Yamajin Orchard & Herb Garden is no ordinary distillery. Their parent company, Matsuyama Yushi, is renowned for making skincare products—especially their popular yuzu moisturizing lotion. To ensure top-quality ingredients, they established the Yamajin Orchard & Herb Garden in Tokushima, specializing in various fruits, one of which is Tokushima’s famous “Sudachi” citrus. Sudachi is packed with citric acid and is a staple in Japanese cuisine, often used with soy sauce to enhance the flavor of sashimi and fugu (pufferfish).

While most fruit liqueurs are made by soaking fruit flesh or peel in base spirits, this creation takes a unique approach. The distillery peels the sudachi, then ferments it with yeast and sugar. The fermented liquid is then distilled into a base spirit, which is blended with their own sudachi juice and cordial, capturing the essence of the fruit in this liqueur. Let’s open a bottle and taste!

Pouring it into the glass, the aroma is subtle with hints of lime and dried tangerine peel. On the palate, you get a mouthwatering tartness reminiscent of lime and calamansi, with a light bittersweetness from the peel. It’s low in sweetness, with virtually no detectable alcohol—very easy to drink. Even after swallowing, the tart citrus continues to tingle in your mouth, leaving you refreshed. On a muggy, oppressive day, a glass of this will instantly revive you!

If you love bold acidity, low sweetness, and bright citrus flavors, this is the perfect fruit liqueur for you!