Choya Umeshu – a favourite drink

A favourite alcoholic drink of mine is Choya Umeshu – a Japanese plum wine. I can’t quite remember when I was first introduced to it, but it has been a while.

You may recall seeing small green glass bottles that looks smaller than a beer can, usually in the chiller of the liquor store. There is also usually a pickled ume plum inside it.

The liquor is a clear amber coloured liquid with quite a sharp sweet-sour smell. Tastewise, its sweet with a distinctive sour plum taste. I suppose the sweetness makes it quite a girly drink, but I know of guys who enjoy it too as its very easy to drink. Almost too easy, if you ask me. By the time it hits, its way too late.

I usually take it neat on the rocks. Just a peg or two of Umeshu in a glass with ice. I had some Choya recipes somewhere that said that you could mix it with champagne or sprite to create a mixer or cocktail but I haven’t tried that. The other fun bit is of course, getting at the preserved ume plum once you are done. The alcohol content is only 15% but it can give quite a buzz.

Looking at the Choya website, I’m boggled at the choice of umeshu available. I’m only familiar with the one with the white cap and the black cap, both bottles of which I only buy at duty free because its too expensive in the stores after taxes. A 700ml bottle retails at about RM140 in a liquor store (I’m using the liquor store at Jusco Midvalley Megamall by way of comparison) whereas it costs something like RM75 at KLIA duty free. In Singapore’s Changi Airport, its apparently even cheaper still. So, whenever I know of people going overseas, you know what my liquor of choice is.

I did however, spot this at a 100 Yen shop in SS2 in PJ recently. It is a small 50ml bottle of Choya umeshu with an ume plum inside it. Each bottle retailed for only RM5.90 and was sold freely at the drinks section of the store. It comes in a strip of 5 bottles but they sell it separately as well.

I was quite surprised to see it as I did not expect the 100 Yen shop to sell alcohol products, but apparently they do. I suppose only those who know about it will buy it. I bought one to try to see if it was the same stuff I’m familiar with. It is. RM5.90 isn’t cheap for a little 50ml bottle of drink, but it was nice for a late evening alcohol buzz. One bottle of the usual Choya a retails for about RM20 for a 50ml bottle if I’m not mistaken so this might be its cheaper cousin.

Umeshu or plum wine is supposed to be good for the health and Japanese have been drinking this for a long time. The ume fruit is also supposed to be good for the health as it helps reduce fatigue and increases appetite. Oh its also supposed to be good for the intestines and in helping with diahrrea so I guess I know what to take the next time food poisoning hits!

The next time anyone goes overseas, you know what to get me eh?

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