寒北斗酒造 純米大吟醸 吟遊 雫

釀造元：寒北斗酒造
杜氏：大坪賢一
出荷日：２０１６／１１
品飲日：２０１７／４

楔子：
創業於西元１７２９年的寒北斗酒造，地處福岡縣嘉麻市，初代矢野甚五平以「玉の井酒造」為名，延續至今，約莫在三十年前（１９８４），販售其酒的一些酒販店，希望酒造能夠造出代表福岡の銘酒，這樣的一個新挑戰，讓酒造開始思考以搭配地元的一切，來釀造酒款，諸如以地元栽種的米、釀出來搭配當地飲食的酒款、甚至擴及當地信仰的思路……等等，而最終以當地信仰北斗星的「北斗宮」為名，開始了「寒北斗」此一銘柄，而酒蓋上，皆印有北斗七星。

自１９８５年發售第一款「寒北斗　本釀造　生酒」之後，直到２０１１年，酒造名字方才改為寒北斗酒造。

心得：

略帶檸檬與柑橘類的香氣，以及十分純粹的水味，隱藏在其下的則是典型的協會九號酵母果香味，

酒體辛口但質地滑潤，口感有層次，刺激的酒體之下，隱含淡雅與米味回甘，表現細緻卻較難覺察，酸度自中段始綻放，連貫到尾韻轉化成澀調，稍嫌略強而深長，單飲尚可，倒是搭片高純度的巧克力，可可的苦味，與酒體澀調琴瑟和鳴，相得益彰，甚是推薦。

適飲溫度以不超過十五度為佳，

酒精感的上昇會影響上立香以及口感的平衡。

約莫三小時的醒酒，口感更趨圓滑，五韻的平衡頗佳，末段的澀味亦與酸度巧妙結合而顯溫潤而挑逗。

後記：

其頂款表現亦具水準，雖不至可圈可點，也一顯了釀造實力，

再來，應當一試其吟釀、本釀造酒，與料理搭配，與もつ鍋、水炊き，料是相性十足。

餐酒會 ２０１７／４

四月初，與以前一同工作的好友們一道吃了頓飯，席間三支酒一起同樂，算找個理由慶祝，事已非、人依舊的友情歲月。

簡單表述飲記如下：

秀鳳　無濾過雄町　生酒
出荷日：２０１７／２

以瓜香類為主體，混雜稻米的氣味，此為雄町米的一個特徵，米香味濃。
入口酒體刺激明顯，酸度調和適當，單飲稍嫌略重而變化單調，但搭餐卻是表現地十分良好，入喉後偏甜，較易膩，大抵過場一至二杯之間，是很勻稱的酒款。


悅凱陣　赤磐雄町　生酒
出荷日：２０１７／２
杜氏：丸尾忠興（藏元杜氏）

以蘋果類的香氣為主，混雜更為濃郁的米香氣。
 酒體剛烈，酒質亦同，酸度的表現稍弱些，使得入口至中段之間，澀味突出較強，影響平衡，若是搭餐，建議在烤物之後再行，但末了尾韻的米香氣，十足貼合米香味濃的餘韻。


醴泉正宗
出荷日：２０１６／１２

循依藏元建議，解開瓶栓後，再蓋上，置於冰桶內三十分鐘後，以去掉其艱澀味。
 一小時後，香氣確有轉化，漸帶出瓜果類的清新與甜潤，開始斟入杯中，入口清澈，酒質乾淨，唯轉折間的變化仍細緻不足，而略顯生硬，然而暇不掩瑜，其口感的滑順、含在口中的韻味四溢，香氣繚繞口腔，尾韻簡截有力，整體仍是水準之上佳作，以飲酒的過程而言，起承轉合至終了，串出一場好戲。

照過往品飲經驗，可再醒上數小時，靜待其逐漸圓融，而觀其自開栓至今的變化過程，確有此能力無虞，下回若再開醴泉正宗，基本醒酒時間得抓三至五小時以上。
 

International Kikisake-Shi Certified

In the past three months, I spent some time on international Kikisake-shi certification, and got the official certification letter and badge a few days ago.

I would like to give a little brief and summarize experience about it.
In Taiwan, there is official Sake Service Institute seminar held in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. However, there were some limitations : 1. you need to complete sake navigator before taking Kikisake-Shi seminar. 2. time and period were limited.

Since one of my best friend already took Japanese correspondence course two years ago. Therefore, I took the correspondence course which could only choose either English or Japanese for oversea certification for flexibility.

To introduce sake to world, I believe English which is going to be better language for market opening. On the other hand, Japanese is also necessary for research more into this field owing to sake just from Japan! Unfortunately, my Japanese is still under learning.

The upper level of Kikisake-Shi which are Sake-Takumi, and Nihonshu-gaku kōshi, and can only be took certification in Japanese.

If you drunk sake for several years, this certification wouldn't be big problem for you, and it could help you systematically classify sake which was really useful.

If you were junior sake lover, I would suggest you start from sake navigator since you could find good peer during the class.

Because I already have my own group in drinking sake, share and leverage drinking experience was extremely important, and guide you to look for your own taste way.

You are very welcome to contact me, if you come to Taiwan, and want to explore the beautiful and awesome sake tasting experience.