By: Haley Bosselman By: Haley Bosselman | November 4, 2022 | Food & Drink,
If you haven’t heard, hard seltzers are out and canned cocktails are in. The ready-to-drink beverages dominated last year as the fastest growing spirits category according to CNBC. Lately, we’ve been on the search for a refreshing, light choice among this sector of drinks. Enter Ysidro. The Montecito-based sake spritz comes in delightfully pink packaging and has canned premium sake with flavors of organic grapefruit and sea salt. Even better, it’s vegan, non-GMO and gluten and sulfite free. As Ysidro makes its way through another year on the market, co-founders Monica Epstein and Alex Dessouky opened up to Modern Luxury about being inspired by their surroundings, learning to slow down and making the perfect sake spritz.
You’ve dubbed Ysidro as “the drink of Montecito?” How does your sake spritz capture the essence of your Central Coast town?
Ysidro is a celebration of the community we live in and our newfound rhythm of slow living. San Ysidro is the main road that connects all of our homes here in Montecito. The most beautiful time of day is what we call “the pink moment” when our mountains turn a gorgeous pink at sunset, which is the inspiration behind the color of our cans. Ysidro’s flavor is also a nod to Santa Barbara living. Santa Barbara is known for its salt-sprayed beaches and sun-soaked citrus groves. With our grapefruit and sea salt flavored spritz, we tried to capture the essence of the place and what makes it magical. The sea salt and grapefruit paired so perfectly that it really felt like it was meant to be.
Ysidro is refreshing enough to liven up lunch, but also rich enough for dinner. What made Junmai Ginjo sake the right base to achieve that?
We set out to make a drink that was bright and fresh enough to be enjoyed at the beach, by the pool, or to liven up a lunch and, at the same time, complex and balanced enough to be shared at the dinner table. Our selection of clean, organic ingredients makes that possible. Our top-shelf Junmai Ginjo sake is made intentionally to have enough body, weight and sensual umami character to form the perfect canvas to layer on great acidity from the grapefruit and a touch of salinity from the sea salt. The result is a drink that can be enjoyed anywhere and by pretty much anyone!
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What plans do you have for the future of Ysidro— any new flavors we can be excited about?
We're always playing around with fun flavor combinations; tasting what's fresh and in season at the farmers market and what could be the next exciting new drink! Our original flavor is such a home run; when it came together we just knew it. So I guess you could say we are happily engaged in the process and patiently waiting for our next ah-ha moment!
The inception of Ysidro kicked off as the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted. What are you most proud of about your company?
I’m really proud to have an honest product with ingredient origins and quality that I’m proud of. Our decisions make it easy to stand behind, and I think that goodness translates to a loyal fan base. We came up with the saying “drink Ysidro, be here” because there’s something about opening a can and the initial release of the fragrance that transports you. When we created Ysidro, we wanted it to be a drink that can be enjoyed easily…on a beach blanket, on a hike, after a surf session, with pizza or over a sunset. It’s a drink you can enjoy anywhere and anytime, but it’s a gentle reminder to slow down and appreciate where you are now.
What else is important to know about Ysidro?
A year from now I would love to see more consumers experiencing the joys of and appreciation for sake. We're convinced! Hopefully, Ysidro can expose more folks to the beauty and potential of this special drink.
See also: 6 Canned Cocktails That Will Elevate Your At-Home Bar
Photography by: Courtesy Ysidro