flos_lingua_est
The last time I bought Hakuten, it was highly praised as a raw sake, but this time it was hi-iru. I bought it with half a mindset and half an expectation that because it was hi-iri, which is different from nama, it would be totally different from hi-iri, the dry taste.
The moment I opened the bottle, the cork flew open with a "pop"! What was that? This is fire-ground, right? I was puzzled, but when I smelled it, the aroma was as wonderful as when it was fresh. It was like a refined flower, like a sweet sake, and I realized that I like this kind of aroma.
When I sipped it, it was different from the raw chili, but it had a very clean and smooth texture. There is no drag from the moment you swallow it to the moment you swallow it. As for the aroma, it is the same whether it is raw or hi-iru. It is just delicious. That's all there is to it.
It is a food sake that is exquisitely in the line of what is "delicious" to drink by itself. I tried it with various meals, and my impression is that it goes better with home-style dishes with a bit of flavor than with light dishes. For fish, I personally liked it with grilled fish rather than sashimi, which was a surprising combination.
Recently, more and more breweries are making little difference between hi-ire and nama, and Choshu Shuzo is no different.... To be honest, this Hakuten is one of the most stable bottles of one of my most favorite tastes, and I was so impressed that it may be the best tasting one right now.
Japanese>English