This Heiwa Shuzo Tsuru-ume Yuzushu is made with a one-year-old Junmai Sake and Yuzu juice, at a 1 : 1 ratio. This is higher than most Yuzushu produced elsewhere. The yuzu fruit is grown in Wakayama and is juiced with its peel, giving all the qualities of the fruit, sweet, sour & bitter. This example has a marvelous full aroma of fresh yuzu, with a zesty, citrus tart character and a fruit sweet and fresh finish. Store Yuzushu in a cool dark place, trying to avoid direct sunlight. Once opened the Heiwa 'Tsuru-ume Yuzushu' will last well for at least 8 - 10 weeks, ideally in a refrigerator.

Kenbishi Mizuho Yamahai Junmai Sake is produced using the classic style involing amahai method and wild yeast. King of Sake rice ‘Yamadanishiki’ 100% used. ‘Mizuho’ means ‘ear of rice’, but in this case, Kenbishi meant it is ‘Junmai’. Blends of 2 YO to 8 YO tank aged Sake. The resulting sake is has a distinctive golden colour with aromas of nut, honey, and malt. A smooth and mouth coating warm with medium-to-full bodied textures.

In this Nigori (cloudy) Umeshu made with Nanko Ume fruit from Wakayama, the pulp from the macerated Ume fruit is added to the Umeshu liqueur to give the liquid added texture from the fruit itself. This has a wonderful aroma of Ume, a sweet yet tart character on the palate, full body and a refreshing acidic finish. Great chilled on its own, or in a cocktail like a Spritz.

Maruishi Jozo Miwaku No Mango is a blend of Junmai sake and mango. Distilled with Daichi No Kaze rice, this sake liqueur has a powerful palate of sweet mango. Best enjoyed chilled, on the rocks, with soda.

Kitajima Sake Brewery was established in 1805 and is one of Japan's oldest and most respected sake breweries, situated in the beautiful Shiga Prefecture near lake Biwa. Their highly crafted range is unique and distinctive with a palate that is much richer and fruitier than the average sake. Made from Oumi rice, a premium rice that is ethically grown in the Shiga Prefecture, polished at 60%, pasteurised and non-filtered. This Junmai Ginjo sake has a rich aroma of berry fruits and a soft and plump taste with fresh notes of citrus.

The Ine Mankai from Mukai Shuzō is produced using an ancient strain of red rice, along with a with a white rice, creating a rose petal coloured sake. In provincial villages and towns within Japan red rice has been cultivated and used in traditional celebrations for centuries, but it is extremely rare to see it used commercially. While studying at Tōkyō University, Kuniko met Professor Takeda, and was encouraged to create a sake with the red rice he knew grew locally in Kuniko's hometown area of Ine. In May 2000, Kuniko released her red rice sake calling it 'Ine Mankai' or ‘Ine in Full Bloom’. It’s well balanced levels of acidity and sweetness make it perfect for drinking with a wide variety of food. Complex cherry & vanilla aroma with unique sweet/tart cherry & pomegranate flavours with a savoury, umami rich palate works equally well with savoury dishes or sweet.

In theory it is impossible to ferment whole brown rice unless it is sprouted [which is what used to be done in ancient times] however Genmai-zake [literally - brown rice sake] means that the husk of the rice has not been polished off. Rather, the rice husk is crushed to expose the inner part of the grain to allow fermentation, while leaving the rice completely unpolished. Genmai-zake needs twice as much rice than would usually be required to make the same quantity of sake made from polished rice. This style also requires extra attention with longer soaking and steaming times. Soaking for Genmai-zake takes around 14 hours, whereas soaking for white rice ranges from 1 minute for highly polished rice to around 1 hour for less polished. This long soak time is followed by a double steaming process. During the fermentation of the Genmaishu, Shiuchi-san has to implement complicated additions of kōji rice, steamed rice and water at very specific intervals of the ferment period to to achieve the exact result he wants in the finished sake. Kameman also needs to age the sake before it is at its optimum drinking condition. It is incredibly rare to see a sake made from brown rice, with only one other brewery in Japan making a genmai-zake. The Genmaishu displays a beautiful brown sugar and roasted cocoa bean nose with a lovely balanced sweetness on the palate with tastes of ‘Christmas cake’ dried fruit and spices. Kameman have achieved the perfect balance of sweet/savoury/dry to make this a well balanced sake with great palate weight. As this sake ages it develops into even richer, more complex flavours. This is an interesting sake to match with food as it can be paired with sweet dishes with pastry, nuts and honey or can be used to match with rich ingredients like foie gras.

The ‘Furu-Tsuru-Ume’ is made with Nankō Ume fruit from Wakayama. The fruit is steeped in Sake for 4 months, then aged in a tank for 2 years. It is then placed in used oak barrels for further ageing of at least 8 years. This is one of the oldest wood-aged Umeshu in the market. A rich and complex example of Umeshu with a spicy oak character on the finish, this is best served slightly chilled in a wine glass to appreciate the intense and complex aromas and flavours on display here. Once opened the Heiwa 'Furu-tsuru-ume Umeshu 10YO' will last well for at least 12 - 15 weeks, ideally in a refrigerator.

Ota Shuzo Dokan's Umeshu (plum wine) is a joyous drinking experience. Made with one year-old sake instead of soju, and then elevated with the maceration of ume plums and korizuta sugar, this wine manages to be highly drinkable and complex all at once.. Produced by a 5th generation samurai family, it's evident that the decades of precision and dedication have given Ota Shuzo Dokan the skillset to make the finest umeshu available in Australia. Not as sweet as other umeshu, this wine is perfect in cocktails or as a simple, solo treat, served cold over ice. Once opened the Ota 'Umeshu' will last well for at least 10 - 12 weeks, ideally in a refrigerator.

This Dokan Daiginjo sake is a very fine and balanced version of Junmai Daiginjo - Daiginjo grades of sake are considered the ultimate test of a brewer’s skill. Expect floral and fruit driven styles of sake that can be elegant and delicate or complex and intriguing. This is super premium sake at it’s best without the super premium price tag. A bold fragrant nose leads to ripe melon & fennel aromas. The palate has a light touch of sweetness and a robust round mouthfeel. Great as an aperitif or with lighter styled dishes. Serve chilled. Once opened the Ota Shuzo 'Dokan Daiginjo' will last well for at least 3 - 4 weeks, ideally in a refrigerator.