The Japanese Bitters Sakura Bitters 100ml

The Japanese Bitters was founded by Yuki Yamazaki, a Japanese bartender who began developing the line after designing cocktails for a charity event held at the Japanese Embassy in Toronto following the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami. That work led him to create a series of bitters built specifically around Japanese ingredients and flavors, a category that barely existed at the time even within Japan, where most bars stocked little beyond classic Angostura and orange styles. Yamazaki has since expanded the range to include several distinct expressions and has traveled internationally to introduce the line to bartenders abroad.

Sakura Bitters is built around Yae-Sakura cherry blossoms from the Sekiyama variety, sourced from Nagano prefecture, along with sakura leaves that are hand pickled in natural ocean salt in Izu. The pickling process concentrates the delicate floral character of the blossoms while contributing a distinct salinity, giving the bitters a flavor reminiscent of sakura sencha, or cherry blossom green tea. The botanicals are infused into a neutral spirit base, and the bitters are typically bottled around 27 percent alcohol by volume, a comparatively gentle strength suited to their delicate profile.

The nose opens with vivid cherry blossom and yellow cherry flesh, layered with anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and a subtle cedar aroma. On the palate the flavor turns rich and slightly salinic, with light tannin from the pickled leaves rounding out the fruit and spice. The bitterness stays notably mild throughout, finishing on a lingering, delicate floral note that stays true to the fleeting character of the blossom itself.