Umeshu ( 梅酒) is a Japanese liqueur made by steeping ume plums (while still unripe and green) in liquor ( 焼酎, shōchū) and sugar. It has a sweet, sour taste, and an alcohol content of 10–15%. Famous brands of umeshu include Choya, Takara Shuzo and Matsuyuki. Varieties are available with whole ume fruits contained in the bottle, and some people make their own umeshu at home. Add the vanilla, shake well, then strain through a sieve (optional: strain a second time through muslin or a nutbag to ensure a really clear liqueur) Rounding out the plum spirit offerings is UME, a delightfully tart and subtly sweet fruit liqueur with a rather unique quality… a dazzling royal purple hue. If Umeshu and Slivovitz are the plum spirits of the past, UME Plum Liqueur may very well be the plum spirit of the future. Conceived in 2020, UME takes inspiration from the traditional methods of Japan and Eastern Europe and brings them into the 21st century, resulting in a totally new yet familiar experience. Founders Jenn Toyzer and Katy Brandes partnered with California molecular spirits producer Endless West to, well, science the sh*t out of a new kind of plum liqueur.

Yes, like a form of Benedictine. It’s delicious, brilliant,” she responded. We drank some more of it. There’s more alcohol in liqueur than in wine (about 20% by volume), and you add it directly (as vodka, usually). Liqueurs are sweeter too – from 15 – 30% sugar (by weight). Sometimes higher. Making a recipe revolves around the amount of alcohol, sugar, and water you want in the final product. This recipe will yield about 25% alcohol (by volume) and 18% sugar (by weight). I wouldn’t go below 20% alcohol, but feel free to vary the sugar and alcohol to your taste. Taste notes: Smooth and fruity in taste, this sophisticated drink is very soft, yet rich with cherry flavour. The perfectly balanced bittersweet spiciness is a result of tart grapefruit peel and slightly bitter gentian.Taste Notes: Light, creamy and sweet, the liqueur is rich in fruity flavours of oranges and apples blended with spices and herbs. Fragrant, with sweet vanilla, cinnamon and citrus blossoms, Licor 43 displays a complex, but well-balanced palate. Ume, or plums, are a rare and beloved fruit brought to Japan from China in this manner. But plum blossoms were prized for more than just their aesthetic appeal. Ume fruit has been consumed widely throughout history since it has numerous health advantages according to the Ume Kenkyukai (Ume Research Institute). Around the end of the third century, they first introduced ume to Japan. In Wu, China, during the Yamato period of Emperor Kinmei, there is one belief that Wani introduced this. Wani is a naturalised citizen from Baekje, and another theory brought by a high priest. Umeshu History

Damsons (or damson plums) are stone fruit that look like tiny plums. They are small fruits with vibrant dark purple-blue skin often covered with a whitish bloom. They grow in hedgerows throughout the UK and are ready to harvest around late August through to October.

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Umeshu can be made either from real plum fruit, or using additive flavours and perfumes to emulate the taste of plums. Umeshu which is made from exclusively plum fruit (without additives) will be labelled as Honkaku Umeshu and will typically be made only from ume fruit, sugar, and alcohol. [1] Homemade umeshu [ edit ]