Have you ever heard of umeshu made with tequila as its base? Probably not—because it never existed until the arrival of Tetsuo Kageda.

Tetsuo Kageda is Japan’s first “Tequilero,” a certified tequila distiller whose story was even featured on the Japanese TV show “Crazy Journey.” After over a decade working as a bartender, his passion for Mexican tequila led him to drop everything at age 36 and head to Mexico to learn the craft. After three months of networking and knocking on doors, he finally secured a job at CASCAHUIN, a family-owned distillery in central Mexico, founded in 1904 and known for producing premium 100% agave sipping tequilas.

After working there without pay, Kageda eventually earned a paid position. With his unique connections in Japan and Mexico, he made history by creating the world’s first Japanese umeshu using authentic Mexican tequila as the base!

The product, named CIRCUELA (Spanish for “plum”), uses tequila supplied by CASCAHUIN, with brewing handled by Sei Shuzo in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

Sei Shuzo crafted three variations with different aging times and ABVs. The Red Label is aged for three months and bottled at 16% ABV. The aroma is filled with sweet almond notes—90% reminiscent of the familiar almond essence in Hong Kong desserts! The taste is a pleasant balance of sweet and tart plum, finishing with a hint of almond. Of the three, this is the most approachable and similar to classic umeshu, yet still showcases the unique tequila base.