🥃 The CHOYA Extra Years
Premium export umeshu from CHOYA since 1991 (updated in 2013): Nanko plums from Kishu, aged two to three years, 17% ABV.
The CHOYA Extra Years is a premium umeshu from the Japanese brand Choya Umeshu. The company launched it for overseas markets in 1991, and it was updated in 2013. Its strength is 17% ABV, making it the strongest of the three main expressions in the series. The fruit is Nanko plums from the Kishu region only.
The recipe contains umeshu plums, sugar and sugar-cane spirit; a 700 ml bottle holds on average 325 g of plums. According to the producer's technical description, the liqueur is aged two to three years, and Hedonism also writes at least two to three years. The producer describes a rich sweetness with notes of almond and marzipan, balanced by a lively acidity.
Why it matters to you. Extra Years is stronger and sweeter than The CHOYA Single Year: according to the producer it has 31 g of carbohydrates per 100 ml, against 24.7 g. Compared with The CHOYA Aged 3 Years, its main difference is the higher strength. The producer also positions it as a base for cocktails. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 17% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 2-3 years (producer's technical description) |
| Raw material | Nanko plums (Kishu), sugar, sugar-cane spirit |
| Year founded | 1991 (updated 2013) |
| EU category | 33 - liqueur |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 33: liqueur, from 15% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 The CHOYA Extra Years → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Sugar cane and molasses
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Choya Umeshu, 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Midori, 🥃 The CHOYA Aged 3 Years, 🥃 The CHOYA Aged 3 Years, 🥃 The CHOYA Single Year, 🥃 The CHOYA Single Year
Frequently asked questions
Is The CHOYA Extra Years a new product?
No. According to CHOYA's technical description it was launched in 1991 for overseas markets and updated in 2013.
How long is The CHOYA Extra Years aged?
Two to three years, according to the producer's technical description and Hedonism; the official page mentions several years.
What is the ABV of The CHOYA Extra Years?
17% ABV, according to the official CHOYA page and retailers.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Sugar cane and molasses — Raw materials of rum, cachaça and other cane spirits: cane juice or molasses; rum made from them is at least 37.5% vol. in the EU.
- 🥃 Midori — Bright green melon liqueur from Japan's Suntory, 20% ABV; made in Japan since 1964 and sold as Midori since 1978 (US launch).
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 The CHOYA Aged 3 Years · 🥃 The CHOYA Single Year · 🥃 Midori Melon Liqueur · 🥃 Tia Maria Cold Brew · 🥃 Southern Comfort 100 Proof · 🥃 Southern Comfort Black
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- CHOYA (official): The CHOYA Extra Years (17 %; ume, sugar, cane spirit; Kishu Nanko ume, about 325 g per 700 ml; aged several years)
- CHOYA (official product sheet, PDF): Extra Years (launch 1991, renewal 2013; 17 % alc./vol.; aged 2–3 years; 100 % Nanko ume; almond and marzipan notes)
- Hedonism Wines: Choya Extra Years Umeshu Liqueur (17 %, 70 cl; Nanko ume; aged a minimum of two to three years)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I, category 33: liqueur from 15 % vol.
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)