How it is made

Barley-shochu depth beneath Kishu Nanko ume

Hamada Shuzo steeps Kishu Nanko ume in honkaku barley shochu made in Kagoshima. The liqueur retains not only the fruit but also the rounded grain character of a singly distilled shochu base.

A foundation of honkaku barley shochu

Rather than using a nearly neutral continuously distilled spirit, BIJIN begins with Kagoshima honkaku barley shochu, giving the palate gentle toast and depth.

Kishu Nanko ume, left unadorned

The Nanko ume is steeped without added flavouring, colouring or acidifiers, preserving natural fruit sweetness and acidity as the centre of the liqueur.

The result

Restrained sweetness, rounded texture and a clear core

At 8% ABV, the liqueur remains light while retaining the roundness of barley shochu and the savoury depth of ume. Gentle acidity leaves the finish clean rather than simply sweet.

Taste profile

Nanko plum fruit with a quiet toasted-grain note

Kishu Nanko ume suggests apricot and peach, followed by the soft grain aroma of barley shochu. The palate is rounded, with plum depth and gentle natural acidity. Sweetness stays measured, and a trace of grain richness remains through a clean finish.

Food affinities

Where Nanko plum meets toasted grain

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

Apricot and peach notes meeting fruit dessertsApricot tart and other stone-fruit Western desserts align with the apricot and peach character of Kishu Nanko ume, alongside a Thai mango and papaya plate and Japanese peach compote.

The soft grain aroma meeting toasty dishesRoast chicken and other toasty Western dishes align with the soft grain aroma from barley shochu, alongside Thai rice porridge (khao tom) and Japanese grilled rice balls (yaki onigiri).

Plum umami and soft acidity supporting chicken-broth dishesChicken broth soup and other broth-based Western dishes align with the plum umami and soft acidity, alongside Thai coconut chicken soup (tom kha gai) and Japanese chicken mizutaki hotpot.

Measured sweetness and a clean finish meeting delicate startersBurrata salad and other delicate Western starters align with the measured sweetness and clean finish, alongside Thai glass-noodle herb salad (yam woon sen) and Japanese chilled tofu.

“Food Pairing Encyclopedia” records apricot’s aroma as linked to honey, chicken broth and roasted chestnut — a direction close to this ume’s own apricot and peach character; following the harmony concept in “Logical Pairing,” the barley’s grain aroma resonates directly with toasty notes in a dish.

The producer

Hamada Shuzo in Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima

Hamada Shuzo was founded in Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima, in 1868. It works through three breweries: Denbee-gura for tradition, Denzouin-gura for innovation and Kinzangura for succession. BIJIN is made at Denzouin-gura, translating the producer’s shochu expertise into the structure of an umeshu.

Official producer website

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Specifications