Four bottles of sake
Sep 7th, 2008 by Q
One of the problems that I have with writing about nihonshu is that I want to do it right after tasting a few different types, which usually makes my mind too foggy for clear prose. Tonight I tasted and compared the four bottles pictured above. All of them are from the Tohoku (Northeastern) region of Japan. From left to right they are Asabiraki (daiginjo), Jikuu (junmai ginjo), Daichi no Ikken (tokubetsu honjozo), and Uragasumi (tokubetsu junmai). The first three are all from Iwate’s "Nanbu Toji" group of brewmasters, while Urakasumi is from Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. I should note that while I write this I continue to sip the Daichi no Ikken, so perhaps that is my favorite of the bunch.
Asabiraki is a well-known brand of nihonshu in Iwate, and the closest among the group to a "standard" sake. It apparently won the Monde Selection gold medal four years in a row from 1998 to 2001. It’s of the tanrei karakuchi variety (dry and crisp), makes a strong impression on the first sip.
Jikuu has long been a favorite of mine. This was the first "jizake" or regional variety of nihonshu that I came to love. (Jizake is usually only available near the area where it is made, which differentiates it with more standard brands, which while of course have their own region or locality, are so popular that they are available nationwide.) Jikuu’s 50% senmaibuai is the legal level for a daiginjo. The flavor is rich, not quite sweet, but not all that dry either. It’s not my absolute favorite anymore, but I still love it.
Daichi no Ikken is made by Sakuragao, the same toji (brewmaster) that makes Jikuu. I’ve actually tried about five different sakes made by Sakuragao, and liked all but one. (Luckily, the one that I didn’t like, Kurabito no Yume, is a limited edition anyway.) Daichi no Ikken is surprisingly good for how cheap it is. At 980 yen for a 720ml bottle, you wouldn’t expect to get such a smooth sake with a 50% senmaibuai, no less. Of course the senmaibuai is about the only technical detail I know about Daichi no Ikken. Neither the box nor bottle mention even the type of rice used. Still, it keeps you reaching for another sip. (This was also my wife’s favorite of the four.)
Uragasumi, the little bottle on the right from Sendai, was sprung on me by my father-in-law. I was very upset one afternoon last week after discovering a work-related loss of a large sum, and my father-in-law suddenly appeared with the Uragasumi tokubetsu junmai in hand. I couldn’t help but be cheered up a bit, flattered that he had gone to the trouble of driving to the store just to get it for me. (I later discovered he had actually made the liquor run because he ran out of whiskey, and the nihonshu for me was an afterthought. Still a nice gesture though.) Uragasumi surprised me with it’s rich flavor. A moment after the initial sip I felt a sort of blossoming fizzly-effect in mouth. I have been trying to find the right words for it, but the best I can do is describe it as the sort of fireworks that appears bright at first and then sizzles with thousands of sparks around multiple centers. It must be something to do with the fermentation, and it’s very pleasant. This was most pronounced when it was freshest, however. I left about 100ml in the bottle for the following day, and it had already lost some of its charm then. Uragasumi is rich in "umami" and must have high amino acidity.
I’ve started reading a Japanese book on nihonshu, (日本酒ことば入門) by Shinoda Jiro. He starts by introducing himself as a amateur fan of nihonshu with no professionals status. His expertise comes from organizing a nihonshu drinking group that has been meeting monthly for the last 30 years. In the forward Shinoda states that it’s all about enjoying sake with good friends and good conversation and that it’s better not to have a professional nihonshu connoisseur around, as discussions of production techniques and technicalities can be antithetical to lively discussion.
Tasting a few different types of nihonshu once a month would indeed be a good excuse to get some friends together to drink…