A quarter-century until its official launch!
The story of the liqueur "Hoshiko," to which Danny poured his passion. - Part 2 -

For half a century, Danny has remained true to counterculture and the underground. Standing behind the bar at local establishments, he has watched over the evolution of Tokyo's bar scene. In this special retirement commemorative interview, we look back on Danny's journey and the past half-century of Japan's bar scene.

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

Japanese whiskeys, spirits, and liqueurs are now appearing in bars around the world.

The pioneer among them is "Hoshiko," a plum liqueur developed by Danny.

He began creating the recipe in 1979. The development concept was to create a liqueur with "a different taste each year, allowing you to enjoy the vintage."

The base is vodka, infused with carefully selected domestic plums harvested that year, along with several spices.

He experimented with several varieties to select those best suited for liqueur. Simultaneously, he determined the spice blend, quantities, and infusion period to best draw out the plum's flavor. The taste and aroma vary significantly depending on the quality of the plums, the timing of preparation, and the climate during aging.

Since plums are harvested only once a year, it ultimately took 17 years to finalize the recipe.