Nihonshu
Gikyo
'Yorokobi' Junmai Daiginjo Sake
I was blown away by this. Typifies "power without weight", which is a prerequisite for greatness in my books. Many thanks to SC for sharing this - a new saké brewery for me and definitely one I'd be looking out for.
Without further ado, SC's notes:
This nihonshu is made from a blend of multiple aged nakagumi junmai daiginjo (40% polishing) that has been aged for 3 years in the brewery and 2 additional years of home ageing.
In the context of Gikyo, this is anomalously poised, refined and subdued in nature. Delicate and extremely well defined as if you could pick out the thread of each scent one by one — Rice, lemongrass, petrichor, mineral, fennel and elderflowers. A bit warmth emanated from the high abv, but very well judged. The tension and persistence here are just incredible, especially for such a delicate nihonshu, not to mention, it has loads of potential to excel even further. — 2 years ago
Tatenokawa
Phoenix Junmai Daiginjo Sake
It isn't everyday that celebrity endorsement yields something this good. My first Tatenokawa and gosh... this has really gotten me interested in the brewery. Supposedly a "playful" junmai daiginjo for them, but it's really pulling off some intense complexity here. I can only imagine what their more serious bottlings entail. Damn!
Melon, fresh herbs, citrus, white flowers, yeasty notes, pebbly minerality, textured, somewhat sappy, delicate sweetness, refreshing acidity, long finish. Really elegant nihonshu here. Cool booze. Also glad that one of my favourite band's got great taste ❤️ — 6 years ago
Spacia X
Nikko Ji
Nikko Ji nihonshu. Katayama Honke brewery, Tochigi Prefecture. Special label for purchase on the Spacia X limited express train between Tokyo and Nikko. 100ml bottle. — 4 months ago
Tengumai
50 Yamadanishiki Junmai Daiginjo Sake
Quite muted at the start, with an accentuated soya sauce and overripe banana characters. The alcohol was also noticeable. I think it was probably served too cold and also needed some aeration because the saké really took a turn for the better in the last third of the bottle.
Quite a fine nihonshu. Nice balance of fruit (pear, apple, banana), umami (soy), and acidity. I think it may be style of the brewery, but it definitely has this light aldehedic notes (hazelnut, almond). There's an intriguing herbaceous undertone, that I think wasn't given a chance to develop. Finish felt short. Good texture once it opened up (white phenolic, sappy).
To be frank, I much prefer their more extreme Yamahai. Not a big fan of it either, but I don't particularly fancy the sort of "half-way" oxidative notes here. Seems distracting here, treading on un-balanced. Again, nit-picking.
NB: Could well be a faulty bottle, but notes online seems to indicate otherwise. The colour was impeccable (so bright and clear). I think it's just a preference thing. — 5 years ago
Aramasa Brewery
Ecru Sake 2019
Like the 2018 Ecru, this was pure, deep, and playful. Bouquet of melon, apricot, florals, almond, and a faint pineapple note. Bright acidity and a light petillance in the mouth. Taking a leaf out of Aramasa's own book: there's a real glacial quality to how this drinks, accentuated by the mineral feel and weighty texture. Honestly, it's evocative of the great rieslings of Grünhaus - cramming so much flavour within such "lightness". Mind-blowing when you find out that this is Aramasa's entry level nihonshu. — 2 years ago
Tengumai
Yamahai-Jikomi Junmai-Shu
The Vin Jaune of nihonshu! All that nuts and soya sauce characters on the nose. Full flavoured and weighty on the palate. Savoury, spicy, creamy, buttery, with a citrusy touch. Love the sort of white phenolics in finish. Lots of drive with a round acidity. Admirable finish. First time trying this style of saké. Admittedly, I'm not 100% sold on it yet, but it is tasty and a must-try when diving into this beverage. — 5 years ago
David C
Clean and crisp, moderately sweet, great with yakitori and fried food. — 3 months ago