Cloudy Yuzu Liqueur, All-Natural and Bright

Yuzu is Japan's most prized citrus, fragrant, sharp and instantly recognisable, and this is a liqueur built entirely around it. Hakutsuru's Nigori Yuzushu uses 100% domestic Japanese yuzu, with no artificial flavours, colours or acidulants. "Nigori" means cloudy: the yuzu pulp is left in, giving it a hazy look and a fuller, fresher citrus character. At a gentle 9.5% it is light, zesty and refreshing, a natural over ice or lengthened with soda.

Why You'll Reach For It

100% Japanese yuzu: built on real domestic yuzu, not a synthetic citrus flavouring
All-natural: no artificial flavours, colours or acidulants, just the fruit
Cloudy (nigori): the yuzu pulp is left in for a fuller, fresher, more textured citrus character
Light and easy: a gentle 9.5%, bright and refreshing rather than heavy

How to Serve

Over ice: the simplest and best serve, well chilled to keep it crisp
With soda: top with soda for a long, refreshing yuzu highball
In cocktails: a ready-made hit of real yuzu in spritzes and citrus cocktails
Shake before pouring: roll the bottle gently to redistribute the pulp

柚子酒 — Yuzushu, and Japan's favourite citrus

Yuzu (柚子) is a knobbly Japanese citrus with an aroma somewhere between lemon, lime, mandarin and grapefruit, intensely fragrant but too sharp to eat as fruit, which is why it is used for its juice and zest. Yuzushu (柚子酒) is the liqueur made from it, and a good one captures that unmistakable perfume. This is a nigori (cloudy) style, meaning the yuzu pulp is left suspended in the liqueur rather than filtered out, which gives it a hazy appearance and a rounder, fresher citrus character. Made by Hakutsuru, the 1743 Nada brewery, with 100% domestic yuzu and nothing artificial added, it is as close to the real fruit as a liqueur gets.

What does yuzushu taste like?

Bright, fragrant and citrus-forward, with the distinctive aromatic sharpness of yuzu, more complex than lemon, with floral and mandarin notes. It is sweet but balanced by the fruit's natural tartness, and because this is a nigori with the pulp left in, it has a fuller, fresher mouthfeel than a clear, filtered citrus liqueur. At 9.5% it is light and easy to drink, which makes it a versatile aperitif and a brilliant base for refreshing long drinks rather than a heavy after-dinner sipper.

Product Details

Type	柚子酒 — Yuzushu (yuzu liqueur), nigori (cloudy)
Brand	Hakutsuru (白鶴), founded 1743
Citrus	100% domestic Japanese yuzu
Additives	No artificial flavours, colours or acidulants
ABV	9.5%
Volume	700ml
Best Served	Over ice or with soda, well chilled
Origin	Japan

What is yuzu?

Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit, small and knobbly, with an aroma that sits between lemon, lime, mandarin and grapefruit. It is highly prized in Japanese cooking for its fragrant juice and zest rather than its flesh, which is too sharp and seedy to eat. That intense, complex citrus perfume is what makes yuzu so distinctive, and why a liqueur made from real yuzu, like this one, tastes so much more interesting than a simple lemon or lime drink.

Why is it cloudy?

Because it is a nigori style, with the yuzu pulp left in rather than filtered out. That suspended fruit gives it the hazy, cloudy look and a fuller, fresher, more textured citrus character than a clear liqueur. The pulp naturally settles over time, so give the bottle a gentle roll before pouring to mix it back through. The cloudiness is a sign of the real fruit content, not a fault.

How should I store it?

Keep it cool and out of direct sunlight, and refrigerate once opened to keep the fresh citrus character at its best. Because it contains real fruit pulp and no artificial preservatives beyond the alcohol and sugar, it is freshest enjoyed within a few weeks of opening. Stand it upright and roll gently before each pour to redistribute the pulp.

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