Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Junmai

Our One Koku quest has encountered a bit of a setback... lack of available, heretofore uncounted isshobin! I hope to set things back on track with a trip up north shortly, but until then... might have to drink some wine.

This note is from a week-old bottle, surprisingly only 3/4 finished by the time I got to it, thanks be to the Mrs, so these are not "fresh" notes. From Niigata Prefecture's Hakkaisan, gohyakumangoku milled to 60% and brewed with Akitakonno #2 yeast, SMV +5, acidity 1.4, amino acidity 1.3, and 15.5% abv. Floral and fruity nose, on the palate, soft, very clean, rather austere and lightly bitter until a fleeting rice sweetness overtakes. A little unsettled initially, but nice depth, will need to check out a fresher bottle for comparison.