Hori
We had Ocean 99 Kukai by Kangiku.
The other day it was a special-order draft, but this is the regular version, once-hot-brewed.
It's not every day that you get a chance to get the same sake both on draft and fire-aged at the same time, so of course I put them both side by side and compared them.
The result is that the Betsuatsurai is sweeter, richer in flavor and juicier, so much so that it is easy to tell even if you try it blind.
Of course, the Betsujusai also has a refreshing taste like an airplane flying over Kujukuri in early summer, which is the concept of Kukai. There is not enough difference to deviate from that, even for the nama-shu, but the normal version, fire-aged, tasted lighter and more transparent.
My personal intuition tells me that it is the order that tastes good, and my impression is that it is the normal version that fits the concept.
There are plenty of other sweet, fresh, juicy kangiku available, so if that is what you are looking for, you may not need to buy this Betsuatsurai.
If you want to enjoy the freshness of the blue sky in early summer, which is the best part of Kukai, you should definitely buy the regular version.
The difference is only noticeable when you compare them side by side, but it was a good experience for me to be able to feel the difference.
I would like to try it again in the future if I have the chance.
Japanese>English