This is yet another interesting product featured at FOODEX Japan 2025.
You can’t go wrong with a name like “Blank,” and we’re not being sarcastic here. Blank can imply that anything is possible, and innovation is welcome, which we believe is their intended meaning, if we interpreted their promotional literature correctly. Such is the case with this, shall we say, Cider + from Blank Cider Works, Hokkaido. It is different, and it is good, but the “Haskap” part may require an explanation. So, put on your thinking caps, boys and girls; class is in session.
Haskap (Lonicera caerulea) is a plant that grows in Hokkaido and the northern part of Japan’s main island, Honshu. The name is derived from the Ainu (the indigenous people of Japan) language and means “many fruits on branches.” It bears a number of names in English, the most popular of which is “blue honeysuckle.” Haskap berries are tasty and can be used in a number of products, ranging from candy to tea. Furthermore, the fruit is purported to have health benefits. Those are the Haskap basics. Class dismissed.
Sensory Evaluation, 01 Haskap: It has the color of a dark rosé. There are berry and apple notes on the nose, which is not surprising, of course, as this is a Haskap-apple blend. There is also a hint of candy floss, not unlike what one occasionally encounters with Pinotage. On the palate, there is a very light effervescence and pronounced wine-like characteristics. Sweet and sour are nicely balanced, ending in a medium + finish. The ABV is 7%.
Drinking Japan 