A few months ago, Sakurao Distillery in Hiroshima launched a new “Rocks” fruit liqueur series. The unique feature of this series is its use of fruit peels in the production process. Beyond the usual sweetness and tartness of fruit liqueurs, this method imparts a subtle, refined bitterness from the peel—perfect for those who don’t enjoy overly sweet drinks.

While most fruit liqueurs are made by soaking whole fruits in alcohol, the Rocks series uses only the peels. The peels are soaked separately in alcohol and pure water, then distilled. The alcohol infusion becomes the fruit liqueur, while the water infusion is turned into fragrant essential oils. These are then blended together, with fresh fruit juice added to balance the sweetness, acidity, and the gentle bitterness of the peel.

All three liqueurs in the series have an alcohol content of 16%, which is quite high for fruit liqueurs, but the alcohol is well hidden behind the flavors of the peel. Even those who don’t usually drink much will find it easy to enjoy. And with the higher ABV, the flavor holds up well whether you serve it on the rocks or mixed with soda water.

Yuzu Rocks is made using Japanese yuzu, with 15% fresh-pressed yuzu juice in every bottle. The result is a beautifully balanced combination of sweetness, tartness, and the slight bitterness of yuzu peel. If you love yuzu liqueur, you’re bound to enjoy this one.