Scarlet Muscat Amaro 2025: A Japanese Amaro Made with Hiroshima’s Sakurao Vodka
2026.10.05
In short: Scarlet Muscat Amaro 2025 is a Japanese amaro made by Iseya Shuzo in Kanagawa, using Hiroshima’s Sakurao vodka as its base and hand-squeezed Yamanashi Shine Muscat. I explain what amaro is, founder Tatsuya Motonaga’s story, and what I felt at his seminar.
What Is “Amaro”?
“Scarlet Muscat Amaro.” When you pick up this bottle, the first thing you probably wonder about is the word “amaro.”
Amaro means “bitter” in Italian.
It is an herbal liqueur born in Italy, made by steeping all kinds of botanicals such as herbs, spices, bark and fruit peel. In Japan, it may be easiest to picture as something like “Yomeishu,” the traditional herbal tonic liqueur.
In Italy, amaro was once drunk as medicine. “Good medicine tastes bitter” is a saying found all over the world, and amaro is characterised by sweetness within its bitterness, and a feeling of slowly spreading through your body after you drink it.
In recent years, it has drawn huge attention in the global cocktail scene, because amaro’s bitterness is valued as a great supporting player that brings out the best in a cocktail’s base spirit. You can of course enjoy it neat or on the rocks, top it with soda, or use it in cocktails. Amaro is a drink you can enjoy freely, in your own way.
“Scarlet,” an Amaro Made in Japan
In Obara, a post town on the old Koshu Kaido highway in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, where many people came and went and industry and culture flourished in the Edo period, stands Iseya Shuzo.
Opened in 2020 in a restored 100-year-old traditional house (a former inn), this distillery makes “SCARLET,” an amaro made in Japan.
Founder Tatsuya Motonaga is a former bartender. After training at various bars, mainly in Tokyo, for ten years, he travelled around Europe and visited as many as 70 distilleries.
What left the strongest impression was a scene in Travers, France. In this town, known as the home of the herbal spirit absinthe, people farmed, used what they harvested, and made spirits in a relaxed, unpretentious way.
“Maybe even I could do this.”
With that thought, Mr. Motonaga began making “Scarlet” in Japan.
Based on Hiroshima’s Sakurao Vodka
What makes Scarlet special is that it uses vodka from Sakurao Distillery in Hiroshima as its base spirit.
Many steeped liqueurs use mass-produced neutral alcohol. But Mr. Motonaga chose Sakurao’s vodka.
There are two reasons.
- The balance of flavour when made into a cocktail
- A wish to raise the level of Japan’s liqueur industry
Sakurao Distillery is in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. Founded in 1918, it is a long-established producer carrying on more than 100 years of distilling expertise. Sakurao Gin is internationally acclaimed, having won top honours in Britain, the home of gin.
The vodka Sakurao makes is a high-quality neutral spirit. Rather than disturbing Scarlet’s delicate botanical aromas, it brings them out.
Hiroshima and Kanagawa. Sakurao and Iseya Shuzo.
Two distilleries supporting Japan’s craft spirits culture are connected.
The Character of Scarlet Muscat Amaro 2025
The 2025 edition of “Muscat Amaro” is special.
Juice from Shine Muscat grapes from Yamanashi Prefecture (sugar content of 18 degrees Brix or more) is extracted by hand-squeezing each grape one by one. It is combined with Japanese beet sugar and honey from buckwheat and linden flowers.
A floral, slightly spicy flavour scented with fresh bergamot. The gentle, natural sweetness and pleasant bitterness are in exquisite harmony.
Scarlet’s Commitment: A Love of Botanicals
Scarlet uses ten kinds of botanicals grown in-house, along with ingredients from Japan and abroad whose quality they are satisfied with.
Herbs and spices are grown in Iseya Shuzo’s own fields. The harvested ingredients are carefully steeped, and every bottle is filled by hand.
Not mass production, but handwork.
Not neutral industrial alcohol, but Sakurao vodka.
Inspired by Italian recipes, yet made with Japanese ingredients.
Mr. Motonaga’s wish to “raise the level of Japan’s liqueur industry” is poured into every single bottle.
A Japanese Amaro Woven by Hiroshima and Kanagawa
Scarlet Muscat Amaro is filled with so many people’s feelings.
- Vodka from Sakurao Distillery, Hiroshima (base spirit)
- Shine Muscat grapes from Yamanashi (hand-squeezed)
- Japanese beet sugar and buckwheat and linden honey (natural sweetness)
- About 90 “Muscat Friends” (handwork)
- Iseya Shuzo, Kanagawa (a restored 100-year-old traditional house)
All of this is concentrated in a single bottle.
What I Felt at Mr. Motonaga’s Seminar
I once attended a seminar by Mr. Motonaga. He brought actual botanicals with him, and we smelled and touched them while listening to him talk about making amaro.
[↓ Mr. Motonaga’s seminar]
The aroma of the herbs, the personality of the spices, how each ingredient shapes the flavour of the amaro. It was a really enjoyable seminar that conveyed Mr. Motonaga’s passion and his respect for his ingredients.
What I felt then was, “This person truly loves amaro.” And a strong wish to “spread amaro culture in Japan.”
An amaro born in Italy, made with Japanese ingredients and Japanese skill.
A new Japanese liqueur culture, woven by Hiroshima and Kanagawa, Sakurao and Iseya Shuzo.
Scarlet Muscat Amaro is a bottle that gives shape to those feelings.
Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.
Mika Tanimoto, Bar Little Happiness
[About the author]
Mika Tanimoto
CEO, Little.m Inc. / Owner-bartender
Since 2006, I have run Bar Little Happiness, a whisky and rum bar in Nagarekawa, Hiroshima. I visit distilleries in Japan and around the world and write about the people who make the spirits. Recipient of the Hiroshima City Excellent Skilled Worker Award.
“Whisky and rum taste even better when you know the hearts of the people who make them.”
[Visit the bar] 📍 Bar Little Happiness
Rolling Nagarekawa 1F, 5-14 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Mon–Sat 7:00 pm – 12:30 am / Sun 7:00 pm – 12:00 am (closed when I travel to visit distilleries)
No cover charge, no reservation needed
