This is the Calbee Kappa Ebisen Ripe Kishū Ume. It consisted of prawn crackers flavoured with ripe kishū ume produced in Wakayama Prefecture.
Each cracker measured approximately 5 x 1 x 0.5 cm, featuring a golden beige hue and dusted with pink, red, and white seasoning. Released in time for spring hanami parties in Japan, some bags included a special pink sakura-shaped cracker, about 3.5 cm in diameter. We were lucky enough to find one in our bag.
On tasting, the prawn crackers delivered an audible crunch, with the flavour of kishū plum coming through immediately upon touching the palate. The kishū plum started with a subtle initial sweetness, followed by a bright tartness as the powdered plum rehydrated. In the second half of the bite, the plum’s acidity developed alongside a deep savoury shrimp flavour, as the cracker’s crunch took on a melt-in-the-mouth quality. The savoury shrimp flavour paired with the subtle lingering fruity sourness into the finish, offering an enjoyable and elegant twist on the popular Western salt and vinegar flavour.
Overall, these crackers had a more restrained sourness compared to the Kishu Kumano Wakayama Ebi Senbei Ume Shio, but both were enjoyable and worth repurchasing.
This Calbee Kappa Ebisen Ripe Kishu Plum contained 64 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2024.