Sanbokan Citrus Pure Squeezed Juice by Ito-noen, from Arita, Wakayama, Japan

I saw a gourmet Japanese juice made from another interesting citrus - Sanbokan (sometimes spelled Sanpokan, Sanpoukan or Sanboukan) - and decided to try it. It is by Ito-noen, which is a company with 400 years of history, based in Arita, Wakayama. Sanbokan's parentage is unknown, but it is apparently similar to a Mandarin Orange or mikan in colour and shape, and also has a basal nipple that is reminiscent of some Haruka citrus fruits, making its shape slightly like an upside-down light bulb. The juice colour is golden with a tinge of orange, as you can see. It seemed slightly yellower and more vivid than the average premium orange juice, but warmer and richer than the cheaper commercial varieties.

According to the label, this juice is specifically produced by cutting the citrus into half and gently pressed against a ceramic cone from the top down. This apparently prevents any bitterness from the peel from entering the juice, so it is a very pure citrus taste that is well-suited for making jellies or cocktails.

Sanbokan Citrus Pure Squeezed Juice by Ito-noen, from Arita, Wakayama - label
Sanbokan Citrus Pure Squeezed Juice by Ito-noen, from Arita, Wakayama - bottle

However, I decided to enjoy it fresh from the bottle. 

The first thing I noticed was the very prominent citrus fragrance. It is slightly different from orange - it reminded me a bit of yuzu or grapefruit, but no trace of bitterness in the smell or taste, just those complex deep and dark herbal notes, which added a very nuanced but nice depth to the taste.

Sanbokan Citrus Pure Squeezed Juice - color

Secondly, the sweetness was prominent, but not cloying. It was not the same sourish sweetness as orange, but closer to the honey-like sweetness in Haruka citrus. 

Nonetheless, these are kind of nuanced, so if no one told you what juice it was, you might have just assumed that it was some very premium hand-squeezed orange juice with good balance - not as sour or cloyingly sweet. 

Sanbokan Citrus Pure Squeezed Juice - description of juicing process

Overall, it was a lovely discovery and I would like to try the fresh fruit if I had a chance. There were actually two other citrus juice varieties sold alongside this - Shiranui and Hassaku. I did not feel like I could carry home, let alone finish all 3 bottles together, but perhaps it would have been more educational to be able to sample each side-by-side to compare.

Discover other interesting juices

And more interesting fresh fruit varieties

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