Yamasanshu Brewery's Lightly Clouded Sake from Nagano Lightly clouded yet sparkling! The aroma is fresh, though perhaps a bit drier than typical Yamasanshu? It was a truly delicious sake ♡
I had Yamasan's Junmai Daiginjo Kinmon Nishiki. It's the same Kinmon Nishiki Junmai Daiginjo I had on New Year's Day with Shinshu Kairei. While Shinshu Kairei offered a rich umami within its gentle profile, Yamasan gives the impression of a gorgeous, flamboyant character pushed to the forefront. Even with the same rice variety, the same specific designation, and both being from Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, the flavors are completely different. I think that's one of the charms of Japanese sake.
Kinmon Nishiki is a sake rice variety developed in Nagano Prefecture. However, its production declined as later varieties like Miyama Nishiki and Hitogokochi became easier to handle, reportedly putting it at risk of extinction. Surprisingly, it was a sake brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture that stepped in to help. They not only continued cultivation through a full-volume purchase contract but also actively contributed to improving its quality. Later, breweries in Nagano Prefecture began using it again, obtaining permission to do so, and it has since grown to become a rice variety used by many breweries in Nagano. In the refrigerator, Kawanakajima Genbu's Junmai Ginjo Kinmon Nishiki is also waiting. It seems interesting to try a blind tasting comparing brands using only sake rice varieties.
The aroma that rises is fresh and vibrant✨ When sipped, the soft umami of rice gently unfolds, followed by a mild acidity that leaves a pleasant lingering aftertaste—delicious😋
It's crisp and leaning toward dry, yet it also has a solid fruitiness—a great balance. I've tried various Nagano sakes, but Yamasan seems to have the best balance.
Yamasun Kinmon Nishiki A flavor reminiscent of Fanta Grape or grape-flavored gum. Delicious.
The label features minimalist lettering. It has a cool, harmonious feel, and the taste and color match perfectly. The background of the brewmaster, hired via Hello Work after being president of a pachinko machine trading company, is also interesting. Preconceived notions aren't good, huh. When the founding Kanai family first started their business, they were rooted in the community as "Yamasho Store," handling rice, miso, sake, and more, hence the brewery name "Yamasho Sake Brewery."
After suspending in-house brewing around 2015 and lying dormant, they resumed production in February 2023. They started small-scale (about 60 koku). Significant equipment investment was made, including refrigeration facilities, temperature-controlled tanks, and a renovated koji room.
The third one, Yamazan!
Green, gray, and purple, in that order.
I like the taste of this strain!
I'm looking forward to seeing the changes in flavor from here on out 😊.
I wish I had tried Yamazan's gacha gacha (capsule toy) at least once...
Yamazan, from Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture, seems to be very popular these days, so I saw it at a liquor store and picked it up.
It has a slight effervescence and tastes like white wine. It reminds me of Sogapère (I drank it a long time ago, so it's a bit vague). It has a delicate taste, and this is the type of wine that everyone likes. It was a great choice to pair with pizza.
I've been skipping updates for a long time, and then I realized it was the New Year. I've been drinking a lot of things. I bought a lot of stock during my trip to Nagano, but there are too many to update.... In a different order, here is the first one for the New Year: ‼️
I bought it at a liquor store when I went to Nagano in December‼️ I tried to go to the brewery, but I was informed that you can't buy it at the brewery, so I got it at the liquor store‼️ And it says "limited edition" so I decided immediately‼️ Nice to meet you Yamasan‼️ I am looking forward to it‼️ I didn't put any previous information so it is really as I thought.
Let's start with the scent 🐽.
Is it the aroma of wood? I think this kind of sake has a lot of characteristic taste.
Now a sip 🍻🍶.
The aroma is much stronger in the mouth and has a distinctive taste. It's hard to describe, but it feels a bit like flowers. The sweetness is a bit sweet, but it quickly wears off. The bitterness follows it, but the aroma of the previous section cancels out the bitterness. ‼️I have a gut feeling that the sake here is sure to be delicious. ‼️
I'd like to update my Sake Diary from last year. This year, I'm going to visit Nagano a lot and buy a lot of sake, which we are into as a couple. ‼️
Happy New Year, Yoshiyoshi 🌅.
I look forward to working with you again this year: 🙇🏻🙇🏻♀️
New Year's Day is all about drinking 🤗Nagano sake for sure! We too would like to go for sogape next time ‼️
Jay & Nobby .............. Happy New Year & long time no see 🙇Sogape is a good target today👍Next time I would like to go to Nagano in May when there is no snow anymore☃️ and Utsunomiya again 😆.
Happy New Year ❗️
We will close the year with Kamerei and start the new year with Yamasan✨.
It was served with a cup of Ueda Respect's Rokubun Sen Ochoko.
The aroma is mild and weak. The aroma is mild and the gas is weak. When you drink it, the aroma is like Kamerei for a moment, and this is Hitogokochi x Nagano. The second half is rather dry, with a light sweetness and refreshing acidity.
It is delicious on its own, but it is also good with a meal without disturbing the meal 😌.
It's delicious. ‼️
Yamae Nishiki from Yamazan 🎵 While the memory of last week's Yamazan meeting is still fresh in my mind, I'm going to enjoy the hanpukai sake 😊 It is delightful with its rice-derived flavor and dry taste 🍶👍
#Yamazan Sake Brewery
#Jiji Sake Shop Miyajima
#Shinshu secret sake hanpukai 2025 gold course
Participated in the Yamasankai hosted by Beki-san at for the sake of SAKE (for SAKE).
It was interesting to see Mr. Ogiwara, the president of the brewery, who joined the party as a member of the general public.
The sake was aged for 2 years and had an open flavor with no twists at all!
Participated in the Yamasankai hosted by Beki-san at for the sake of SAKE (for SAKE).
It was interesting to see Mr. Ogiwara, the president of the brewery, who joined the party as a member of the general public.
Thanks to the host who served more than 30 kinds of free-flowing sake. The finished product was amazing, probably due to the fact that it was shaved down to 30.5% 👌.
Participated in the Yamasankai hosted by Beki-san at for the sake of SAKE (for SAKE).
It was interesting to see Mr. Ogiwara, the president of the brewery, who joined the party as a member of the general public.
Thanks to the host who served more than 30 kinds of free-flowing sake. I hadn't even had a chance to drink this one yet😅.
Fruity
Gentle sweetness, slight bitterness, exquisite
Yamae-Nishiki from Yaehara, Tomi City, Nagano, 45%, 15% ABV
Nagano Hatsumode trip with my best friend
What should I buy for New Year's sake? I went to the liquor store and found Yamazan, which I had heard so much about recently! I had always wanted to try this sake, so I decided to go for it!
The first sip is gentle and sweet, followed by a nice tangy finish! This sake is as good as the rumors say!
I took it to my wife's parents' house as a New Year's greeting, and my father-in-law and I emptied it in no time at all (laugh)!
I have no more sake to drink from tomorrow.
I didn't enjoy the taste change this time, and I want to buy other kinds of sake again and drink them slowly!
1,760 yen
Ingredients/Hitogochi(100% rice grown in Ueda City, Ueda Prefecture)
Rice/Hitogokochi (100% grown in Takeishi, Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture)
Rice polishing ratio/50
Alcohol content/15
The third bottle of New Year's! Sake given to me by a friend. Thank you very much!
It was given to me as a year-end gift, but I never had a chance to open it, so I had it as a toli for the New Year!
We got some top quality meat, so we served it with sukiyaki. (I've been eating sukiyaki a lot, haven't I?
Oh, it's so good!
The aroma is fruity, like green apples.
The mouthfeel is pineapple-like with a touch of pineapple.
The middle taste is umami and acidity (plus a hint of cedar barrel?).
The aftertaste is bitter and slightly astringent.
This sake is delicious both as a food sake and as a stand-alone sake.
I found a good sake to finish off the New Year!
長野県佐久市の実業家、荻原慎司さんが、異業種である日本酒の世界に興味を持ち、休眠していた老舗酒蔵・山三酒造（長野県上田市）の事業を承継。2023年春、8年ぶりの酒造り再開にこぎつけました。 後継者難と経営不振にあえいでいた酒蔵は、課題が多い案件だったものの、杜氏経験者ではない蔵人と二人三脚で酒蔵を立て直し、新しいブランド「山三」をゼロから育て上げようとしています。 なぜ、あえて山三酒造を引き継いだのか、荻原さんの思いに迫りました。SAKE Street | プロも愛読の日本酒メディア
2023年2月に、経営・製造の体制を一新して再スタートを切った、長野県上田市に蔵を構える山三酒造（やまさんしゅSAKETIMES | 日本酒をもっと知りたくなるWEBメディア
