flos_lingua_est
The posts have been accumulating and this will be the one we drank last BY in the fall.
As the abe has accumulated in the fridge, it just so happens that we are now comparing abe junmai drinks. What a luxurious act it is to compare favorite sakes, even if they are different in terms of being fresh and hi-iru.
The Hi-iri is the newest and the Nama is last year's since there is a 10 month gap in terms of shipping month, but the BY is the same so it makes sense to compare, right? LOL!
It has a gentle apple aroma plus a strong flavor due to the orikarami process, and the freshness typical of nama-zake and the freshness of a slight bubbly sensation.
Nevertheless, the taste is not at all violent, rather it is a soft sake that functions as a recommended food sake.
Until about three years ago, hi-iru was the quintessential Abeno, but now the quality of the nama is very high. Both the raw and the hi-iru sake are good enough to be enjoyed by any drinker, and can be drunk indefinitely.
Even if you look at it without favoritism, I think it is a wonderful sake.
Japanese>English