How it is made

Rice shochu, ume and cinnamon in a four-ingredient recipe

Honkaku shochu made from organic rice is combined with Kuma ume, Indian cinnamon and rock sugar.

Building a cinnamon-led rice shochu

Successive trials shaped a base where the softness of rice and the lift of spice remain in balance.

Steeping Kuma-grown ume

Plum fruit and acidity are layered into the spiced spirit so the cinnamon feels integrated rather than added on top.

The result

Expanding umeshu through spice

Warm cinnamon rises through the ume’s sweet-tart centre and keeps its presence when lengthened with soda.

Taste profile

Sweet spice, bright fruit and a composed finish

Cinnamon opens with warmth and energy, followed by the clean acidity of ume. The palate has moderate weight without excessive sweetness, leaving a quiet spiced finish.

Food affinities

Four directions guided by cinnamon aromatics and plum acidity

CINNAMON UMESHU carries the sweet, lively aroma of cinnamon together with bright plum acidity and a quiet, lingering spice finish. The combinations below are not official pairings presented by the producer, but readings drawn from the recorded taste characteristics.

Pumpkin and root vegetable dishes that meet the cinnamon’s warmthPumpkin pie, Thai-style pumpkin simmered in coconut milk, and simmered pumpkin (kabocha no nimono) are dishes where cinnamon’s aroma meets the sweet notes of pumpkin.

Fried dishes tightened by the plum’s acidityApple fritters, spring rolls, and mixed vegetable tempura (kakiage) are dishes where the plum’s acidity offsets the oil while cinnamon’s aroma carries through lightly.

Sweet nut and fruit dishes met by the spice finishDark chocolate tart, mango sticky rice, and honey-glazed walnuts are dishes where cinnamon’s aroma meets the sweetness of chocolate and ripe fruit.

Chicken dishes supported by the moderate weightRoast chicken, gai yang, and teriyaki chicken are dishes where the palate weight harmonises with the chicken’s juiciness.

Cinnamon’s aroma, centred on cinnamaldehyde, is said to align readily with the sweetness of apple, chocolate and ripe fruit. The warm aroma and plum acidity of this umeshu draw on that alignment, giving it a base that meets pumpkin-based dishes, fried food and dessert-like preparations alike.

Pairing guide — Umeshu

The producer

Kuma shochu tradition with an experimental mind

Toyonaga Distillery was founded in Yunomae, Kumamoto, in 1894. It pairs traditional rice-shochu craft with continued exploration of aroma and flavour.

Official producer website

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