Kyoto’s culinary philosophy is all about turning everyday ingredients into something precious with the richest background—and this yuzu sake is no exception. The yuzu used here comes 100% from the secluded Mizuho area deep in Kyoto’s mountains, where every yuzu tree is between 100 and 200 years old. The resulting fruits are intensely aromatic and flavorful. Back in the 1970s, Mizuho yuzu were even exported to Taiwan and once set a record price: a yuzu the size of a tennis ball could fetch HKD 40 (while an orange cost just 40 cents at the time). That’s Kyoto for you!

The brewer, Matsui Shuzo, is also an institution with over 300 years of history. Their sake brand “Kamizo” is renowned among connoisseurs, while “Mitsugo” is their fruit liqueur series. For this liqueur, Kyoto-grown sake rice “Iwai” is brewed into sake and then infused with Mizuho yuzu, finally bottled at 10% ABV. Let’s taste it!

On the nose, you get a fresh, natural yuzu fragrance—like the vitality of spring itself. The palate opens with just the right amount of yuzu acidity, followed by juicy, sweet yuzu flavors with medium sweetness. The sake base never overpowers but complements beautifully, providing a smooth texture that lets the citrus shine. The finish reveals a pleasant bitterness from yuzu peel—a truly outstanding yuzu liqueur.

Mizuho has been cultivating yuzu since the Kamakura period (around 1200 AD) and is considered the birthplace of Japanese yuzu. In the Edo period, yuzu from this region was reserved only for nobles and samurai—one of the most prized ingredients of its time. By Showa 40 (1965), Mizuho had earned the nickname “Village of Yuzu.” These yuzu may look ordinary, but their true value and deep history are something to savor.

If you love citrus aroma or are looking for a fruit liqueur to banish the gloom of a damp spring, this is the perfect choice.