How it is made

Using agar to hold the fruit’s depth in suspension

Sake and neutral spirit form the base, with yuzu juice, ume and agar layered above. Agar creates the natural haze and smooth viscosity that bring the fruit together.

Ume beneath the yuzu

Bright yuzu acidity is given depth by the sweet-tart richness of ume.

Texture shaped with agar

Agar lends a velvety flow and keeps the fruit evenly distributed. Shake well before serving.

The result

A three-stage progression of aroma, acidity and umami

Yuzu leads into ume depth, before the soft savoury character of sake gathers the profile together.

Taste profile

Vivid yuzu, ume depth and a melting texture

Opaque yuzu yellow, with fresh citrus over subtle rice and stone-fruit notes. The palate is smooth, moving from yuzu acidity to ume richness and finally the gentle savoury depth of sake.

Food affinities

Where the three-layer structure of yuzu, ume and sake meets the table

The food affinities below for KOTSUZUMI Yuyu are not pairings the brewery has stated officially — they are a reading of the characteristics recorded on this page. Four directions are built around the three-layer structure of yuzu, ume and sake, and the melting texture created by the agar.

Yuzu aroma that lifts right after fried, fatty dishesSole meunière, tempura, and fried fish with chili sauce. The bright citrus lift from yuzu rises right after fried or fatty food and resets the palate.

Rice umami that supports dashi-based dishesMushroom consommé, chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), and a clear tofu soup. The faint rice umami from the sake base sits quietly underneath dashi-based dishes, supporting their structure.

Ume’s sweet-tartness that answers rich glazed saucesBBQ pork ribs, ginger-glazed pork (shogayaki), and fried chicken wings with fish sauce glaze. The sweet-tartness of ume runs in the same direction as sweet-savory glazes, sitting well with a rich finish.

A melting texture that sits beside smooth-textured startersBurrata, glass noodle salad (yum woon sen), and tofu dressed with sesame (shira-ae). The melting texture from the agar matches the smooth texture of these starters, so the two sit quietly side by side.

This pairing rationale draws on the following reference books: Food Pairing Encyclopedia notes that lemon and lime aromas pair well with fried food, mustard, and seafood; The Science of Food Pairing explains that citrus aromas resonate with the oxidized-lipid notes in seafood, sharpening a sense of freshness. Under the weight theory in Logical Pairing, rice-derived umami tends to align directly with dashi-based dishes. Yuyu’s three-layer structure of yuzu, ume and sake answers each of these three ideas in a different direction.

Pairing guide — Umeshu

The producer

Nishiyama Shuzoujou, established in Tamba in 1849

Nishiyama Shuzoujou was founded in Tamba, Hyogo, in 1849. The KOTSUZUMI name was given by the haiku poet Takahama Kyoshi in 1915.

Official producer website

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KOTSUZUMI Yu-Yu

Using agar to hold the fruit’s depth in suspension

Ume beneath the yuzu

Texture shaped with agar

A three-stage progression of aroma, acidity and umami

Vivid yuzu, ume depth and a melting texture

Where the three-layer structure of yuzu, ume and sake meets the table

Nishiyama Shuzoujou, established in Tamba in 1849

Related yuzushu

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Using agar to hold the fruit’s depth in suspension

Ume beneath the yuzu

Texture shaped with agar

A three-stage progression of aroma, acidity and umami

Vivid yuzu, ume depth and a melting texture

Where the three-layer structure of yuzu, ume and sake meets the table

Nishiyama Shuzoujou, established in Tamba in 1849

Related yuzushu

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