Scarlet Apertivo Marraige Bitter Liqueur 2024
Iseya Distillery’s limited edition Scarlet Cask Marriage Series features Batch #6, a barrel-aged bitter aperitivo liqueur crafted in Sagamihara, Japan. Made with 25 estate-grown and locally sourced botanicals — including lemon balm, golden berry sprouts, sage, angelica root, licorice, cinnamon, jasmine flowers, and blood orange peel — it is macerated in neutral sugarcane spirit and aged for about a year in oak casks previously used for Saitama’s Chichibu Distillery whisky. With bold aromas of cherry cola and whisky, the palate reveals layers of vanilla, sandalwood, and burnt caramel, finishing with notes of toasted cinnamon and licorice. Naturally colored with cochineal dye, this 29% ABV liqueur offers a unique and complex tasting experience.
Taking inspiration from the Italian red bitters of the 1970s, Scarlet Aperitivo is instantly recognizable as a classic red bitter but stands firmly on its own with a unique botanical backbone that includes many estate-grown botanicals including the wormwood and yomogi (mugwort) that are used as bittering agents. By utilizing local ingredients, even the familiar feels novel; founder Tatsuya Motonaga notes that the Japanese-grown botanicals have vastly different flavor profiles than those grown in Europe, thus highlighting local terroir and seasonality.
Bitter aperitivo liqueur produced by Iseya Distillery in Sagamihara, Japan. Made with 25 estate-grown and locally sourced botanicals featuring lemon balm, golden berry sprouts, sage, angelica root, licorice, cinnamon, jasmine flowers, and blood orange peel. Botanicals are macerated in neutral sugarcane spirit. Rested in stainless steel tanks before bottling. A gently mentholated nose of gentian, lemon verbena, rose petal, myrrh, and notes of fruit-forward espresso precedes an earthy, velvety textured palate bursting with red fruit, white pepper, aloe, and orange peel with clove, sandalwood, and prickly ash on a drying finish. Naturally colored using cochineal insect dye 28% ABV.
