Six Sake Sisters: Yuzu
Written by Marisela MaddoxLast but not least, we have the Waka No Megumi “Yuzu” the sixth and final installment of our Six Sake Sisters series. Yet another summery sipper, this liqueur is brewed in the Ryujin village of the Wakayama Prefecture which is renowned in Japan for producing this rare style of sake with natural flavor. Produced by the famous Sekai Itto Sake Brewery, this high-quality sake is delicately infused with pure Yuzu juice which gives a balanced sweet and tart flavor. Having cherished the other members of the Six Sake Sisters I couldn’t wait to crack open the bottle and see if this sake could live up to the mega high expectations the previous Waka No Megumi’s produced.
For the first time in this series, I decided to try this beverage chilled and without ice. I didn’t notice any stark differences in taste or drinkability, so I proceeded to test the mysterious light-yellow brew and give my review. As has become expected with these sake liqueurs, I was just blown away by how sippable this brew was. It is incredibly easy to forget that these beverages even have alcohol in them! The brew itself was astonishingly soft the entire way down and had a taste profile that included a light citrus hint accompanied by a tang of honey. For the beginner sake drinker out there, yuzu is a Japanese citrus lemon that is valued for its highly aromatic rind. Noticeably sweeter than most sakes out there, including the other Six Sake Sisters, this brew is truly a treat. The perfect aperitif, this Yuzu sake can even be enjoyed as a dessert beverage! Due to its lower ABV of 8%, this sake liqueur is perfect for mixing with other beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Traditionally, I’ve mixed these sake liqueurs with vodka (and you should do the same for experimental purposes) but I opted to drink this beverage by itself this time around.
Now that I have tried every member of the Six Sake Sisters series, I can plainly say that this is my favorite sake I have ever tried. The delicate balance of yuzu juice gives the beverage the perfect amount of sweetness followed by a noticeably tart finish. If you are looking for a sake that serves as both an aperitif or dessert beverage look no further than the rare and unique Waka No Megumi “Yuzu” sake liqueur!