Prucia plum wine liqueur

This is an unusual liqueur, not least because the inspiration for it was created by a fusion of Eastern and Western thinking. Launched by the sake experts at Isake, it’s actually a plum wine liqueur, made from Golden Japan plums, grown in Moissac, France. The plums are steeped in grape spirits for 11 months, and the resulting liquid is then aged in French oak brandy casks.

The result is a liqueur that smells of a mix of Cointreau, marzipan and apricots. It smells quite sickly on the nose, but tastes very smooth and sophisticated on the tongue. It tastes a little reminiscent of Amaretto with a hint of fruity apricot thrown in. Don’t be put off if you don’t like the sound of a sickly smelling liqueur – its scent is quite deceptive, and its taste is a very welcome surprise. It’s not overpowering, but elegant and at 15% alcohol volume, it doesn’t kick the back of your throat either. You can serve this any which way you want, but we think it works especially well as an aperitif when you’re sitting down to enjoy an oriental dish, or as a smooth dessert tipple.

Retail price: £27.99 (70cl bottle). For more information, visit: http://www.isake.co.uk.