Hori
Hidakami Spring Sake was released on March 3, Hinamatsuri Day. This is the first bottle of Hitakami.
On the back of the spring-like label with dancing cherry blossoms, there is an illustration of "Recommended 8 pieces of Edomae Sushi for Spring" with the phrase "If you're going to do it with fish, it's Hitakami".
My first sip was "sweeter than expected. As a Niigata native (my first encounter with sake was in Niigata), I tend to imagine dry sake when I hear that it goes well with sushi, so the sweetness was a surprise to me.
It has a freshness that is typical of nama-shu, and while it is sweet and full of flavor, it is not in the fruity and juicy direction of the trend, and it has a clean aftertaste because it is well balanced. It is delicious on its own, but this refreshing taste definitely makes it suitable for mid-meal consumption as well.
The sushi we paired it with was not Edomae Sushi but Chirashi Sushi for the Hinamatsuri (Girls' Day Festival), and we were convinced of that after enjoying it together.
The sweetness of the sake matched perfectly with the sweetness of the sushi rice. It also matched perfectly with the sweetness of the omelet and the cooked conger eel. The sake was also very sharp, so it went well with sashimi such as tuna and sea bream. It even seemed to enhance the flavor of the chopped nori.
As one would expect from a sake from Hitakami, which is said to be an excellent partner for sushi. I would like to try the dry standard sake as well.
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