Review Chiyonohikari Mochi Junmai

Chiyonohikari mochi Junmai

 

Chiyonohikari Sake Co., Ltd. has long history since 1860.

The brewery is in the heavy snow area in Joetsu.

So, they use clean and smooth groundwater made by plenty of snow.

Snow make clean atmosphere and stable temperature.

They are good for brewing clean and smooth SAKE.

 

Nowadays, their young brewer tries to use new technologies and to brew new SAKE.

The one is to use centrifuge. It’s very unique and challenging.

 

Now this SAKE, Chiyonohikari mochi Junmai is using unique technique too.

But it is traditional and old technique.

This SAKE is made with two types of rice, SAKE rice and sticky rice.

Usually, Rice cake is made from Stickey rice.

Brewery don’t brew SAKE with sticky rice. Because sticky rice is difficult to polish.

 

But the SAKE brewed with sticky rice has plenty of rice umami and gentle sweetness.

Few brewery brews sticky rice SAKE. (e.g. Midorikawa Masamune)

 

Aroma and Taste is unique.

Feeling likes grains and bread.

These specifications are suitable for drinking with dry food.

Dry fish or nuts are good.

 

Web site: Japanese

http://www.chiyonohikari.com/index.html

Review Koshiji-no-Koubai TokubetsuHojouzou

Koshiji-no-Koubai TokubetsuHonjouzou

Kubiki SAKE Brewing is in Kubiki area in Niigata.

The area is famous for good brewer, “Kubiki-Toji”.

 

Traditionally, SAKE brewing season is winter.

Because low temperature makes good stabilized condition of fermentation and brewing.

So, some rice farmers cultivate rice in summer and work for brewing in winter.

They are called “Toji”. It means master of brewing SAKE.

They go to every area in Japan for brewing in winter.

 

Niigata is famous for good Toji area.

Especially, four area, Kubiki, Kariwa, Mishima-Koshiji, Mishima-Nozumi.

 

So, Kubiki SAKE Brewing has master craftmanship.

They brew 3type SAKE, Koshiji-no-Koubai, Kubiki, Yae-Kubiki.

Koshiji-no-Koubai is dry SAKE. But having umami and gentle aroma.

Top note is soft. Middle and Last is strong.

Taste is Dry and having long aftertaste.

I feel it likes machete having sharpness and strength.

Website: Japanese

https://www.kubiki-shuzo.co.jp/

Review Echizenmisaki SunRise

Echizenmisaki SunRise

The brewery, Tanabe Shuzo Co., Ltd. is nearby Kuzuryu River in Fukui pref.

There are many breweries on the Kuzuryu basin.

Because the area is famous for clean water and rice field.

 

The Name of sake, “Echizen-misaki” is the scenic spots of cape in Fukui.

Tanabe shuzo has very proud of Fukui.

So, “Echizenmisaki SunRise” is suitable for drinking with Fukui specialty.

 

I feel dry squid, “Surume” is very much.

Especially, “Hotaru-ika” which is small squid and specialty in Fukui is best.

 

The sake has both specific Ginjo and Kimoto-SAKE.

It has gentle aroma and complex umami.

The sake has high acidity in SAKE.

The acidity harmonize complex taste.

Website: English, Chinese and Japanese

English: http://www.echizenmisaki.com/img/tanabeweb_english.pdf

Chinese: http://www.echizenmisaki.com/img/tanabeweb_chinese.pdf

Japanese: http://www.echizenmisaki.com/index.php

Review Hakugakusen NATSUMUSHI

Hakugakusen NATSUMUSHI

The Brewery Yasumoto Shuzo Co., Ltd. has a long history since 1853 in Fukui Pref.

If you like BUSHIDO, the area is legendary point.

The rival of Musashi Miyamoto, Kojiro, Sasaki got the special move, “Tsubamegaeshi”.

  

Now, Talk about Hakugakusen NATSUMUSHI.

 NATSUMUSHI is traditional color in Japan.

It looks like olive-green.

https://www.colordic.org/colorsample/2311

 

The brewery expresses the impression of the SAKE by the color.

It is interesting.

Often perfumer use color for expressing impression of aroma.

 

The brewery wants to brew the SAKE that is suitable with meal.

This SAKE is exactly that.

The taste is gentle sweet and milky texture.

This feature is suitable for delicate taste food.

Sweet shrimp and edamame are good.

Website: Japanese

http://www.yasumoto-shuzo.jp/index.html

Review Koshinotaka BlueHawk

Koshinotaka BlueHawk

The Brewery, Ito shuzo Co., Ltd. has a tradition in Fukui Pref. where is the middle area in Japan and facing Japan sea.

 

Recently, the brewery tries to brew the SAKE with the time.

Bluehawk is suitable for drinking in the summer.

They use the rice, “Koshinosizuku”

The sake brewed with Koshinosizuku has the feature that is soft texture and rich taste.

 

I feel that BlueHawk has refreshing aroma and gentle umami.

Not gaudy but graceful aroma.

Suitable for drinking with shrimp.

Especially, sweet shrimp that is specialty in Fukui is best.

Website:Japanese

http://koshinotaka.jp/index.html

Review Katafune Tokubetsu-honjouzou

Katafune Tokubetsu-honjouzou

 

Takeda Shuzo Co., Ltd. is small brewery. But they have true ability.

Recently, 2013, 2015, 2019, they won the top awards of Honjouzou SAKE category in International Wine Challenge.

 

Katafune Tokubetsu-honjouzou is not Ginjo SAKE. But It has gentle and elegant aroma of rice.

The taste is elegant and soft. Plenty of rice umami.

You can enjoy any temperature. But I recommend drinking room temperature.

If you try it, you can feel full of umami and aroma.

I guarantee You must be happy.

 

Web site: English

http://www.katafune.jp/sake.html

 

Review Hatsuayu Tokubetsu Honjouzou Namachozo

Hatsuayu Tokubetsu Honjouzou Namachozo

Ayumasamune Shuzo Co., Ltd is in the Myoko area near by Nagano Pref.

Myoko area is heavy snow area in Japan and famous for JAPOW.

So, there is plenty of fresh water.

 

“Ayu” is sweetfish. Sweetfish likes clean fresh water.

When Japanese royal family stayed Myoko and fished sweetfish, He named the SAKE, “Ayu-masamune”.

 

Hatsuayu means first sweetfish of the season.

Traditionally, Hatsuayu is first summer features.

The taste is slightly sweet, and aroma is fresh.

 

The SAKE, “Hatsuayu”, exactly feels like that.

The aroma feels like fresh grass, flower and apple.

The taste is gentle sweet with refreshing bitterness. The texture is soft and smooth.

Web site: Japanese

https://ayumasamune.com/