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HoriHori
全て家飲み 開栓した日のみ記録します

Registered Date

Check-ins

210

Favorite Brands

7

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UbusunaKoeigikuFusano Kankiku

Most Check-in Brands

Fusano Kankiku
31(18.45%)
Senkin
23(13.69%)
Koeigiku
19(11.31%)
Kirinzan
10(5.95%)
大嶺
9(5.36%)

Sake Map

The origins of the sake you've drunk are colored on the map.
Chiba
31(14.76%)
Tochigi
24(11.43%)
Niigata
24(11.43%)
Saga
20(9.52%)
Yamaguchi
11(5.24%)

Timeline

HoriHori
Fusano Kankiku空海 -Inflight- [別誂]純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過
Kankiku MeijoChiba
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31
Hori
We received a bottle of Kangiku's Ocean 99 Kukai. It is the spearhead of the Ocean 99 series summer trilogy, and is a refreshing and light sipping bottle that evokes the image of an airplane flying over Kujukuri in early summer. This year we were able to offer a special order of Kukai. While the regular Kukai is an unfiltered, once-heated sake, the Betsuatsui is an unfiltered, unpasteurized sake. This Betsuatsurai was ordered by a sake store in Nagoya, Sakaizendo Horiichi, for their Hanpukai, but for some reason it was put on general sale as well, so even though I did not sign up for the Hanpukai, I was able to enjoy it. The taste is refreshing and reminds me of the Kukai I had last year. The taste did not change drastically just because it was raw, and Kukai was still Kukai even when it was raw. I have experienced the difference between hi-iru and namaizu at last year's Kenai-san 50, and the difference was not as great. If I think about it calmly, I should just buy one or the other, but it is a rare opportunity to compare the difference between hi-iru and nama of the same sake, so I end up buying both. Of course, I bought the regular version together this time, so I would like to compare them side by side at a later date to see how much is the same and how much is different.
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HoriHori
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34
Hori
We had a bottle of Imi no Black. Low-polished rice is called "black rice" in sake brewing, and the name is fitting for this challenging sake made with very low-polished rice (80% milling ratio). According to the label on the back, Black was made for the first time in 10 years. I was intrigued by the fact that it was not exactly how they wanted it to be. Poured into a glass, it has a slightly yellowish appearance, neither completely clear nor cloudy, but rather a little hazy. The aroma has the usual Imi atmosphere. The first impression in the mouth is the same as usual, with sweetness as the main taste, but the bitterness and pungency that comes immediately after that are probably the miscellaneous tastes that only low-polished rice can give off. The aromatic graininess of brown rice gives a sense of the presence of the rice. Drinking this wild and rugged sake, you will be reminded of how refined the sake you usually drink tastes. It was also a good opportunity for me to think about many things, such as the significance of refining in sake brewing. The sake may not have been exactly what the brewery wanted, but it was a good experience for me personally.
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HoriHori
Mimurosugi華きゅん純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
Imanishi ShuzoNara
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36
Hori
It is already summer, and it is finally Hana-Kyuun's turn. It was released relatively late among spring sake, and it took me a long time to buy it, so it has been delayed until now. The moment the bottle is opened, it bubbles up inside the bottle. When I poured the soft, cloudy sake into a glass, the bubbles popped, appealing to me to drink it as soon as possible. When you take an irresistible sip, you can feel the graininess of the rice that is typical of orikarami in the mouth with a shwarming sensation. It has a strong umami flavor and is slightly sweet, and the gentle acidity without corners brings it all together in a gentle taste. Perhaps it is a preconceived notion that this sake was made in Miwa, where the god of sake is enshrined, but the taste is pure and clean, and it goes down the throat without any resistance. The slight bitterness at the end of the aftertaste acts as a primer for the next sip, and you can't stop drinking. The low alcohol content of 13 degrees Celsius and the smoothness of the taste made me want to guzzle it down, and I found myself drinking more than half of it in a short time. I drank Hana-Kyun last year, but I may have realized how great this sake is for the first time after drinking it this year. I hope Imanishi Shuzo will continue to supply the Roman series, even though their focus is shifting to Bodeshige.
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HoriHori
Fusano Kankiku壽限無 -Hazy moon-純米大吟醸原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
Kankiku MeijoChiba
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31
Hori
I have been looking forward to this new piece of Kangiku, Jyujikinmu. Nearly three months after I purchased it, my turn finally came around. Kotobukinmu is a junmai daiginjo made from "Kotobukinmu," a rare rice produced in Fukuoka Prefecture. The concept is a spring tsukimi-shu, so it has an orikarami finish, as is typical of spring sake. When the bottle was opened, the gas pressure must have been quite high because gas was blown out with great force, though not so much that the cork flew open. The gas pressure must have been quite high because the gas blew out vigorously. When you drink it, you can taste the crisp bubbles with a refreshing bitter flavor. The lactic acidity, complexity, and fullness of the orikarami flavor are added to the clean taste. It has the same taste as the autumn release of Aka Denshikiku. I think it is because it is not at its best sweet and juicy, but I have seen comments that it is not like Kangiku or that it can't be helped because it is the first sake made with this rice, but I think that is not what they are aiming for. It has the same nuances from the brewing water as usual, and it has some points in common with Aka Denshokiku, so I felt that it is a delicious sake with unmistakable Kangiku characteristics. If there are more sakes in this direction in the future, I think I will be following Kangiku all year round once again.
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HoriHori
Kawanakajima Genbu純米吟醸 無濾過生原酒純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過
ShusenkuranoNagano
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25
Hori
I received a bottle of Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Nama Sake from Kawanakajima Genmai. Sake from Nagano Prefecture has been my favorite recently, and I have been drinking it more and more often. This is my second bottle of Kawanakajima Genmai. This azuki colored label Junmai Ginjo is made from 100% Miyamanishiki. Although it claims to be a junmai ginjo, the rice polishing ratio is a luxurious 49%, which is the highest in the daiginjo class. It is a freshly squeezed, unfiltered, unfiltered, raw sake, but the texture is smooth and lustrous, not gassy. The texture is smooth and glossy, but the smooth texture does not mean that it is round, and the flavor has a clear outline. The first taste is rich and sweet, and the addition of acidity completes the fruity flavor. The second half has a crisp and sharp spiciness, but the aroma that lingers in the nose is mellow and even seductive, like ripe tropical fruit. It is a modern type of sake, but it also has a sake-like sharpness brought about by the alcohol content that is greater than the alcohol content, allowing you to enjoy the best of both modern and classic tastes. It is no wonder that this sake is so hard to find.
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HoriHori
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32
Hori
I received a bottle of white sake. Among the several types of Imi, the White is a variant brewed with white koji malt as part of the ingredients. White is brewed with white malted rice. There is a common nuance that we always feel when we drink Sake made by Imi, and it may be the individuality of the brewing water. It has a strong sweetness that is typical of Imi, but compared to the Blue Label Junmai Ginjo that I drank most recently, which had a rich sweetness and umami, this sake has a slightly lighter flavor, with a sharp acidity that seems to come from the white malted rice added to it. All of the bottles have been delicious so far. This season we were lucky enough to get the black and pink as well. I would like to taste each of them to see what kind of personality they have.
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HoriHori
KoeigikuSNOW CRESCENT原酒生酒無濾過
Koeigiku ShuzoSaga
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32
Hori
We received Snow Crescent from Koei Chrysanthemum. Snow Crescent is one of my favorite Koei-Kiku's. This is the standard Yamada Nishiki. There is no sign of Yuyamanishiki and Sagabiyori coming out this season, so this will likely be the last bottle. The moment we opened the bottle, the cork hit the ceiling with a popping sound. I've had several bottles of Snow Crescent, and this was the most energetic I've ever had. As usual, it's a shriveled, lightly cloudy, fresh and juicy with a refreshing grapefruit-like bitterness that is always the most delicious every time I drink it. It is our family's most heavily-rotated bottle, and we would like to keep it in stock all year round if possible, but there is the problem of refrigerator capacity, and above all, we had to remember that Snow Crescent is a winter sake to begin with. On that note, there is a new product out this year called NOON CRESCENT, and I would be happy if this could be a replacement for Snow Crescent. Also, Sunburst, which I had for the first time last year and enjoyed, should be coming out in the future, so I am looking forward to that as well. Honored Chrysanthemum, I will continue to enjoy it as much as I can.
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HoriHori
Senkinさくら OHANAMI生酛原酒生酒無濾過にごり酒
せんきんTochigi
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28
Hori
It has been a long time since I had SENKYO. It is a belated spring sake, Sakura OHANAMI. It has a sweet and sour taste that is typical of SENKYO, which even makes me feel at ease. Last year's SENKYO was very light-bodied and refreshing, but at the same time, it was thin and a little lacking in some areas. I have already purchased Kabutomushi, so I am looking forward to seeing how the Kabutomushi changes with the return of Edo.
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HoriHori
Ubusuna山田錦 五農醸生酛原酒生酒無濾過
Hananoka ShuzoKumamoto
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35
Hori
We received a bottle of Yamadanishiki Gononosai from Sanchi. This is the second bottle of Yamadanishiki Gononozo. When I drank the 2023 Go-No-Mozo, the presence of the wooden vat was almost non-existent, and the taste was only slightly more complex than the two No-No-Mozo. This experience led me to the realization that the taste does not change much even if there are more no-brews, but this must be changed as of today. Even I could clearly sense the difference in this year's Go-No-Brew. The woody aroma that is typical of wooden vats can be felt from the moment the bottle is opened. The appearance is slightly more yellowish than the Ninonomoto. The base of the flavor is the same as usual, but with the addition of the woody aroma, the taste is more complex and intense than the Ninohbrewery's. To be honest, I have never tasted a pesticide-free, fertilizer-free brew. I am not confident that I can detect the difference between the two brews. Looking at the new twelve grades, it seems that the five-six-seven area will have a significant impact on the flavor. Personally, I am most looking forward to the 7th fermentation. The higher grades are probably more about environmental and cultural revitalization and preservation than taste changes.
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HoriHori
Sogga pere et filsヌメロ アン [Numéro un]生酛
Obuse WineryNagano
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28
Hori
Nagano sake continues. Today we had Numero Anne from Sogapeur Effice. Numero Anne is a sake brewed with Kyokai No. 1 yeast, a yeast isolated from Sakura Masamune's sake mother in Kyoto during the Meiji era (1868-1912), and distributed by the Brewers Association decades ago. Currently, it is only used by a very small number of breweries, including Obuse Winery, Sakura Masamune, the brewery where it originated, and Kinoshita Sake Brewery, which also brews Tamagawa in Kyoto. The Ilya Thornton [IL Y A 100 ANS] we received last year was a mixed fermentation of No. 1 and No. 2, but this is the first time we have received a single No. 1. The manufacturer's quality assurance period ended yesterday, and after today, the aroma and taste may become super maniacal. I don't know because I have nothing to compare it with, but I would like to think it was the best timing because it was very tasty. I wrote the other day that Shinshu Kamerei is a sake that can be enjoyed without hesitation, but I have the impression that Sogapère Ephis is a sake to be savored as if you were checking it out with a sip. The taste is complex and subtle, with a strong umami and acidity typical of sake yeast, and has a depth that allows you to discover something new each time you sip it. It goes well with Western food, and was a perfect match with carbonara pasta.
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HoriHori
Yamasan純米吟醸 ひとごこち うすにごり純米吟醸にごり酒
山三酒造Nagano
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28
Hori
We had the first Yamasan. It is Hitogokochi Junmai Ginjyo Usunigori. Following Shinshu Kamerei, this sake is from Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Like Ginkame, there was only one bottle left in the refrigerator of a liquor store, so I bought it together with Ginkame. At that time, there was another bottle each of Yamasan Yamae-Nishiki Usu-Nigori, San-do no Kako Shi-no-Kozo, and Yamada-Nishiki Go-no-Kozo in the fridge. I couldn't believe my eyes when I found them because they were all sold out at every liquor store at that point. It might have been a kind of cancellation of reservation or release of reserve stock. I wanted to buy all of them because I had been interested in all of them but had missed the timing, but due to the capacity of my refrigerator, I gave up on Yamasan Yamae Nishiki and gratefully bought four bottles. The first Yamasan was a delicious sake that lived up to the rumors. It showed a lot of energy from the moment the bottle was opened, and the mouthfeel was crisp and gassy. It has a fresh and juicy peachy flavor, with a graininess of rice that only nigori sake can have, and finishes with a sharp bitterness. I like light nigori sakes to begin with, but this one is right in the middle of my favorites. This is another sake that I found troubling.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Hi Hori 😃 Nice to meet you, Mr. Yamasan and congratulations on your 200 check-in ㊗️㊗️ 🎉. My middle of the road favorite! The more you drink, the better it comes out 🤗.
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Hori
Thanks for your comments, Jay & Nobby 🤗. It was your 200th check-in! Thanks for letting us know 😊. Too many good drinks screams of happiness 😱.
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HoriHori
Shinshu Kirei純米大吟醸 美山錦純米大吟醸
Okazaki ShuzoNagano
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45
Hori
We had our first Shinshu Kamerei. It is a junmai daiginjo of Miyamanishiki, or silver turtle. It is a rare sake to find, but I was lucky enough to find a bottle left in the refrigerator of my regular liquor store. When the bottle was opened, it had a fruity ginjo aroma. The aroma is rather mild than floral. The appearance is clear and colorless, with a smooth texture that is not particularly viscous. No bubbles appear. When you drink it, a gentle sweetness spreads in your mouth as if it is melting away with the acidity. It has a clean, straightforward taste that goes down the throat easily without any unpleasant taste or alcohol. The fruity aroma that lingers in the nose from start to finish is pleasant. There is a slight bitterness hidden at the end of the sweet aftertaste, but even this is part of the harmony and is a nice accent. It is not a flashy or impactful type of sake, nor is it particularly unique, but this beautiful flavor, which seems to have been polished to the last detail, is perhaps the charm of Shinshu Kamerei. It is supposed to be a great sake, but you can enjoy drinking it without thinking about anything difficult. It was an amazing sake that I have never experienced anywhere else.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good evening, Hori 😃! Congratulations on your first Shinshu Kamerei at Gin Kame 🎉I would buy it if I found Ras One and forget about the price 🤗It's so good to let it go 😋Scary, isn't it?
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Hori
Thank you Jay & Nobby for your comments! The price was about the same as two bottles of our usual sake, but we had no regrets at all 😊. I finally found Shinshu Kamerei, it's great!
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HoriHori
Ibi純米吟醸純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過
杉原酒造Gifu
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29
Hori
We received a bottle of Junmai Ginjo Blue Label from Imi. It was one of the first bottles I drank last year that was shockingly delicious, and I was lucky enough to have it again this year. Last year I had the impression that it was a very sweet sake, but this year it was not so sweet and I wondered if my memory was wrong. I thought it was a bit sweet last year, but when the temperature rose a little, it was still sweet. This year, too, the rich sweetness was combined with sourness and a pineapple-like nuance, while the latter half was bitter, which is right in the middle of my personal tastes. It is good to drink it cold right after it is stored below freezing, but it seems that you can taste the true flavor of the sake after it is left at room temperature for a little while.
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HoriHori
Azakura純米吟醸 ゆきのふ純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過
Azakura ShuzoAkita
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27
Hori
We received a bottle of A-Sakura Junmai Ginjo Yukinofu. At first glance, the name may sound like it is made from Yukinofu rice, but it is not. The name is derived from the name of the designer who designed this lovely label. I had purchased this sake in March, but since I drink dozens of bottles in the order of purchase, there is inevitably a time lag. That is the reason for the unseasonal rush of spring sake. I would like to reduce my stock more so that I can enjoy these seasonal drinks on time, but there are so many I want to drink that I can't reduce it at all. As the label's image of a pretty, fragile girl suggests, this sake has a sweet and sour taste with a freshness that is typical of nama-zake. I had imagined it to have a gentler flavor, but it had a surprisingly strong sake-like and alcohol-like taste. I heard that there are several patterns of Yukinofu labels, so I will try to buy it again when I see it.
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HoriHori
ChiebijinLapinにごり酒
Nakano ShuzoOita
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29
Hori
I received a bottle of Chiebijin Lapin. This is my first Chiebijin and my first Oita Prefecture sake. I was at a liquor store and was required to buy one more bottle of sake, and this was the one I chose. I had seen it on social networking sites, but the actual bottle stood out amongst the many labels. It was a not-so-positive choice for a cuddle, and one of those so-called "jackets," but it was an unexpected bonanza. It was a bittersweet, lactic sweetness and umami with a hint of youthfulness, just like the activated nigori sake that I love to drink when I am new to sake. I have always thought all light nigori spring sake is delicious, but Lapin was outstanding. Without question, it will definitely be on my list to buy again next year.
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HoriHori
Denshu純米吟醸 百四拾 桜ラベル純米吟醸
Nishida ShuzotenAomori
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40
Hori
I belatedly received a bottle of Tasake spring sake. I bought Tasake's new light nigori sake two years in a row, but this is the first time I have had any other sake. Actually, I was curious about this sakura label last year and had planned to buy it, but since it had been available at the liquor store for a while, I put it off thinking I could buy it anytime I wanted. This year, I learned my lesson and acted early, so I was able to get them. The taste is sweet like cotton candy, with a low acidity. It has a strong sense of rice flavor and body, with a refreshing bitterness in the aftertaste and a slight tanginess that is typical of Japanese sake. This is one of the reasons why I have not bought much Tazake even though I know it is delicious, but there seems to be a large discrepancy between the image one gets from the label and the impression one gets from the taste. The cherry blossom label is fine because it still has a gorgeous spring-like feel, but the classical atmosphere of the regular label makes it hard to imagine this type of flavor. I have so far passed up on Tazake because the label design is one of the criteria for buying it as well as the flavor, but I may have been wasting my time.
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HoriHori
Sara特別純米 無濾過生原酒特別純米原酒生酒無濾過
Kitanishi ShuzoSaitama
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28
Hori
This is a special pure rice (tokusujun) from Sairai. It was purchased at the same time as the special junmai Hanazumi (hereafter referred to as Hanazumi) that I received the other day. Both are the same special junmai, but they are completely different. Both are unfiltered, unfiltered, unfiltered sake with a touch of gas, but the texture of Hana Sumi is smooth and smooth, while the texture of Tokujun is a little thicker and smoother. Tokujun has a pale yellow color, which is in contrast to Hanazumi, which is a light nigori white sake. To put it simply, Hana Sumi tastes sweet and bitter, while Tokujun tastes sweet and sour. Tokujun has a mild aroma, but the taste is richly sweet with a sourness that is like berry fruits. It does not have an overpowering bitterness like Hana Sumi, and the lingering sweetness lasts until the latter half of the bottle. While Hana Sumi is a sake that is suitable as an in-between-dinner drink, Tokujun is a highly satisfying sake that can be enjoyed on its own, and is more of an "in-demand" type of sake. Tokujun seems to be made with Akita Sake Komachi rice, which is used in sake breweries in the Tohoku region, especially in Akita. I first encountered Sairai as a half-junket purchase, but it has become my favorite brand.
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HoriHori
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Hori
I received the San-do no Kago Shi-no-shozo. I love San-do, but this is the first sake made with rice other than Yamadanishiki. When the bottle was opened, it was very energetic and leaked gas, just like San-do. When poured into a glass, it was slightly carbonated with bubbles and looked no different from the usual Yamada-Nishiki Ninonbrew. However, the aroma was different. Sansho always has a fruity aroma, but Kako, as its name suggests, had a gorgeous aroma that took it to the next level. On the day when Kako was steamed at the brewery, the whole town could smell the aromatic rice. Like the aroma, the taste was one tone more gorgeous than that of Yamadanishiki, and the acidity was a little less pronounced and the sweetness more pronounced. This is subjective, but if Yamadanishiki has a refreshing grape-like nuance, Kako gives the impression of more mellow peach and berry fruits. This sake is clearly different from Yamada-Nishiki, although it falls within the category of its local characteristics. Personally, I think Yamadanishiki Ninonunomai is top class in terms of satisfaction/price, but if Kako's Ninonunomai was possible, it would have become a regular sake in my house, just like Yamadanishiki Ninonunomai.
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HoriHori
Yanma純米吟醸 彗星純米吟醸原酒生酒中取り無濾過
Niigatadaiichi ShuzoNiigata
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Hori
We received a bottle of Yamama no Comet. It is a bottle of junmai ginjo unfiltered unpasteurized sake made from "Comet," Hokkaido's preferred rice for sake brewing, and the middle part of the bottle was bottled directly from the kameguchi. It is so fresh that you can enjoy the slight sparkle. It is just like the image on the label, which is as refreshing as a Ramune. The aroma is a mellow ginjo aroma. The taste is my favorite sweet and bitter type that I sometimes encounter. The moment you put it in your mouth, it has a fruity impression with a rich sweetness and acidity, just like the aroma, but after swallowing, the sweetness slowly turns into bitterness, and the lingering bitter taste, with a slight spiciness from the alcohol, tightens up the inside of your mouth. This sweet and bitter taste is similar to the Shichu we had previously. This is my second bottle of Yamama since Ori-Ori Rock about two months ago, and I really liked both Ori-Ori Rock, an active nigori sake, and Comet, a clear sake. They are rare sakes that are hard to find, but I will definitely buy them when I see them in the future.
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HoriHori
Sara花澄み特別純米原酒生酒無濾過にごり酒
Kitanishi ShuzoSaitama
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Hori
I had a bottle of Sairai's Hanasumi. The frosted bottle with a light misty color is the same as that of "Usugiri", a winter sake of the same Sairai brand. The simple and smart label and the stylish appearance of the frosted glass bottle give it an atmosphere that other brands do not have. Like Usugiri, I wanted to try it as soon as I saw it and jumped at the chance. There was a warning tag attached to the bottle, but I opened it without any difficulty without the bottle flying or spewing. I drank it with the image of the gorgeous aroma and sweet taste of Sairai, but it was a little different. The moment you put it in your mouth, it has a light sweetness with a soft umami and a gentle acidity that is typical of light nigori, but the bitterness follows soon after, and the crisp and spicy aftertaste of alcohol follows, leaving a clean and dry impression after drinking. With this Hanasumi, I feel I was able to experience the difference between junmai ginjo and special junmai. The Sairai I had been drinking was a junmai ginjo, but Hanasumi is a special junmai. I thought it was suitable for drinking during a meal because of its lighter taste and less cloying flavor. This time we served it with grilled fava beans, and it was a perfect match with the green bitterness of the fava beans. As a spring sake, it would go perfectly with spring ingredients such as butterbur sprouts and rape blossoms.
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