The Five Greatest Sake You Must Drink in Lifetime

Dears,
Since favorite taste and performance are different of everybody, there are also several other factors such as experience, age, drinking habits and so on..., which affect your sense.

However, based on personal perspective in past years in drinking sake until now, I would like to suggest following Five Greatest Sake which you must drink in lifetime.

 

The summary of those five greatest sake are as below, and detail reasons will be given later.

1. Daishichi, Myouka Rangyoku Grand Cuvée

2. Isojiman, Junmai Daiginjo Nakadori 35, and Adagio

3. Juyondai, Ryusen and Ryugetsu

4. Kakunkou, Kakunkou Vintage

5. Tatsuriki, Akitsu Arabashiri Namazake

     Kokuryu, Nizaemon and Ishitaya

     Noguchi, Taiyo

1. Daishichi Myouka Rangyoku Grand Cuvée

Brewery : Daishichi Sake Brewery

Prefecture : Fukushima, Japan

Special : Cheers sake in group of eight in 2008 for the first ladies at Hokkaido

Daishichi is the first and the only one sake brewery to phase in concept like master blended Whisky. The Myouka Rangyoku Grand Cuvée is the blended sake over twenty years of plural Myouka Rangyoku which is supreme grade Junmai Daiginjo of the brewery. In addition, vintage are also important part of this greatest sake since the vintage can polish the sharpness, balance the overall taste, and enhance Umami.

The generation of Myouka Rangyoku Grand Cuvée are going to fourth since the first version was released in 2007 and chosen for cheers of group of eight meeting at Hokkaido in 2008.

The total quantities of each generation are 732, 1011, 13xx, and 1701 with divided into three years for release.

However, it is hard to handle the sake. The most difficult part is decant. The aroma and taste has limited golden interaction within two to three hours if you decant well. On the other hand, it will only be a good sake instead of reaching greatest if decant failure.

Through personal drinking experience more than ten bottles of Myouka Rangyoku Grand Cuvée, there are only twice in excellent condition which aroma, taste, and body balance are under awesome interaction.

The fragrance performances extremely complicated with plants such as lily, grass, mushroom and minerals on the very top parts, followed by fruity aroma like apple, banana, pears, yogurt, and lactic acid in middle level. The very bottom one comes with rice incense, a little bit attractive alcohol and rice koji smell due to vintage.

 

Taste and flavors are sophisticated as well.

Body is strong, vitality, and balance between sweetness, bitterness, sour, dry and astringency.

Served well through cold to room temperature (5 - 25 degree Celsius)

Impeccable food pairing both with Western and Asian food from appetizer to main course excluding dessert owing to its kimoto.

In order to completely demonstrate its fragrance, Riedel Burgundy Grand Cru glass is good selection.

I would like to put it in 1st position in must drink sake in lifetime.

2. Isojiman Nakadori 35 and Adagio

Brewery : Isojiman Brewery

Prefecture : Shizuoka, Japan

Special : Cheers Sake in group of eight in 2008 at Hokkaido

Breweries in Shizuoka produce several good sake historically, and Isojiman is one of the best of them.

The Junmai Daiginjo Nakadori 35 is the topest one sake from the brewery, released first version in 1996, limited around a thousand 720ml bottles and released in December only each year. Adagio is a three years vintage version of the Nakadori 35, and quantities are more rare.

According to sake pressing method, which can be divided into three parts as following :

1. Arabashiri which is the initial liquid naturally flow of the sake contains the most attractive fragrance and rounded taste.

2. Nakadori and Nakagumi which means the middle part of the sake during pressing have the most clear and pure liquor without miscellaneous taste.

3. Seme is the last part of the sake during pressing, and all the strong flavor are concentrated in this final portion; however, the aroma will be less.

Fragrance and flavor of Isojiman Nakadori 35 are the easiest sake close to sake lover. 

Without decant, self-vintage, and any confuse, drinker can easily enjoy the Isojiman Nakadori 35 anytime, since it's already well brewed to your table. In addition, Isojiman brewery also recommends best decant method for their consumer. You just open the bottle cap, lock it back, put into refrigerator, waiting ninety minutes, and you are done! Actually, eventhough without this procedure, the Nakadori 35 are still full of charming originally.

Aroma are full of southeast Asia tropical fruit attractive smell, in addition to classical banana, apple, pears due to Shuzo kotekimai, Yamada Nishiki, more complex fruity fragrance including lemon,

peach, grape, and guava. A little bit sweetness like Wasanbon-Sugar teases your senses and distributes fascination which create a powerful imagination before drinking.

As your desire, flavor and taste undoubtedly reach balance between essential factors of Japanese Sake, including sweetness, acidity, bitterness, and full body. The tail is memorable which smoothly touch the tongue and leave little bit stimulation without strong savor. 

3. Juyondai Ryusen, Ryugetsu

Brewery : Takagi Shuzo

Prefecture : Yamagata, Japan

Special : Leading the trend of master brewer, Toji, and brewery owner as the same person

Juyondai is the most famous sake brewery in recent twenty years, since the fifteenth generation brewery owner, Mr. Takagi Ken Osamu, took the responsibility as master brewer, Toji, in 1994. 

After that, Juyondai raised as comet, and lighting as Sun until now in global market. Their sake have very stable quality from entry level to premium ones. Ryusen is one of the most expensive sake in the market though its origin price is still fair which already ten to fifteen times higher as market price.

Excluding the price issue, the quality and taste of Ryusen and the second premium sake, Ryugetsu, are excellent enough to be put into the sake you must drink in lifetime. Not only because of its famous, but the start of a new generation of sake.

4. Kakunkou Vintage

Brewery : Sudo Honke

Prefecture : Ibaraki, Japan

Special : The oldest existing sake brewery in Japan with over 800 years history

Current owner is the 55th generation of the family and inherited the name, Sudo Gen Uemon.

Sudo Honke is the one of most earlier pioneer reaching global sake market in Japan. Their top grade sake, Kakunkou, are brewed as namazake which means without filtering and pasteurizing and keeps the most origin type of sake. Besides, their shipment to global market requires low temperature to maintain quality. 

 

Regular Kakunkou are released at least twice each year in March and November. Furthermore, Kakunkou vintage don't have regular released date and years. In the past there have been two to fifteen years vintage, and quantities were extremely limited in several tens bottles only. In addition, the most expensive sake ever shown in the Japan Rakuten online shop which is a million Japanese Yen of 1994 Kakunkou vintage.

All the Kakunkou are in namazake status and vintage by Sudo Honke itself to keep great quality.

On the other hand, they had co-operated with Riedel, a famous wine glass company, to demonstrate pairing between Kakunkou and Riedel Burgundy Grand Cru special edition as a historical brewery.

 

The Kakunkou vintage translate strong aroma as in regular ones into elegant fragrance which includes several light taste fruit such as apple, guava, grape, pear, and little bit lily smell. Taste smoothly flow on the tongue with rice and yogurt acidity. Cereals smell dance with bitter and rice koji, and finalized a little bit astringency which merges those refined flavor. Tails are memorable as well with rice and fruity body.

5. Tatsuriki Akitsu Arabashiri Namazake

    Kokuryu Nizaemon, Ishitaya

    Noguchi Taiyō

 

At fifth position, it's dilemma to determine which sake is more outstanding. Since there are several names come up, and compare them to former four great ones, excluding to the remaining three which have vintage potential based on their current conditions and outlook in the future.

Tatsuriki Akitsu Arabashiri Namazake is Junmai Daiginjo and brewed by Honda Shoten in Himeji, Hyogo prefecture, Japan. The special points of Honda Shoten all utilizes super premium Yamada Nishiki as rice materials since they are local close to farmers.

Akitsu is the top grade of Honda Shoten regular items, and its Arabashiri namazake version is limited in specific stores within limited time as well.

 

The origin sake body of Honda shoten is stronger above average; however, with shizuku (naturally drip collection of sake) method, and not specified years vintage which adorns its taste into balance within hardness and softness.

Kokuryu is famous owing to the dedication to Japanese Imperial family, and the favorite sake of the Imperial prince. Nizaemon and Ishitaya are the two parallel top sake of Kokuryu Shuzo which comes from their founder's name, Ishitaya Nizaemon. 

With shizuku and vintage body, the taste is really another aspect relative elegant of sake. Since it is released once per year in each December, Japanese treats it as precious gift for celebrating new year, and drives up its market price as two to three times to origin.

 

                                              

 

Mr. Noguchi Naohiko has a very respect and widely spread title, the god of Yamahai.

Yamahai and Kimoto are traditional sake yeast method, and the characteristic demonstrate unique acidity, strong body, and long tail sake.

Retired in 2015/3, over sixty five years in sake brew, Noguchi shuzo was the last brewery which he worked for the last year. The top three items are Taiyo (Sun), Getsu (Moon), and Hoshi (Star) which can be remembered as one of his peak work.

With Arabashiri namazake genshu type of Taiyo, its fragrance and taste just like running marathon which has long energy and potential for decant. The drinker can enjoy several stage transformation about body, fragrance, flavor, and tails through temperature and time-variant. 

Actually, I would like to raise Noguchi Taiyo position up, if it becomes yearly regular items. Unfortunately, there was only the sake manufactured and shipped before 2014/12 which were fully handled by Noguchi Toji himself before his retirement, and of course, is only suggested to acquire those ones. After that date, the sake were handled by other people who don't have as much skillful and concept like him.

 

To conclude above great sake ever, there are at least several concepts raised as below.

1. Junmai Daiginjo

2. Shizuku genshu

3. Vintage

Although 90% of sake are really recommended to drink due to fresh, the great sake combine time factor into its ingredient which make them unique and special ever.

 

Honda Shoten, Tatsuriki Junmai Daiginjo 20, Celebrate Yamada Nishiki 80th anniversary feat. Amaneya

Preface : 

2016 is 80th anniversary of Shuzo Kotekimai, Yamada Nishiki since 1936.

Therefore, fifth generation of Honda Shoten, Mr. Honda Ryusuke, rolls out this memorial activity including Junmai Daiginjo 20, Junmaishu 80, and Japanese confectionery made by Amaneya.

For the sake, 20 and 80 represents Seimaibuai respectively in Junmai Daiginjo and Junmaishu. Based on brewery's point of view, once the polishing rate of Yamada Nishiki gets more than 35%, there is no special taste difference. With personal perspective, I would like to agree this argument partially, since 35% polishing rate has most visibility in the annual Japanese sake competition in each May. However, there are more contributions than polishing rate over 35%, and I am going to discuss later in another article which is vintage.

In addition, there are some sake reaching polishing rate lower than 20% such as Tatenokawa with 18%, Raifu with 8%, and so on. Chocolates and cakes are also published by Korkuryu Shuzo, Sudohonke, and Dassai. This is commendable for Honda Ryusuke to have such market sense for change from traditional way. 

Experience :

Except classical Yamada Nishiki aroma including banana and pears, smells like apples, paddy, which is elegant, and full of complexity. There is no need to decant the sake, and enjoy it directly after opening bottle cap which is easier to deal with than formal Akitsu.

Taste is sharpness, each flavor performances well and sets off others for the excellent drama. Umami, acid, and the smell of rice go smoothly from 5 degree to room temperature. Without much alcohol over flow, the body is balance between each flavor, and the final rhyme seems strong just like traditional Tatsuriki style, but dress with more silk comforts. The only abrupt taste is the whole balance during middle stage. There comes a little bit sharpness of astringency and bitterness which interferes.

However, this kind of abrupt taste can be harmonized through vintage, and it's suggested to have taste year by year which distinct little difference.

Postscript :

Mr. Honda Ryusuke focus on Ryu Series originally, which includes red, black, and green dragon of Tatsuriki, and I would give normal evaluation of this series. However, he did a good job this time which presents a new items comparing to origin high-end product, Akitsu.

Although this 80th anniversary items is not going to be formal product, expectation to new generation of Honda Shoten will be possible and positive in the future! 

本田商店 龍力 純米大吟醸２０ 山田錦八十週年紀念酒 ｆｅａｔ. Ａｍａｎｅｙａ

楔子：
２０１６年是山田錦的八十週年紀念，因此龍力的本田龍祐專務，特別推出此一系列活動，計有此作，純米大吟釀２０、山田錦８０、以及與姬路市本地的菓子司，甘音屋，合作推出巧克力的活動。

在酒的方面，２０與８０分別代表精米步合，因而有純米跟純米大吟釀的兩種作品，依其觀點，因為山田錦的心白大，若精米步合低於３５％，在味道上並不會有太大的變化。就某些狀況而言，這句話其實說的不錯，至少從每年鑑評會的出品酒規格來看，３５％確是大宗。

放眼現今酒造，精米步合低於２０％雖不算多，卻也不是稀少；次之，推出甜點相關的商品，那黑龍酒造、須藤本家、旭酒造，亦都推出過巧克力或蛋糕一類甜點。然而此次本田商店推出此一系列作，個人十分讚賞其對市場的用心！

心得：
香氣除典型的山田錦系的香蕉、梨香味外，尚混雜著青蘋果、稻穀一類香氣，胭脂淡雅，具複雜度，與正規品的秋津相較之下不遑多讓！開栓即飲，無需醒酒，較秋津來得好處理些。

口感俐落，五味的展現各有所長，而相輔相成，於口中賦予十足的旨味、酸度、米香，精彩亮麗，自雪冷至室溫的香氣與口感表現皆均衡，未有過份的酒精味溢出，亦十分順口入喉，尾韻帶有龍力一貫的濃烈卻在末段如絲綢般輕撫，餘韻適中，稍嫌不足之處大抵只有整體的平衡，但以酒體判斷，可藉由熟成來使其更趨圓潤，建議酒友可入手數支而逐年品飲箇中差異。

後記：

本田龍佑專務的主力原是在龍力的龍系列，計有赤龍、黑龍、青龍，等等。

 不諱言，筆者原本對龍系列持中規中矩的評價，然而經歷今年的此作之後，對於未來的本田龍祐專務，又更多了幾分期待！

原因自在於，新一代的接班人，要在一間已很有口碑與實力的酒造裡，推出創新的作品，其來自於內部的阻力可想而知，以這支作品的調性，幾乎能夠達到與現行的高階品，秋津，比擬的地步。

雖說此八十週年紀念不會是常規品項，但拭目未來的可能性， 年輕一代的龍力五代目，是值得期待的。

 

淺談～山田錦的風土與歷史

序：
山田錦仍是目前的酒造好適米當中使用量最大，幾乎九成五以上的酒造，除了地元本身的酒造好適米釀造的作品外，也會有以山田錦為作品的特定名稱酒，本文主要想討論予諸位酒友一個與山田錦酒米有關的品飲方向，或許能夠在日常的品飲之外，能夠引起對酒米、風土的興趣。

源：
對日本酒有一定程度接觸的朋友，應該會知道，山田錦在日本的許多縣都有種植，因此才造就了酒米之王的稱呼，但唯有在兵庫縣種植的山田錦，會被特別標示，或者是播州，也是古日本時的兵庫縣南西舊稱。而特Ａ山田錦，更只有兵庫縣的三木市跟加東市一帶所產出的，才能夠稱之。

縱觀山田錦種植所需要的幾個條件：
日夜溫差大於10度以上，
鎂和磷含量豐富的礦物質黏性土壤、
標高50～150M的山麓谷間、排水良好。

大抵是如下圖，神戶市的六甲山地北部丘陵、三木市東北部的吉川町、加東市的東条町、社町，西脇市的西脇與黑田庄町。

有一個打趣的問題，酒造好適米的種類許多，為何只有山田錦還分特Ａ地區呢？其它的五百万石、雄町、美山錦、八反錦呢？

都只有特定縣別在生產，並不像山田錦，僅管地域的特性不見得適合種植它，但各地的耕者們仍會試著去克服栽種上的困難，以其能夠種出地元本身的山田錦。

比賽：
除了每年定番的全國新酒鑑評會之外，其它的如ＳＡＫＥ　ＣＯＭＰＥＴＩＴＩＯＮ，ＩＷＣ的ＳＡＫＥ，其實在吟釀酒與大吟釀酒系，也多是山田錦的作品掄元為主，雖或多或少逐漸有其它如雄町、出羽燦燦等等的酒造好適米獲賞，但可以說以山田錦釀造出來的作品，是符合能滿足普羅大眾舌頭的作品，無論在香氣以及口感的平衡上，是能輕易達到取悅人的酒米。

風土：
特Ａ山田錦的風土釀造作品，屬幾間酒造有特定的差異，最著名的自是龍力，只以特Ａ山田錦釀酒，地域上分為秋津、上三草、吉川。以及磯自慢每年在七、九、十一月出荷的西戶，古家，常田，以及三者調合的Ｍ，乃更細分入了秋津地區的地塊別。而今在２０１６年亦有東条與吉川山田錦的作品比較。九平次則是有黑田庄自家栽培米的作品推出。

然而以日本酒而言，風土的概念其實不若葡萄酒那般來得強烈，更甚者在於酒造的釀造理念以及杜氏的釀造手法，在口感上帶來的差異性，會有更大的不同，因此，筆者以為，去比較不同酒造相同產區的山田錦，其實之間的差異很難說風土是結果的主因；相反地，應該去比較同一酒造的不同山田錦地域作品，才能試出箇中變化。

甚早推出這個概念的是磯自慢。
其中變化甚是細微，在盲飲的狀態下，也很難細分三者差異。
除此之外，筆者最想試的即是龍力。其在特Ａ地區有許多不同區塊的作品如吉川米田、上三草、秋津與釀造手法的限定款如吉川米田40-50，YK40-50等等，在挑戰飲者本身對風土的味蕾上，甚是有趣。

此外，幾乎半數以上酒造，都會出地元取向的山田錦以及特Ａ山田錦的作品，在此亦建議有興趣的酒友可以一試，舉松瀨酒造的松の司為例，一般的純米大吟釀作品會使用地元竜王町產的山田錦，但較高階的作品如大吟釀純米 黑，就使用了東条山田錦。

村米制度：
儘管兵庫山田錦的產量是全日本最大的，然市場上的需求仍大於供給，
因應而生了如下的模式：
１.契約栽培
２.酒造協同組合統一採購分配

其中，第一種的契約栽培，即是由村米制度演變而來。除了酒造對於高品質原料米的要求外，尚有一些歷史背景，可追溯至明治時期，某些酒造希望在原料米的品質上更為精進，因此與農家訂定契約，採取某些實驗性質的栽種方式來改進米的品質，而酒造就約定好以定量及定價的方式全面收購這些米，以期能達到更高品質的原料米，同時保護農家的利潤。而至現代，即有部份酒造，直接向生產者購買定價定量的特Ａ山田錦，以保護高品質原料米的來源。菊姬、龍力、菊正宗、劍菱等等許多酒造，都是有自己的契約田來生產與確保所需的山田錦數量。

其二，由酒造協同組合統一分配，即是各酒造提出今年所需的山田錦數量，而生產者所產出的山田錦，就交給ＪＡ全農業，由ＪＡ全農對酒造協同組合這樣的組織對組織模式，來確保大家都能獲得一定數量的兵庫山田錦，而不是直接跟生產者包量買斷的模式進行。像獺祭的旭酒造，便曾在過去幾年呼喊過，所獲得的山田錦數量不足，因而限制了其熱門商品二割三分的銷售。


寫在山田錦風土研究品飲練習之前，期許自己能夠再對日本酒有更深的瞭解，
若內容有誤，請恕筆者見識不足，還望諸位酒友協助堪誤、指正、與討論。



參考資料：
兵庫県酒米振興会，山田錦の栽培等に関するあれこれ
Wikipedia，山田錦
酒文化研究所，NEWS Letter 2014/1/25
菊姬官方網頁，村米制度のおこり

かネタ玉田酒造店 純米大吟釀 華一風

釀造元：かネタ玉田酒造店
杜氏：玉田宏造
出荷日：２０１６／７
品飲日：２０１６／１０

楔子：
創業於１６８５年的玉田酒造，現在傳至九代目的玉田陽造，杜氏即是其子。
初代的玉田善兵衛，乃是津輕藩的藩士，開始釀酒也是當時藩主的命令之下，成立的御用酒屋。

玉田陽造社長的祖父，秀造，本是玉田家的分家，方其時分家的屋号為かネタ，亦從事酒屋相關事業。因為本家在昭和３６年廢業，因此當秀造繼承酒造相關事業時，將かネタ與原本的玉田酒造店合一，成為現在的名字。

酒造位於青森縣的弘前市，年產量小於４００石，是地區型的小酒造，然現任社長父子，具是東京農業大學畢業的一脈，主要採用青森縣當地的酒造好適米為主，華想い、華吹雪。

心得：
繁華似錦逝如風

開栓略帶檸檬，柑橘，以及水梨香氣，入口些許酸澀，酒體清爽，在舌翼兩側明顯有水果類的酸調，迥異於生酛系，或是山田錦系的方式，亦是整體最為出色之處，可以單飲，也可搭些白肉類料理或輕食，相信酒體在口感的平衡上不會有太大問題，尾韻消散頗快，適飲約可在接近二十度，升起的是較重的米味，而非酒精感。

次日，酒體結構仍屬完整，在酸度與澀調的平衡頗佳，算是不錯的小品，幾無負擔，華想い這種酒米喝得不多，以這支酒的特性上而言，表現著實異於山田錦，且在口感上確實有做出差異，在喝膩山田錦之後，可以是另一個好選擇。兼且開瓶後的一週間，表現尚屬穩定，約略在苦味與澀調的呈現上，逐漸地加重一些。

後記： 
華一風系列酒款不多，除卻純米大吟釀外，就剩下特別純米的系列作，分為生酒、火入、槽直取、新酒低壓…等等一些在取酒時手法差異的變異款，但因著量少的緣故，倒也不是那麼好入手，大概在新酒出荷的時節較無問題，希望日後能再有緣一試其特別純米的品項！