Yoshi Nama Matcha Vodka

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 42% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Japanese matcha shapes this vodka made in Germany. The tea comes from Uji and Kagoshima, while Uji’s tea culture provides the inspiration. For the matcha, the tea leaves are shaded for up to four weeks before harvesting, allowing them to develop greater sweetness and mildness. After gentle drying, they are finely ground in granite and porcelain mills, with no leaf stems entering the powder.

The matcha character combines fresh, vegetal impressions with milky and floral nuances and a hint of umami. The vodka is bottled without colouring at 42% alcohol in 0.5-litre bottles. It can be enjoyed neat or over ice and also works well in cocktails. In a Matcha Mule, its tea notes are combined with lime juice and ginger beer; a slice of cucumber completes the drink.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, grassy freshness and floral notes combine with a little umami.
• Palate: The vodka feels velvety on the palate, with well-integrated alcohol. Vegetal and slightly bitter tea notes take the lead, while the sweetness remains restrained.
• Finish: The finish is dry and medium in length.

Distillery/Bottler:

Maximilian Bergfried founded Yoshi Nama in Düsseldorf in 2020. The Japanese-influenced Little Tokyo neighbourhood and Japan’s food culture form the backdrop to the brand. Its first product, Little Tokyo Dry Gin, was released in 2021 after a year of recipe development. With Matcha Vodka, Yoshi Nama brings this Japanese connection to a spirit featuring green tea.

The products are distilled at Faude feine Brände in Bötzingen under master distiller Florian Faude. Production takes place in small batches using a pot still, a vessel designed for batch distillation. Neutral agricultural alcohol provides the base, in which the botanicals are steeped before distillation. Yoshi Nama uses no artificial flavourings, deriving its flavour from the raw ingredients.

Facts: