Oka Yuzu Flavored Vodka
Oka Yuzu Flavored Vodka is a Japanese rice vodka from Oka Brand and the Tsutsumi Distillery in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu — pot distilled from 100% Japanese rice, filtered through bincho-tan charcoal, and distilled with real yuzu, bottled at 35% ABV in a 900mL bottle. The yuzu goes in twice: locally harvested pulp and peels join a sixth distillation, then fresh peels macerate in the finished spirit for a full week, which gives the vodka its natural pale yellow hue and genuine citrus-oil intensity. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Proof / ABV: 70 proof (35% ABV)
- Size: 900mL
- Base: 100% Japanese rice, pot distilled, bincho-tan charcoal filtered
- Flavoring: Yuzu pulp and peel in a sixth distillation, plus a one-week fresh-peel maceration
- Origin: Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan
A Shochu House Makes Vodka
Tsutsumi has produced shochu for nearly 150 years in the Hitoyoshi Basin, a few kilometres from the Kuma River, and is one of only 28 distilleries certified as a Kuma Shochu producer — a protected designation on the order of Scotch or Cognac. Oka Brand, founded by Yuno Hayashi and named for her grandfather, works with Tsutsumi to bring hyper-regional Japanese flavors to the cocktail world, and its vodkas are built on the house rice spirit: where most vodka runs on a column still, Oka’s is pot distilled, and the bincho-tan — artisanal Japanese charcoal measured as the purest carbon in the world — is chosen over traditional birch for texture. It won Best in Category at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Browse the rest of our vodka shelves and spirits collection for more.
Tasting Notes
Bright, juicy yuzu on the nose. The palate is vibrant and oily, dialled in on yuzu peel with jasmine blossom, underripe mango and white tea, and a pleasant peel bitterness; the finish turns creamy as the citrus oils bloom. Yuzu’s aroma is far more complex than lemon or lime, and this captures it fresh off the tree — with no added sweetness doing the work.
How to Enjoy
Spectacular in a highball with soda, where the oils carry, and in a yuzu martini; use it anywhere citrus vodka goes and expect more from it. Find soda, bitters and the rest of the build among our cocktail ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the yuzu added?
Twice — pulp and peels are distilled into the spirit in a sixth distillation, then fresh peels macerate in the finished vodka for a week. It is only lightly filtered afterward, so a touch of sediment is authentic.
What is the base spirit?
100% Japanese rice, pot distilled at Tsutsumi Distillery in Kumamoto and filtered through bincho-tan charcoal — the same house craft behind its Kuma shochu.
How strong and how big is the bottle?
35% ABV (70 proof) in Oka’s 900mL format — a larger pour than the standard 750mL.
Find Oka Yuzu Flavored Vodka at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — real yuzu, real rice vodka, no shortcuts.