It's about time my memory is starting to get a little suspect, but I remember this one intensely.
It was delicious (not just tasty, but delicious) and extremely tasty.
Personally, I think it should be the No. 1 food sake. It is so good.
My encounter with this sake came out of the blue (?). I was looking around the refrigerated section of a liquor store I visited for the first time, but I couldn't find a sake that seemed to fit my mood...
Reluctantly, I looked around the room temperature section and was intrigued by the word "Namahoshi blend," so I decided to buy it.
Although I had no idea what to expect in terms of taste, I bought some sashimi and deep-fried soaked eggplant at the supermarket because of the blend and the fact that it was made using the "nama yeast" method.
I was ready for both light and full-bodied!
When it came time to drink it...
Well, at first glance, it seems to be a well-made Junmai sake.
I was drinking it while thinking, "This is more like eggplant than sashimi..." ... and then, to my surprise, the sake bottle was empty...
What? I thought, but then I noticed that the fried and soaked eggplant was also gone.
It was a bit shocking, but this sake has a "deliciousness that doesn't let you notice it's delicious".
Anyway, I would like you to try this bottle if you have a chance!
As usual, this bottle was a gift from my father-in-law in Niigata.
It is a brand that is rapidly gaining popularity, and in my area, it is common to have restrictions on purchasing it.
Moreover, this one is from a series by field...my heart is pounding.
When I put it in my mouth, I was surprised. That's what I thought! was my first impression.
I wondered if this was a sake made with "hard water," which has recently been seen in some kura. I felt that it was.
The reason is the hardness that is felt more than anything else! From the moment you put it in your mouth, the bitterness and sharp corners stand out, and it is not what you would call an easy-drinking sake.
However, if you ask me if it is not tasty, I would say that it is definitely not. It is delicious.
Although it has the above-mentioned characteristics, the gasiness and umami that are typical of Abe can be felt, and it can be said that it is a sake with astringency rather than glamor.
Anyway, this balance is novel and interesting.
Naturally, because of this characteristic, it is not boring to drink, and it is not a bad choice for a snack.
I found myself drinking it before I knew what it was, and before I knew it, it was gone before I knew it.
I think this is the type of sake that is favored locally rather than nationally. I think it is the type of sake that is favored locally rather than nationally.
Well, today I'm going to post some of the things I've been drinking (?) over the past few months! I'll be posting a lot of things before the memories of my drinking fade away!
Next up is Kameizumi CEL-24!
I'm a novice, but I thought it looked like a test brew, so I bought a bottle with the label! I thought it looked like a cool test brew, so I bought a bottle with the label, but it seems that it was a little rare sake that had been in short supply due to the popularity of low-alcoholic beverages.
My impression was that it was the fruity type!
It is 14%, so it is more like a sake than the recent "low alcohol" sake, but it is very easy to drink.
The moment you put it in your mouth, the refreshing fruity taste of citrus fruits spreads over your nose and mouth, and the citrus acidity completes the fruity taste that is starting to dissipate.
What also stands out is the indescribable mellowness of the entire sake.
This is similar to the state you get when you drink expensive soft water and think you've been drinking water from your mouth. It is similar to the state you get when you drink expensive soft water.
Presumably, Kameizumi CEL-24 is also made with very soft water.
This makes it a dangerous sake that just stands out for its fruity taste in a good way and makes you feel drunk when you realize it.
Well, it is indeed very popular, and I would like to drink it again!
It's been a while since I've had a day off again.
Thankfully, I have been having a lot of drinks with someone recently, and when that happens, I forget to post because of all the drinks and food in front of me, and most of all, all the conversations that pile up....
This time, I couldn't help but drink a test brew of the recently popular Garakudai! I had to try it!
First of all, the black label caught my attention.
Black labels are often used for "Dai-harai" sake, but what is it?
It has been hot recently, so we started with the sake in a snow-cooled state!
The first thing that hits the palate is the freshness of green apples, which is refreshing.
At the same time, the taste and alcohol hit the palate with a thump! The mouthful of flavor and alcohol spreads to fill your mouth, and you are instantly in a state of "It's not like Hiyori, it's not like Hiyori! It's not like Hiyori!
But then, a hint of gas drowns it all out, and the aftertaste is as quiet as if nothing had happened.
Yeah, it's so delicious (vocabulary)!
I personally think that Garakudai's image is that of a soft, easy-drinking, modern type, but this was not just that, it was a bottle that gave me a sense of a definite "next step" that is typical of test brewing.
I happened to find this bottle on a trip with a friend.
I bought it because my friend, who is a sake lover, said it is a "hot" sake these days, which is much better than a bad restaurant.
To be honest, I had no idea about it because of its plain label and name (I'm really sorry), but I decided to give it a try and when I drank it...oh, is this Jyushiro? I was surprised.
It is a very juicy, gorgeous, and heavy sake, but it has a nice gasiness that makes you forget about it, and yet it has a mysterious cleanness that makes you feel like you're drinking it right away.
It really is the best.
This is a must-buy if you see it in the future! Now is a good time to buy it, as the pre-pricing is not that high yet!
Next is a brand called Zuichi from Tsuneyama. I say next, but I am drinking it first, so I will skip the pause and go with the FILO style.
I had been interested in Tsuneyama for a long time, and there was "Zuichi" (Zuichi: first pressing at the tank) on sale by weight, so I bought it without hesitation.
As it is a 50% junmai (pure rice) from Gohyakumangoku, I imagined it would have a refreshing taste, but it turned out to be a betrayal of my expectations in a good way.
The first thing you notice is the melon aroma on the nose. This was followed by a rice flavor that could be called "umakuchi," and then a subtle gas that cancels it out.
Ahhh... this is delicious ...............
Overall, it's very current, but it's by no means the only one.
As with any sake, there is a single-mindedness to make a delicious sake, the techniques that have been cultivated, and the raw materials such as rice, water, and yeast....
This was one of those drinks that made me realize once again that sake is a collaboration of all of these factors.
It's been a while since I've posted...
I drink a lot, but every time I have too much fun, I realize it's morning and I haven't been able to post, sorry (?). Sorry (?).
As usual, I bought some brands from a liquor store that I often go to.
I will start with a brand called Zenchidori from Nishida Sake Brewery, which is famous for its tasake (rice wine).
The specs are 40% Aruzoe Yamada Daiginjo.
Apparently, it is a very rare sake, limited to the prefecture? It seems to be an extremely rare sake, but I happened to notice it without doing any research, so I bought it.
I am drinking it while praising my sixth sense, but it is sold in small quantities, so the price is low, which is a big help.
The taste, in a word, gives the impression that the brewer understands the strength of "Aruzoe.
It has a cemented taste that only al-soze can have, but there are no unnecessary flavors, and yet it is as gorgeous as the cement, and it disappears without a hitch.
It has the same taste as not only Tazake, but also other sake from the Tohoku region.
It would be a great sake to serve as a mealtime sake at family celebrations.
Personally, I am not a fan of alsophilized sake, but I believe that it is inevitable when enjoying sake.
I will make it a small challenge this year.
On the way home from the kids' playdate, we went to a nearby supermarket to buy dinner.
I bought some good sashimi at a fish shop there, and I couldn't resist buying them. I bought a bottle of this one because it was a rather strong assortment.
When you put it in your mouth, you can feel the wild taste of Yamahai. It is not alcoholic and generally mild, but this impact makes it difficult to recommend to beginners...but if you are a sake lover, it is a different story...it goes perfectly with the texture and smell of the mussels and red clams!
After that, we ran out of sashimi, so we had some iburigakko cream cheese, which is also a strong habit (just like the cucumber we had the other day, a series I was happy to have in stock for some reason)!
I can't say enough about it.
It was one of the many smaller sakes I bought, and it was nice to be able to try out a 180ml bottle of Yamahai, which has a strong habit, so a 720ml bottle or a 1.5 litre bottle is quite a hurdle...
Except for the first part, the overall taste is good, with a moderate umami and a mild mouthfeel, and it is a normal tasty sake. I would recommend this bottle to anyone who wants to try Yamahai for a while.
On the first day of GW, when the restrictions were lifted for the first time in a while, I decided to go out for a drink with a friend.
Just the day before, I got a line from the store that they had some very rare sake, including Tasake, in stock in a hidden bottle... And my friend has been interested in Tasake for a long time... This is a "good" thing, right?
About 10 years ago, Tasake was known only to those in the know, but now it's so popular that it seems to command a premium next to Otters...it's kind of like when your favorite band makes their major label debut.
Let's move on to the topic of sake.
It was my first time to drink this brand, and I asked for it when I was drunk, so some parts are vague, but my first impression was like "I suddenly heard pinkfloyd from the earphones that the popular guy in class always wears..." (mystery).
While it has the gorgeousness of a daiginjo, it also has the characteristics of junmai sake, such as the deliciousness and fullness of rice, which made me realize once again the interesting and deep nature of sake, as well as its easy-drinking and fruity aroma.
There was no unpleasant aftertaste, and this was a quintessential feature of sake.
I would definitely like to taste other brands as well, since I could see the goodness of the Akita Sake Komachi variety.
My wife's father-in-law, who remembered me telling him about the delicious Takachiyo sake, bought a bottle for me as a gift from Niigata.
The Niigata limited edition label is a nice touch.
We immediately started drinking it with my father-in-law, and the first thing he said was, "This is delicious.
It is easy to drink and you can drink it in a hurry, which is typical of Niigata, but it has a fullness and umami strength that is not limited to that.
It is neither too dry nor too sweet, but rather umami-guchi in character.
As a food sake, it goes well with everything from simmered fish to white meat sashimi.
I can only say that the balance is excellent... This is the first time I have tasted a sake made with flat polished rice, and I have a feeling that this is indeed a great technological innovation.
Incidentally, the tsumami was a gem of a Sado Island turban shell miso.
It tastes like a sweet miso paste with some turban shell meat in it, and it's also delicious... I think this is the only time, ever, that I have been so happy to have cucumbers in stock at home.
I found this bottle when I was shopping for a small size sake at a liquor store I frequent.
The fancy packaging, the name "Hako-irimusume," and the location of Fukuoka, which I personally am not familiar with in terms of Japanese sake, and to top it all off, it was selected as an in-flight sake for first class flights! I honestly did not have high expectations for this sake.
I honestly did not have high expectations because of these factors, but I apologize in advance, it was a delicious sake.
I drank it after chilling it in the refrigerator for a day, and my first impression was that it was a crisp sake.
The alcohol and fruity aroma in the mouth are not strong, and although modest for a daiginjo, there is little cloying taste and you can tell that it is a high quality sake.
After it goes down the throat, the alcohol is tangy, and unlike the moment when you drink it, you can feel a little alcohol in the aftertaste.
I would like to drink this with sashimi with strong red meat such as tuna or bonito...
The small size is perfect for light drinking, and although it is 40% polished rice, you can enjoy a daiginjo at a reasonable price (although it is not that much when you consider the quantity). I think it is a very valuable bottle.
I'm a straight shooter for my wife, but I like Makunouchi for bento(?). Recently, I tend to buy small sake (less than 300ml).
Basically, they are only made in 720ml bottles, so most of them are standard brands, but I noticed that the renewal of Drunken Whale's Ginrei was in the house, which is strange.
Well, speaking of Drunken Whale, it has a dry taste that is typical of Kochi. It is a very dry sake, which is typical of Kochi, but the impression is very different because it is a mellow dry sake.
First of all, the aroma is very Junmai Ginjo-like, but the fruity Ginpu-like flavor is reserved, the rice flavor is also light, and the aftertaste is well-balanced with a moderate acidity and umami.
I believe that Drunken Whale Brewery has been a respectable long-established sake brewery since the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, but they have been bold and aggressive in making a modern sake from their representative brand.
This was one of the bottles that made me realize that this is the very reason why long-established breweries are still long-established.
I bought it for New Year's Eve 2021 after a recommendation from a liquor store that I am familiar with (or do I just think so?). I bought it for New Year's Eve 2021 after a recommendation from a liquor store.
It is a Junmai Daiginjo made from Yamadanishiki, and it is not bad, but it was an interesting sake with a different taste from what I was expecting.
I asked for a "sweet and gorgeous" type of sake, and the catalog specs (it's not a smartphone, you know...) were perfect, but when I drank it, I got a strangely opposite impression.
The first thing that spreads is a soft sake-like aroma with a solid body, followed by a clean rice flavor, and finally a crisp finish with an alcoholic feeling... all of which give the impression that it is a dry sake! I had the impression that this was a dry sake.
In an age when it is often said that "modern people eat (drink) information," I think this was indeed a sake that I was led to drink by the information (45% Yamada-Nishiki).
It was an interesting experience for me. It is definitely an excellent product, and I recommend it to those who prefer a dry or strong sake type.
Online drinking parties are becoming a semi-regular occurrence, but it's always a bit confusing to find the right knob.
In such a situation, mackerel from Koshida Shoten and vinegared mackerel from SABAR were the highlight, so we all ordered this sake.
I had actually had this sake at a restaurant before and had a good impression of it, so I felt confident in recommending it.
The sake is a special sake for mackerel, and it goes very well with mackerel (placebo effect?). I am very satisfied.
However, the fish has a certain amount of strong habits, so an easy-drinking sake such as Niigata junmai sake would be too much for it, while a more assertive sake such as ginjo would fight with the mackerel.
In this sense, the choice of brewed sake is exquisite.
Although it is a brewed sake, the alcohol taste itself is not too strong, and the rice flavor is relatively minor, making it a delicious sake on its own... but! However, once combined with mackerel, it creates an extraordinary synergy that drowns out the unpleasant smell and aftertaste peculiar to mackerel, and further amplifies the rich flavor of the mackerel...
It's not just for mackerel, it's also reasonably priced, and if you're in an area where you can get good mackerel, this is a must-try brand.
This is a brand that has become a personal staple.
All of the aroma, umami, and sharpness are balanced at a very high dimension, giving it the image of an honors student who can score 80 points in any situation.
To be honest, I may even like it better than Daiginjo....
It is also a very good thing that it can be stored at room temperature before opening the bottle, despite the fact that it has such a great aroma. (My family looks at me with a white eye if I put it in the refrigerator too much... lol)
I asked for a recommendation for a gorgeous type of sake at a local Sakaya, and they recommended this one.
For those of us who love this type of sake, this one was perfect!
The flamboyant and gorgeous aroma that is typical of Yamagata goes off with a bang, followed by the umami of the rice, and the aftertaste is balanced and disappears without any unpleasantness...it was a big hit after a long time.