, alongside Thai rice porridge (khao tom) and Japanese chikuzen-ni simmered root vegetables.

This pairing rationale draws on the following reference books: Following the harmony and balance concepts in “Logical Pairing,” the round sweetness aligns with a dish’s sweet-savoury character while herbal bitterness balances richness in warm dishes; “The Science of Food Pairing” frames roasted and herbal aromas as resonating in a shared direction.

Pairing guide — Shochu & Selected Spirits

The producer

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.

Official producer website

AKA-ONI ROSSO Sweet Vermouth

Building herbal layers on a rice foundation

Using hon-mirin and sake

Macerating botanicals separately

Rice roundness and herbal bitterness

Japanese sweet vermouth

Where round sweetness meets herbal warmth

Kanegasaki Herb Liqueur Distillery in Kanegasaki, Iwate

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Welcome to
Bacchus Global.

Building herbal layers on a rice foundation

Using hon-mirin and sake

Macerating botanicals separately

Rice roundness and herbal bitterness

Japanese sweet vermouth

Where round sweetness meets herbal warmth

Kanegasaki Herb Liqueur Distillery in Kanegasaki, Iwate

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