Hello everyone,
I’m Tani, an ume concierge at our Kyoto store.

Out of the 100 possible combinations you can create in the ume-making experience, today I’d like to share my personal favorite:
Purple Queen × Konpeito × Vodka.

A Popular Pair at the Ume Experience: Purple Queen × Konpeito

Purple Queen is a small, cherry-like red ume, while Konpeito are colorful, star-shaped sugar candies. Together, they create the most eye-catching and festive combination!

Adding vodka—a neutral spirit with no flavor of its own—lets the fruity character of the ume shine through. This combination is one of my favorites, and it’s also a popular choice among guests.

As customers fill their bottles, I often hear delighted voices saying, “How cute!”—and it always makes me happy to share that joyful moment.

Watching Your Umeshu Transform

When freshly bottled, the mixture looks dazzling.

After one week, it changes beautifully—the Konpeito melts, and the umeshu turns a vivid red. It looks tempting already, but patience is key. It’s still aging.

Finally, after one month, the umeshu is ready. The color has softened into a lovely pink, like a sunset sky.

Relax and Enjoy with All Your Senses

First, I enjoy it straight to fully savor the flavor.

It has matured into a delicious umeshu with a sweet-and-sour, fruity character.

The gentle sweetness of the Konpeito also adds a lovely touch.

With its soft pink color, like rosé wine, it looks so charming that I paired it with a cute fruit-patterned glass.

Choosing the right glassware is part of the fun, too.

I’m not a heavy drinker, but vodka-based umeshu has no strong flavor of its own and finishes clean, so it’s easy to drink while letting the taste of the ume and sugar shine through.

Ume also pairs beautifully with citrus fruits. Just add a splash of orange juice and float a slice of lemon, and you’ll have an easy ume sangria.

My favorite ratio is umeshu 3 : orange juice 1.
With the addition of fresh lemon, the aroma and slight bitterness of the peel enhance the fruity character, making it even more delicious.

If you enjoy stronger drinks, adding a splash of red wine will make it taste even more like sangria.

Find your own favorite blend and discover new ways to enjoy umeshu.

Enjoy the Deeper Changes of Aging

If you let the umeshu age longer, it becomes smoother and more mellow over time. However, the vibrant red color only lasts for about two months. After that, the hue gradually deepens into the amber color typical of umeshu. Watching these changes is part of the enjoyment too.

I’ll be sharing more in future posts about how umeshu matures further, and also how to enjoy the ume fruit once it has finished soaking.

According to Choya’s umeshu recipe, stir the bottle daily for the first two weeks, then let it rest and age for another two weeks. After one month of care and attention, you’ll feel a real sense of attachment to the umeshu you’ve nurtured.

Why not make umeshu-making a part of your lifestyle, and enjoy your time at home even more?