Precision Over Uniformity: The Botanical Craft of Kanegasaki Yakusō Shuzō

KANPAI Makers’ Choices No.11

If herbal liqueurs are understood simply as drinks made by steeping botanicals en masse in alcohol, the production approach used by Kanegasaki Yakusō Shuzō in Iwate Prefecture may be overlooked.

In a 2023 interview, representative Kazuma Oikawa explained that the distillery adjusts both the maceration duration and the alcohol strength of the base spirit for each botanical. Rather than extracting everything together, the ingredients are processed separately and then used to build layers of aroma.

At KANPAI THAILAND 2026, four distinct expressions from the distillery will be presented:

• AKA-ONI ROSSO Japanese Sweet Vermouth
• KANEGASAKI Crème de Cassis Kubo
• WAKA HAJIME Japanese Aperitif
• WAKA ITSUKI Japanese Aperitif

Comprising a sweet vermouth, a crème de cassis, and two seasonal aperitifs, these creations differ not only in name but also in their ingredient compositions. This article examines those differences through the extraction philosophy described by the distillery in 2023.

Tailoring Duration and Strength

Maceration is the process of steeping fruits, leaves, roots, bark, and spices in alcohol so that their components move into the liquid. The word alone does not specify the duration, alcohol strength, or number of extractions used.

According to the 2023 interview, Kanegasaki Yakusō Shuzō varies both time and proof for each botanical and repeats the maceration process three to four times. The interview explains that this is done to form layers of aroma in which the individual ingredients can still be perceived.

The relevant choice is not merely to increase the variety of botanicals, but to avoid treating different botanicals under one set of conditions. However, the interview describes the distillery’s approach in 2023; it does not confirm that all four products presented in 2026 use the same number of macerations or the same conditions. Their published ingredients and basic specifications must therefore be considered separately.

Seasonal Expressions in the WAKA Series

Among the products presented for 2026, WAKA ITSUKI and WAKA HAJIME use different ingredient compositions corresponding to spring and winter themes.

WAKA ITSUKI Japanese Aperitif (High proof, 24% ABV, 500 mL) is themed around spring and lists Iwate apples, neutral alcohol, herbs, and beet sugar among its ingredients. WAKA HAJIME Japanese Aperitif (High proof, 24% ABV, 500 mL) is themed around winter and lists Iwate strawberries, green tea, sansho pepper, chili pepper, herbs, spices, and beet sugar.

While both expressions share a 24% ABV foundation, their seasonal themes are expressed through distinct ingredient combinations. The precise variables—including maceration length, proof during extraction, sequence, number of macerations, and blending ratios—have not been made public. The method described in the 2023 interview therefore cannot be applied directly to either product as a confirmed specification.

Distinction in Base Spirits: AKA-ONI and Kubo

The published base of AKA-ONI ROSSO Japanese Sweet Vermouth combines mirin made from Iwate’s “Konjiki no Kaze” rice with kasutori shochu distilled from sake lees. Its listed botanicals include kuromoji, tamushiba, rose, ginger, vanilla, shiso, sansho pepper, wormwood, and Amur cork tree bark.

In contrast, KANEGASAKI Crème de Cassis Kubo has a published ingredient list of neutral spirit, blackcurrants, beet sugar, and blackcurrant juice, with no added flavorings or colorings. The maker explains that the product emerged from a collaborative project with bartender Toshiyuki Kubo of ark LOUNGE & BAR in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture.

An ingredient list offers only a partial view of production. A shorter list does not establish that the process is simpler, nor does it reveal the maker’s intention regarding the number of ingredients. Undisclosed stages cannot be inferred from the ingredient list alone.

An Individual Design for Every Expression

The extraction philosophy described in 2023—adjusting time and proof across repeated macerations—provides context for viewing the distillery’s portfolio. The four products presented in 2026 differ in their ingredients and alcohol specifications, and published information also identifies distinctive base spirits for some of them.

Public information does not confirm whether all four products use the same maceration count or conditions. The method described in the 2023 interview should therefore be distinguished from the specifications publicly available for each current product.

Record No. 11: The Intentionality of Individual Extraction

In KANPAI Makers’ Choices, production decisions are recorded through verifiable details: rice polishing ratios, maturation temperatures, pressing cuts, filtration methods, and aging vessels.

For Record No. 11, what is documented about Kanegasaki Yakusō Shuzō is the choice described in the 2023 interview: setting maceration duration and base-spirit strength by botanical rather than applying uniform treatment.

Design is not limited to increasing the number of botanicals. It also includes deciding, for each ingredient, how long it should be steeped and at what alcohol strength. Reading the four products through their published base-spirit and ingredient information makes it possible to consider their differences without assuming undisclosed production conditions.

This article is intended solely to provide factual and cultural information about Kanegasaki Yakusou Shuzo and its botanical extraction methods. It does not aim to promote or encourage the purchase or consumption of alcohol. It is intended for readers aged 20 and over.

บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อให้ข้อมูลเชิงข้อเท็จจริงและวัฒนธรรมเกี่ยวกับ Kanegasaki Yakusou Shuzo และแนวทางการสกัดวัตถุดิบจากพืชเท่านั้น มิได้มีเจตนาเพื่อส่งเสริมการซื้อหรือการบริโภคเครื่องดื่มแอลกอฮอล์ บทความนี้จัดทำขึ้นสำหรับผู้อ่านอายุ 20 ปีขึ้นไป

Related Products

AKA-ONI ROSSO Japanese Sweet Vermouth / KANEGASAKI Creme de Cassis Kubo / WAKA HAJIME Japanese Aperitif / WAKA ITSUKI Japanese Aperitif

Related Reading

Kanegasaki Yakusō Shuzō: Four Seasons from One Field / A Vermouth Built on Mirin / Crème de Cassis Kubo: The Bartender Behind the Name / KANPAI THAILAND 2026: All Episodes