Plum Wine Wholesale | Drinking Beverages | Restaurant Usage | Umeshu

Umeshu, with its unique sweet-sour aroma and mellow taste, has captured the hearts of countless people. It is not only a perfect beverage for cooling off in the hot summer, but also contains a long history and cultural heritage. Tracing the history of umeshu is like flipping through an ancient and mysterious wine recipe, from which we can catch a glimpse of its evolution from a royal court drink to a modern fine wine, as well as the profound cultural connotations behind it.

Umeshu originated in ancient China. Although the exact birth year and inventor cannot be precisely determined, relevant records can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, with the prosperity of drinking culture, the craftsmanship of umeshu was developed, making it a royal court beverage favored by the imperial family. In the Song Dynasty, the production technique of umeshu became more mature, and different types of umeshu emerged. Later, during the Nara period (710-794), Japan introduced the brewing technology of umeshu from China and developed umeshu with Japanese characteristics according to local climatic conditions and taste preferences.

Sake: Made from polished rice, rice koji and water via fermentation and pressing → fermented alcohol.

Plum Sake: Blends sake with plum juice and sugar → blended beverage, no secondary fermentation.

Sake: Crisp, rice-forward with floral/fruity notes, low sweetness, 13~15% vol

Plum Sake: Sweet-tart, intense plum aroma, higher sugar content, 10~17% vol.

Sake: Paired with sushi/sashimi or served neat/warm.

Plum Sake: Enjoyed as a dessert wine, mixed with ice/soda/juice for cocktails.

Summary: Sake is a fermented rice wine, while Plum Sake is a sake-based blend emphasizing plum sweetness. They differ in process, taste, and serving styles.