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The other day, I spotted a bottle of Choya Umeshu in my local liquor store.
Ever seen this stuff? After some intense Internet research (Googling, mostly), I discovered that Choya is Japanese plum liqueur.
In fact, this particular bottle of Choya had little round thingys floating in the bottom of it. They must have been plums.
So my question is: Have you ever tried this stuff? What's it like?
It's not that expensive. I'm tempted to try some.
(Photo by me)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "simulated sex with a potted palm tree." Before The Sun, he was a reporter at the Miami New Times. He's also written for Miami magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, the Sarasota Herald Tribune and the Gainesville Sun. Got tips? Gripes? Pitches? He's reachable at erik.maza@baltsun.com. Click here to keep up with the dumb music he's listening to.
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Comments
I've never had it, but don't expect it to be like that sickening sweet plum wine they used to serve in Chinese places. Ume are bitter green plums very popular in Japan. I think they have some magical property like making you fly, but maybe I made that up.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gaijin | October 9, 2009 10:12 AM
forget this stuff and go for the soho lychee liquor. make some lychee martinis.
Posted by: bill | October 9, 2009 10:21 AM
Sam,
Are sussing out test subjects or Guinea pigs who've tried this before you risk sampling this yourself?
Posted by: GDA | October 9, 2009 10:58 AM
I mean, I'm not going to turn down someone who offers to try it for me. But I'm still probably going to try it myself in the near future, GDA. Why, have you tried it?
Posted by: Sam Sessa | October 9, 2009 11:15 AM
I know they serve Choya plum wine at Joss Cafe in Annapolis and it is so tasty!
Posted by: qzans | October 9, 2009 2:10 PM
I have a few of the single shots versions in the wine chiller (relax, it's too small capacity to be snobby). It's pretty good, and as Owl Gaijin says, it was not sickeningly sweet.
I first tried is on my honeymoon in that noted Japanese tourist destination, the Japanese pavillion in the enchanted land of Epcot.
The plums are ok, but not a great flesh-to-pit ratio for the single shot size. The plums from larger size were awesome.
Posted by: Chw | October 9, 2009 2:54 PM
Sam,
I've not sampled it, or yet seen it. This is the first I've heard of it.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 9, 2009 3:04 PM
I had it a long time ago and enjoyed it.
Bonus: the bottle is great. Very reusable because it's so easy to wash.
Posted by: Liz Kay | October 9, 2009 4:26 PM
Sam,
I've not sampled it, or yet seen it. This is the first I've heard of it.
Posted by: GDA | October 9, 2009 6:50 PM