New liqueur has a taste apple pie fans will love and a name Pikotaro could have invented

Do you love apple pie? Do you like liqueurs? Are you looking for the perfect liqueur for the fall-winter season? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you may be interested in the latest offering from Liquor Innovation Co., Ltd. sold through Japanese alcohol retailer KURAND, an apple pie-flavored liqueur called Appo Pie!

As much as the name sounds like something that Pikotaro may have uttered in an alternate version of his 2016 tune "PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen)," Appo Pie has no relationship to the fruit-and-pen-skewering singing sensation of the late Heisei Era.

However, what it may lack in celebrity endorsements, it makes up for in barrelfuls with authentic flavors like real cinnamon, vanilla, and of course, delicious, juicy apples.

The apples in Appo Pie are grown in Minami Shinshu, where the contrast between day and nighttime temperatures, along with high yearly levels of precipitation results in apples with soft, juicy flesh, and sweet, rich flavor.

In addition to the sweetness and pleasant tartness of apples, the natural cinnamon aroma, and creamy vanilla flavor creates a delicious combination that lends itself well to a variety of serving and cooking possibilities.

In cold weather, it can be enjoyed hot by heating it slightly in the microwave. Warming it up further enhances the aroma of cinnamon and vanilla essence, giving it the flavor of freshly baked apple pie. It can also be served over vanilla ice cream or as an apple sauce with ham, bacon, or sauteed pork.

Appo Pie is made with shochu from Kikusui Breweries 喜久水酒造, Nagano Prefecture, known for its excellent sake brewed with water and rice from the rich natural environment between the valleys of the Southern and Central Alps. Kikusui Breweries' sake has won a gold medal at the National New Sake Competition.