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HoriHori
開栓した日のみ記録します。

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41
Hori
We had Hana Yuu from Ryoseki Shuzo. My first Hanayuup was a junmai sake, Rikuwada. I had heard that the Takagi Brewery of Jyushiyo was involved in the creation of Hanayuup, so I had always been interested in this brand. We do not know the details of their involvement, but the official website indicates that Takagi Shuzo introduced Omachi and Rikuwada to us, and that he must have given us some advice on the brewing process. It seems that Takagi Brewery also named the sake "Hanayuup," and the website also expresses their gratitude to Takagi Brewery. Hanamup is said to be scarce in four-pack bottles, so we were lucky to come across it. The taste is rich and sweet. The umami sweetness is strong, but the bitterness and alcohol spiciness give it a nice sharpness. As with the Kawanakajima Genmai from the other day, the high alcohol content is probably the reason why this dark flavor is so well balanced. Although it is bottle-fired and has no gaseous sensation, I can feel the freshness when I drink it, so it seems that they are very particular about the fire-firing process. As someone who has never had a Jyushiyo, I am not sure how much of this sake is similar to Jyushiyo or how much is completely different, but Hana Oup is a very tasty sake. At the same time, it made me want to try Jyushiyo again.
Japanese>English
夏どぶろっく夏どぶろっくにごり酒
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Hori
This is my third bottle of summer dobrokku this year. I drank it in August and liked it so much that I got two bottles after that, and as a result, I had the luxury of drinking one bottle each in August, September, and October. As a lover of activated nigori sake, I was able to have it play a major role as a bridge to the new sake season, when nigori sake is released from each brewery in November. For me, the significance of Natsu Doburokku is great. The third bottle of Natsu Doburokku was the first ever to be opened. Perhaps the fermentation had advanced due to the long storage period, or perhaps the bubbles had become stronger, and I must have struggled for nearly 10 minutes opening and closing the bottle. When I finally poured it into a glass after it had settled down, I was greeted as usual with a shrieking carbon dioxide gas and an indescribable aroma. The refreshing taste and gasiness go well with meat and fried foods, so although it is a summer sake, it can be enjoyed not only in summer. The sizzling taste is pleasant and easy to drink, so it is easy to drink in large gulps, and the sake runs out quickly. I finished the last bottle in no time at all. Let's meet again next year for sure. Until then, goodbye.
Japanese>English
Kawanakajima Genbu純米吟醸 雄町 無濾過生原酒純米吟醸原酒生酒無濾過
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Hori
I received a bottle of Junmai Ginjo Omachi from Kawanakajima Genmai. I purchased it at a liquor store in Gunma Prefecture where I stopped by on my summer trip home. It is the same place where I bought Sakiyami the other day. I knew that it was a hard-to-find brand, so I couldn't believe my eyes when I found it on the fridge. Including this Omachi, I think there were four or five varieties with different specifications. I don't think there was any kind of restriction on purchase. I was surprised when I drank it. This is delicious. Even if you discount preconceived notions, it is delicious. Sweet and fruity aroma. The moment it enters the mouth, it gives a sharp impression. After that, there is a rich sweetness and umami, perhaps derived from the Omachi grape. At the same time, the contradictory bitterness spreads quickly, and finally, the sharp spiciness of the alcohol finishes it off. After drinking it, I looked at the label on the back and was convinced. I had almost forgotten that 16 degrees of alcohol was like this, as there have been so many low-alcohol sakes recently. I like low alcohol, but I now understand that there is a taste unique to sake that can only be achieved with this alcohol content. Sweet and bitter. It is tasty and spicy. Sharp, clear and clean. It was a supreme bottle that had the best parts of both modern sake and classical sake.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good morning, Hori 😃 I'm very thankful for the liquor stores that usually carry Genmai 🤗You're right, there are some tastes that you can't feel unless it's a solid strength 😚.
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Hori
Jay & Nobby, thank you for your comments! I really appreciate it. We don't get there often, but we will definitely stop by on our next trip home 🚙.
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Fusano KankikuOcean 99 橙海 Arrival純米吟醸原酒無濾過
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Hori
Kangiku's Ocean 99 Orange Sea is now available. The subtitle of the Ocean 99 is "Arrival," and it is part of a trilogy along with Ginkai Departure and Kukai Inflight, each of which was designed to resemble an airplane flying over Kujukuri. The unexpected combination of sake and airplanes is probably due to the fact that the toji of Kangiku is a former aircraft mechanic. The final bottle of the Flight Trilogy, Toukai, is also the last in the Ocean 99 series. It is an autumn sake position of Kangiku, and it is an autumn sake that has been aged for one summer after it is pressed and fired during the cold season. When poured into a glass, it has a sweet aroma and a slightly cloudy appearance. It is not cloudy, but rather a slightly cloudy white color. Although it is supposed to be a fire-aged sake, there are slight bubbles, and when you drink it, it has a gaseous and fresh feeling. The atmosphere is quite different from the hiyaoroshi sake we have been drinking recently. The taste has a concentrated flavor, as is typical of autumn sake. Because it is fresh, it is not round and smooth, but it has a more dense sweetness than usual Kangiku, and is as fruity as ripe tropical fruits. We enjoyed this autumn sake full of Kangiku's character.
Japanese>English
大嶺3粒 生詰ひやおろし 雄町生詰酒ひやおろし
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Hori
Two consecutive hiyaoroshi from Omine. Yesterday was Yamadanishiki and today is Omachi. The Omine label looks simple and informative, but as you get used to it, you can grasp it at a glance because the specifications are classified by the color of the bottle, the number and color of rice printed on the bottle, and the shape of the bottle. Since this hiyaoroshi is the same raw hiyaoroshi as yesterday's Yamada-Nishiki, the mouthfeel and taste direction are the same when drinking it, but that is why I could clearly feel the difference in the sake rice. Yamadanishiki was full of umami sweetness, but Omachi has an even deeper sweetness and richness. If I had to describe it, I would say that Yamada-Nishiki is suitable for meals, while Yumachi is satisfying on its own. It is very interesting to compare different sake rice varieties, and I would be very happy to see a release like this Omine or the recent Kangiku Discovery Series. This time it was easier to tell the difference than the Kangiku Discovery Series, which made the comparison more enjoyable. (If it is hard to tell the difference, I would drink too much.)
Japanese>English
大嶺3粒 生詰ひやおろし 山田錦生詰酒ひやおろし
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Hori
赤武の琥珀に続いて大嶺の秋酒、生詰ひやおろしの山田錦です。 生詰ということは、春に上槽して火入れをした後、夏の間貯蔵しておいたお酒ということですね。 大嶺らしいマスカットフレーバーはそのままに、熟成によって丸みとなめらかさがもたらされ、いつものフレッシュな飲み口とは違うまろやかな旨みいっぱいの一本です。 熟成されても仕込み水の持つミネラル感は失われず、大嶺ならではの苦味を伴う後半の余韻は健在です。 今回、この山田錦バージョンと一緒に雄町バージョンも購入してあるので、後日飲み比べを楽しみたいと思います。
Akabu琥珀純米吟醸ひやおろし
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Hori
I received the autumn sake, Amber, from Akabu. The summer sake, Jade, was delicious, so I was curious to purchase the autumn version of the same series, Amber. Poured into a glass, it looked pale yellow with a strong yellow tinge, just as the name "amber" implies. There is no gassy feeling, and the lack of air bubbles accentuates its glossy transparency. The mouthfeel is smooth, as is typical of autumn sake, with a mild sweetness and gentle acidity that fills the mouth. Although the direction of the taste is different from that of Jade, which was fresh and juicy, there is a commonality in the clean taste that has no unpleasant parts even though it has a deep flavor without any cloying taste. In other words, it has a clean and elegant taste. That is not to say that the taste is lacking in individuality, but the balance and quality of the taste is unparalleled and unique. I will continue to actively drink Akabu if I am interested in it.
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Senkin線香花火原酒無濾過
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Hori
We have opened a bottle of Senkohana Senkohana. We drank the last of the Kabutomushi the other day, and now that most of the summer sake has disappeared from the fridge, it is time for the Senkohana, which signals the end of summer. The label on the back of the bottle reads, "Do you have anything left to do in the summer? on the back of the bottle is deeply moving. Sparkler is the first assemblage I have ever had. It is a blend of Modern Sengoku Mukonin and Classic Sengoku Mukonin, which were brewed for Senkohana. I should have tasted each of them beforehand and immediately "left overs from the summer". The first taste was sweet and sour light-bodied, typical of Sentori. The acidity is similar to that of Kabutomushi, but it is also umami and complex, giving it a sense of depth. It has a refreshing crispness, but there is also a lingering sweetness that lingers on the palate, which is a strange sensation. Is this what you call an assemblage? I am not sure which part of the wine is characteristic of which, and I regret that I left it unfinished in the summer. There is also a mellow part that is the result of the summer of fire-brewing, which makes us feel the loneliness of the end of summer and the anticipation of the season of abundant harvest. This year will be the last year for this recipe due to the return of Edo from this season. How will next year's sparkling fireworks be made and how will they taste? We are looking forward to it.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Hi Hori 😃 Summer leftovers...reading Hori's comment, we have a lot of them too 🤔I've only had one sparkler 😅I'm looking forward to your new recipe 🤗.
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Hori
Jay & Nobby, thanks for your comments! There are so many things, both drinking and otherwise, that I wish I had done when I think back on them😅. Fall is shorter than summer and we want to spend it without regrets 🍂.
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Sakuyabi純米吟醸 直汲み 荒ばしり純米吟醸荒走り
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Hori
It has been a while since I have had a bottle of Sakiyami from the Takamusu Shuzo brewery in my hometown of Nakanojo-machi, Gunma Prefecture. Our first encounter was with Koyama Shoten, and this second bottle was purchased at a liquor store we stopped by when we went back home about two months ago. The specs are the same as the last time we drank it, a Junmai Ginjo Naokumi-Arabashiri. There were several other different specs, so I had a hard time deciding, but I chose this pink label that impressed me the first time I drank it. I peeled off the sticker warning me to open the bottle, and as I was opening the bottle, I heard a "pop" and the bottle almost flew out of the bottle. It remained in my hand because I had not finished sealing it, but if I had sealed it all at once, it would have flown away somewhere. It is almost transparent pale yellow with a slightly thickened texture. The fine bubbles show off its freshness. When you drink it, it has a rich sweetness and acidity. It has a fresh mouthfeel with a slight gassy sensation. The second half of the bottle has a firm bitterness, and the sharpness is perfect. There are no unpleasant tastes, so you can face the taste head-on without thinking about anything difficult. As I thought the first time I drank it, I feel it is one of the most delicious sake for my personal taste, without any prejudice.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good evening, Hori 😃. Sakiyami! I haven't come across it yet 🥲I saw your review and it looks like it could be sweet 😍I'll have to look for it again 😙‼️
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Hori
Thank you for your comment, Jay & Nobby 😊. I hope there will be more distributors of Sakiyami. It has a strong sweetness, but the bitterness in the latter half of the taste is very strong, so it's hard to get tired of drinking it!
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Koeigiku白月原酒生酒無濾過
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Hori
October 1, Sake Day, we opened a bottle of Koei Kiku's Hakutsuki. We have enjoyed most of the summer sake we purchased, so today is the start of autumn sake in our house, albeit belatedly. Since I started to enjoy sake seriously at the end of last year, this Hakutsuki is my first autumn sake. It may be different from the real autumn sake called hiyaoroshi, but it is bottled in spring and stored in ice temperature during the summer before shipping, so it was not hard to imagine that it is different from the Koueikiku I know. When I actually tried it, the unusual taste made me feel the "autumn" in sake. First of all, unlike the usual Koei Kiku, there was almost no gasiness. When poured into a glass, no bubbles appeared and the appearance was very calm. When drinking it, there is no gassy feeling, and while it does not have the usual freshness, it has a smooth texture and silky mouthfeel. Not only the texture but also the taste is mellow without any sharpness, and while the rich umami is felt as if it clings to the tongue, the acidity, astringency, and woody nuance like a barrel aroma typical of Koeihiku are still present, and I think I saw a new and different face of Koeihiku. I am suddenly looking forward to other brands of autumn sake.
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Senkinかぶとむし おりがらみ原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
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Hori
This is the last of the five Kabutomushi we caught this summer. The final bottle is a Mimasu Kabutomushi, a directly pumped oriki-barrel. Although we did not consider winterizing it, we opened the bottle believing that it will be released again next year. With this bottle, we have the luxury of drinking Kabutomushi every month from June to September. Even though it was every month, it had been more than a month and a half since I last drank it, so I was able to taste it again with a fresh mind. Kabutomushi is still delicious. It has a light taste with a sharp acidity. The low alcohol content of 14 degrees Celsius also helped to keep the cups flowing one after another. I rarely finish a four-pack in one day, but I did today. I heard that next year the sake will be made using the "ikuhashi" method, so the atmosphere of the sake will be a little different. It will take more time to make the sake, so I wonder if the production volume will drop. I am looking forward to and supporting Senkyoku's return to Edo, although I have some misgivings. First of all, I will be waiting with great anticipation for this year's snowball to be switched over to the sake brewing method.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good evening, Hori 😃. Yikes! 5 rhinoceros beetles is awesome 🤗 in sakewa season record 🤔. How will the Senkori change? Looking forward to it!
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Hori
Thank you for your comment, Jay & Nobby♪ I was driven by a mysterious sense of mission and found myself with 5 😅It was a happy miscalculation that we got a special order from Mimasu 😅In fact, I also bought an Akatombo that day, so the next fun thing is coming up soon!
Japanese>English
関東の華かんとうのはな 純米大吟醸 生酒純米大吟醸生酒
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Hori
This is the second of two bottles of Kantou no Hana (Kanto no Hana), Junmai Daiginjo, purchased at the direct sales store of Sei Shuzo where we stopped on our way back home. The label is the same as the first bottle of Junmai-Daiginjo-Active Sake, with three-dimensional foil-stamped letters on a raised surface. As the label on the back of the bottle says, this nama-zake seemed to be a limited edition for direct retailers. As soon as the bottle is uncorked, it has a sweet and fruity aroma. When poured into a glass, the color is pale yellow. As is typical of nama-shu, tiny air bubbles drifted in the air, giving the impression of freshness even visually. The aroma is a gorgeous ginjo aroma. From the aroma, I imagined a modern taste, but when I drank it, I was surprised to find that it also has a classical flavor. It has a strong umami flavor with a mild acidity, so it does not feel heavy. The classical sake character seems to come solely from the crisp alcohol taste. The bitterness and astringency are kept in check, and the lingering aftertaste is faint and fades away due to the clear flavor with little clutter that only a daiginjo can offer. Like the Junmai Ginjo Activated Sake, this Junmai Daiginjo is a sake with a wide range of characteristics. It was a bottle that made me suddenly interested in other sake made by Seishuzo.
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関東の華かんとうのはな 純米吟醸 活性酒純米吟醸生酒にごり酒
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Hori
This is the first of two bottles of Kanto-no-Hana (Kanto no Hana) that I purchased at the direct sales store of Sei Shuzo when I went back to my hometown Gunma in the summer. In Tokyo, you often see Sei and HIZIRIZM as Sei Shuzo's sake, but this Kanto-no-Hana was the first bottle for me. The label features foil-embossed letters on a raised surface. Following the bottle-opening warning tag, I chilled it well and opened it slowly without any spurting. After stirring the lees and pouring it into a glass, bubbles gradually appeared on the inner surface of the glass. The aroma is mild, but when you drink it, you can taste the strong umami and acidity. It has a gaseous and fresh mouthfeel. It also has some classical sake nuances. It can be enjoyed on its own, but it also has a wide range of acceptability as a food sake that can be matched to both Japanese and Western occasions. This is the third sake from Gunma, following Sakiyami and Oze no Yukidoke. There are many other sake that I would like to try, such as Ryuki, Machida Shuzo, and Tsuchida. I will continue to enjoy sake from my hometown little by little.
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夏どぶろっく夏どぶろっくにごり酒
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Hori
This is my second bottle of summer dobrok. I liked it when I first drank it a month ago, and it is one of the two bottles I managed to get after searching around for it. Natsu Doburokku is undeniably a summer sake, but for me it is an active nigori "sake" that I can get even in "summer". I am too thankful that this type of active nigori sake, which I thought could only be drunk in winter, is also available in summer and fall. Again, it took about five minutes of opening and closing the cork while staring at the bubbles rising up. I wanted to drink it as soon as possible, but at the same time, I was enjoying it as if it were a kind of ritual. Pouring it into the glass with the sparkling carbonation, I was struck by the sweet and complex aroma that only an activated nigori sake can have. The carbonation bubbles, which are clearly perceptible when drinking, are refreshing and create an overall dry impression. The sweetness is moderate compared to the aroma, and the strong bitterness gives it a nice sharpness. Today I paired it with Akagi beef steak from my hometown in Gunma. The sirloin was seasoned with only salt and pepper, but the carbonation, acidity, and sharpness of the wine made it easy to handle even the fatty meat. I am happy to say that I have another bottle of this in the fridge, so I can enjoy it again before the new nigori sake season. For me, the significance of Natsu Doburokku is great.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good morning, Hori 😃. You're hooked 🤗It goes well with steak 🥩😋. It's good to have another bottle and enjoy it as a winter dobrok🎸👍.
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Hori
Thank you Jay & Nobby for your comments... I got hooked on Doburokku😊Winter Doburokku is good! It's nice to drink it side by side with a snowman. ⛄️ I heard that the snowman will become a fresh sake this season, so I'm looking forward to it now. ⛄️
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Koeigikuサンバースト原酒生酒無濾過
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Hori
KANKiku has been going on for a while, but it has been a while since we have had Koei Kiku. We opened a bottle of Sunburst, a summer sake. It is already mid-September, but the lingering summer heat continues, so there are still many days when I am thankful for summer sake. I opened the bottle with trepidation because of my experience with a blown cork in Snow Crescent, but it opened without any outbursts. It looks mature without any noticeable fizz or ooze when poured into a glass, but the top aroma is very distinctive. For some reason, the aroma reminded me of whiskey, and combined with the sour citrusy aroma, it had an atmosphere reminiscent of a whiskey highball with a squeeze of lemon. When drunk, it also has a woody, oaky aroma that is typical of Koei Chrysanthemum, giving it a more whiskey-like feel. The taste is more acidic than one might expect. In terms of acidity alone, it is similar to Senkou's Kabutomushi, but in contrast to the light-bodied Kabutomushi, Sunburst has a solid sense of body. We had it with lemon-infused carpaccio in anticipation of its strong acidity, which was a great decision. The acidity of the lemon juice was not overpowered by the acidity of the lemon juice, but rather seemed to harmonize well with it. Next year, I would like to drink it with ice in the middle of summer.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good morning, Hori 😃! It's true that Hori chrysanthemum is scary to open when you experience snocre opening 😅Ate with acid burst💥 and lemon🍋! I'll refer to it next time 🤗
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Hori
Thanks for your comment, Jay & Nobby 😊. It was a no-brainer pairing of sour with sour, but they worked harmoniously without fighting 🍋.
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Fusano KankikuDiscovery series -Blue sapphire 2024-純米大吟醸原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
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Hori
This is the last one in the Discovery Series of Sohno-Kangiku. The big one is Blue Sapphire, which we were looking forward to the most. The rice used for this sake is Gohyakumangoku and Yamadanishiki in an 8:2 ratio. It is a Junmai Daiginjo made by polishing 50% of each rice, and is the same light nigori unfiltered raw sake in the series. My tasting comparison of Identity and Adapt was suspect, but I could feel that Blue Sapphire was different from the other three. As I learned to drink sake in Niigata, Gohyakumangoku is like a taste of my hometown, and perhaps my tongue remembers it. Like the other three bottles, it has a sweet and juicy taste typical of Kangiku, but with a crispness that goes right to the core. The taste has a sparkling nuance just like a sapphire, with the delicate and light shimmer of Gohyakumangoku hidden in the full flavor of Yamadanishiki. A coexistence of sweet and juicy flavor and light, refreshing taste. I have had almost all of Kangiku's sakes since the beginning of the year, and this was one that I felt was at the top level of deliciousness. I have about 1 gou of each of the four Discovery Series sakes I have had so far, so I will try to compare the four sakes side by side at the end of the year.
Japanese>English
Fusano KankikuDiscovery series -Adapt 2024-純米大吟醸原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
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Hori
The third rice in Kangiku's Discovery Series is Adapt by Fusa Kogane. Like New Sensation's Koshihikari, Fusakogane is edible rice, but while New Sensation's rice was milled to 90%, Adapt is milled to 50%. The theme of this bottle is to brush up brewing techniques to adapt to sake rice, which is becoming more and more difficult to handle every year due to climate change and other factors. To be honest, I couldn't tell the difference between the identity and the one I had before just by taking a sip. Both are sweet, tasty, fresh, juicy, and full of Kangiku-like flavor. I could see the difference only after comparing them side by side, and I am sure it is the difference in taste of the rice used to make them. Unfortunately, I do not have the expressive ability to explain it precisely. Roughly speaking, Identity has a sweeter, fuller flavor. Adapted is more acidic and lighter than Identity. This is only a comparison, and the differences are slight. Even though they are brewed to the same specifications, the ability to "adapt" a sake made from edible rice to a sake made from rice suitable for sake brewing is impressive.
Japanese>English
Fusano KankikuDiscovery series -Identity 2024-純米大吟醸原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
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Hori
Following Koshihikari's New Sensation (NS), we opened a bottle of Discovery's Identity (ID). The rice used for the ID is Chiba Prefecture-grown So-no-Mai, the same rice used for the Silver Lining we drank in July. To recap, So-no-Mai is a Chiba-born variety produced from a cross between Hakumyo-Nishiki, a rice suitable for sake brewing, and Chubu-72, a rice called Chubu-72. HIROMYOSHI-NISHIKI has OMACHI as its ancestor, and CHUBU 72 has KOSHIHIKARI as its ancestor, so it is like a thoroughbred in the sake rice world. It is a light nigori unfiltered unpasteurized sake common to the Discovery series and looks exactly the same as the NS. The taste is "the Kangiku". It is fresh, sweet, juicy, and has the unique nuance of Kangiku. The bitterness in the aftertaste is also very typical of Kangiku, and it even gives a sense of relief. The manufacturer named it Identity, meaning "proof of existence," and I felt the message that this is the very heart of Kangiku's sake. I have some of the NS left over and would like to compare them at a later date.
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ジェイ&ノビィ
Good morning, Hori 😃! Congratulations on your 100 check-in ㊗️ in the middle of the Kangiku DISCOVERY drinking contest 🎉Let's keep drinking and having fun 👋
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Hori
Thanks for your comments, Jay & Nobby 😊. You were over 100 check-ins! Thanks for noticing ⭐️ We hope you enjoy it and take care of your liver 🍶.
Japanese>English
Fusano KankikuDiscovery series -New sensation 2024-純米原酒生酒無濾過おりがらみ
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Hori
New Sensation is part of Kangiku Meikozo's Discovery Series. This is one of the series of light nigori unfiltered unpasteurized sake brewed entirely from rice grown in Chiba Prefecture and brewed with Koshihikari rice. The reason for using Koshihikari rice, which is a representative of edible rice, at a milling ratio of 90%, which is equivalent to that of edible rice, seems to have come from the exploratory spirit of trying to make a delicious sake from rice that is eaten. The series itself seems to be a challenging sake that aims for challenge and discovery, so consumers can expect new encounters as well. Of the four types in the series, I was most eager to try the Koshihikari version. I have always been interested in why rice is suitable for sake brewing, and I thought that learning about sake made from edible rice would be a shortcut to learning about sake made from rice suitable for sake brewing. Koshihikari sake has a strong umami flavor from the low rice polishing, and yet it is light on the palate, with a light, gaseous feel that makes it easy to drink. It seems to be easy to pair with meals, perhaps a preconceived notion based on the fact that it is made from edible rice. It must be no small feat to make such a delicious sake from Koshihikari rice, but the above question has been taken back to the drawing board.
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Hori
Suzuhiro Kamaboko no Sato is directly connected to Kazamatsuri station at the foot of Hakone. Centered around the main Suzuhiro Kamaboko store, it is a key tourist spot with restaurants, cafes, a museum, and souvenir shops operated by Suzuhiro. It can be easily understood as the Odawara relay station for the Hakone Ekiden (relay race). It was at one of these souvenir shops that I first encountered "Umi to Daichi" at a kamaboko bar, where you can compare kamaboko. I had only known light and dry sake when I learned to drink sake in Niigata about 10 years ago. The fish scraps from making kamaboko. Suzuhiro makes fish fertilizer "Umikara Daichi" from them and provides it to local farmers, thereby developing a recycling-oriented business. One of the crops, Odawara-grown Kinuhikari rice, is used to brew "Umi to Daichi" by Ashigara-based Inoue Sake Brewery as a private label product of Suzuhiro Kamaboko. It is a dry type with a strong umami flavor that goes well with fish, perhaps due to preconceived notions. It is especially great with fish cakes, and I am convinced that there is no better sake for ita-wasa. Personally, I like to pair it with Suzuhiro's slightly better fish cakes and extra virgin olive oil, Sea and Earth.
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