A condiment of unmatched nuance and complexity, the fig vinegar from Iio Jozo is truly something special. Carrying a light and fragrant fruitiness, and a soft and lingering acidity, the nose is reminiscent of ripe fig, the taste mellow and full-bodied. ‘Chef of the Century’ Joël Robuchon went as far as to pronounce this fig vinegar ‘one of the best ingredients from Japan.' The nuances of Iio Jozo's fig vinegar shine particularly well in cocktails, fruit salads, dressings, and are a great way to brighten up pork and fish dishes. Made completely from fresh Japanese fig, it is the perfect addition to sauces, marinades, or any dish that could use a hint of sweetness for an evenly rounded and flavorful dish.
Vinegar is arguably one of the most important elements of traditional Japanese cooking. A key ingredient featured in everything from fish and rice to popular drinks, you can’t look through a Japanese menu without noticing the importance of vinegar. And Iio Jozo is considered Japan's top vinegar brewery. Family-owned and operated for over 123 years, Iio Jozo is as much an institution of Japanese culture as it is a vinegar producer. Located on the sea of Japan near the town of Miyazu in Kyoto prefecture, they produce some of the finest vinegar in the country. Using traditional production methods and high-quality local ingredients, the entire process is carefully controlled, from start to finish.
While producers of generic rice vinegar take only a day to produce an entire batch of their product, Iio Jozo takes 100 days just to ferment their house-made sake into vinegar and another eight months of aging to produce the well-rounded and nuanced condiment that’s ready to sell. In total taking close to a year to create a single batch, the effort and quality are readily apparent with your first taste. To create their luxurious fig vinegar, Iio Jozo begins by making a fig-based sake which is then fermented using their traditional slow aging techniques. Instead of using sugar or MSG to adjust flavors and brew their vinegar quickly, they rely solely on traditional fermentation to ensure the mellow, rich flavor that’s earned them world-wide attention and notoriety.