This is the Sun&Liv Yamagata Fruits Craft Cider Sakuranbo, containing 10% juice sourced from cherries grown in Yamagata Prefecture.

The beverage presented with a translucent, bright red hue and carried the lifted, fruity sharpness associated with red cherries. The carbonation was moderate in intensity and composed of fine, tight bubbles.

When consumed well chilled, it opened with immediate notes characteristic of Satō Nishiki cherries⁠—a gentle initial sweetness giving way to the fruit’s clean, vivid sharpness. This brightness introduced an acidity that marked a clear distinction from the deeper, muskier sweetness typical of darker red or black cherries. Through the mid-palate, the flavour remained focused, retaining the clarity of the fruit without drifting into confectionary territory. Toward the finish, the carbonation provided a light palate cleanse, leaving a clean and lightly sweet aftertaste with a subtle echo of cherry skin.

Overall, this cider offered a well-judged balance of sweetness, fruit clarity, and effervescence, delivering a distinctive regional profile that warrants repurchasing when in Yamagata.

This Sun&Liv Yamagata Fruits Craft Cider Sakuranbo contained 200 mL. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Ichinoseki, Japan in 2024.