Heiwa Shuzō and its Wakayama Home
Founded in 1928, Heiwa Shuzō is located just outside Kainan City in Wakayama Prefecture, on a site that had previously been home to a temple for more than 500 years. Full-time sake production began in 1957, drawing on the brewery's naturally advantageous surroundings.
The brewery sits in a valley enclosed by mountains, an area of high rainfall with access to abundant soft spring water well suited to sake brewing. This relationship between water, agriculture and place remains central to Heiwa Shuzō, both in its sake production and in the fruit-led Tsuru-Ume range for which the brewery has become particularly well known.
Tsuru-Ume and the Fruit of Wakayama
The Tsuru-Ume collection was created to showcase the quality and diversity of fruit grown throughout Wakayama. The prefecture is particularly renowned for ume, the Japanese fruit commonly used to make umeshu, as well as an impressive variety of citrus.
Heiwa Shuzō works directly with local growers to source fruit for the range, including ume, yuzu, lemon and natsumikan. Rather than treating the fruit simply as flavouring, the Tsuru-Ume wines and liqueurs place its natural aroma, sweetness and acidity at the centre of each expression.
This produces a range with considerable variation, from intensely aromatic citrus to ripe, rounded ume and more unusual seasonal fruit releases.
Tsuru-Ume Yuzushu and Citrus Liqueurs
Tsuru-Ume Yuzushu is one of Heiwa Shuzō's signature expressions and a particularly vibrant introduction to the range. Fresh yuzu provides an intensely aromatic combination of citrus peel, juice and acidity, creating a style that is both refreshing and concentrated.
The citrus theme continues through Tsuru-Ume Lemon and Natsumikan, each expressing a different side of Wakayama's fruit-growing culture. Lemon brings sharper citrus freshness, while natsumikan, a Japanese citrus variety, offers a distinctive balance of sweetness, bitterness and acidity.
Kent Street Cellars carries Tsuru-Ume Yuzushu in both 720ml and 1.8L formats.
Exploring Tsuru-Ume Umeshu
Umeshu forms another important part of the Tsuru-Ume collection, with several expressions highlighting differences in fruit ripeness, texture and balance.
Tsuru-Ume Kanjuku is made using ripe ume, creating a fuller and more generous expression of the fruit. Suppai, meaning "sour" in Japanese, moves towards a brighter, more tart style, while Nigori offers greater texture and fruit richness.
The collection also includes Furu-Tsuru-Ume 10 Year Old, an aged expression that shows a considerably deeper and more developed interpretation of umeshu. Together, these bottles make it possible to explore umeshu beyond a single house style, from fresh and lively through to rich and mature.
How to Serve Tsuru-Ume
The versatility of Tsuru-Ume is part of its appeal. Yuzushu and the brighter citrus expressions can be served well chilled, over ice or lengthened with soda for a refreshing drink, while richer umeshu can also work well neat or over a large cube of ice.
Their balance of fruit, sweetness and acidity also makes them useful alongside food. Citrus-led expressions work particularly well with lighter Japanese dishes and seafood, while richer ume styles can sit comfortably alongside savoury dishes or be served after a meal.
