Smoke and Acidity in One Bottle, From Britain's Best Kitchens

A few drops of this do the work of a smoker and a vinegar at once. Tajima Sakura Smoked Vinegar is a rare Japanese vinegar, gently smoked over cherry (sakura) wood after fermentation, so it carries a clean, sharp acidity wrapped in soft wood smoke and an amber colour to match. It is a quiet weapon on the pass, which is why it turns up in kitchens including Andrew Wong of two-Michelin-star A. Wong, Rafael Cagali of two-star Da Terra, Kirk Haworth at Plates, Ayo Adeyemi at Akoko and Jean Delport at Interlude. A 200ml bottle of finishing vinegar goes a long way.

燻製酢 — Smoked Vinegar

Kunsei-su (燻製酢) simply means smoked vinegar, from kunsei (燻製, smoked) and su (酢, vinegar). Smoking is an old Japanese preserving and flavouring craft, most famously applied to katsuobushi, the smoke-dried bonito at the heart of dashi; here the same idea is turned on vinegar. After the vinegar is fermented in the usual way, it is smoked over sakura, cherry wood, which is prized in Japanese smoking for a gentle, fragrant smoke rather than an aggressive one. The result is unusual: most vinegars give you only acidity, while this carries a layer of smoke that would otherwise take a grill or a smoking gun to achieve. It is made in Hyōgo, in western Japan.

What does smoked vinegar taste like?

First the smoke, soft and aromatic rather than acrid, then a clean, bright acidity underneath. It is not as sharp on the nose as a plain rice vinegar; the wood smoke rounds the edges and adds a savoury, almost barbecue-like depth, while the finish stays crisp and cutting. Because both elements are concentrated, it reads as assertive, so it is used in drops and small spoonfuls rather than splashes. Think of it as a seasoning that brings acidity and smoke together, the kind of finishing touch that makes a plate taste considered without anyone being able to name the ingredient.

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