Volume：700ml
ABV：20%

When it comes to legendary Umeshu producers, Oyamamachi Yumekoubou in Oita Prefecture stands at the pinnacle. While their award-winning "Baika Ranman" and "Yumehibiki 5 Years" are regular gold-medal champions, "THE NEXT" eclipses them all as the estate's most ultra-premium, crown-jewel expression. Strict to a global allocation of only 1,000 bottles, each features a uniquely numbered neck tag and is presented in a luxurious, blind-embossed champagne-gold gift box.

THE NEXT is a monumental crossover with the historic Rokuchoshi Shuzo. The process begins with Rokuchoshi aging premium rice shochu in wooden casks for 5 years. This vintage spirit is then transferred to Oyamamachi Yumekoubou to steep with legendary Oshuku plums for 1 year, before undergoing a final 2-year maturation in selected oak casks—culminating in an 8-year odyssey bottled at a bold 20% ABV.

The nose is greeted by an elegant cask perfume intertwined with subtle rice aromas and refined plum fragrance. The entry is exceptionally soft and delicate, presenting a sophisticated, dry-to-medium sweetness profile. Mid-palate, notes of mature plum and oak tannins flood the mouth seamlessly, leading to a long, comforting finish with a warming yet gentle spirit presence. It stands as the absolute holy grail for connoisseurs who find traditional Umeshu too syrupy but seek a gentler alternative to heavy whiskies or cognacs.