Ozeki Junmai Shiboritate

Ozeki Junmai Shiboritate, the one that comes in the 1.8 liter milk carton! And folks, I'll say it again, my opinion is that Ozeki is head and shoulders above the rest of the giants when it comes to mass-producing brew. I don't care if it's... the (insert best of bland American beer mega-breweries here) of sake, I'll drink this anytime. And I believe I paid less than a Jackson for it. In these times of financial austerity, I nominate this sake as the house sake. Unknown rice, semaibuai 73%, SMV +5, acidity 1.6, low alcohol content of 13%, fresh and clean. <img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCz-FFzl_GWzF9e1eJwIzAEAXKvbPs36wwmy9SQpTG7pMe0ctfTkDK9cdndEygTpNhJXYL00hYG5ff9qt2ZDix4GL803jSTuqFMreMwYNHTTcbiDRptFVjgWzIg4TLJO6f4-Jn7tyJ3Gm/s400/IMG_0729.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;">Ozeki Junmai Shiboritate, the one that comes in the 1.8 liter milk carton! And folks, I'll say it again, my opinion is that Ozeki is head and shoulders above the rest of the giants when it comes to mass-producing brew. I don't care if it's... the (insert best of bland American beer mega-breweries here) of sake, I'll drink this anytime. And I believe I paid less than a Jackson for it. In these times of financial austerity, I nominate this sake as the house sake. Unknown rice, semaibuai 73%, SMV +5, acidity 1.6, low alcohol content of 13%, fresh and clean.

Tengumai Uma Jun

Tengumai Uma Jun, a junmai from Ishikawa Prefecture's Shata Shuzo - I loved their yamahai, I guess this is the sokujo version of the same? Don't know the rice type, but it is milled to 60%, SMV +6, acidity 1.6, and 15.5% abv. A little drier than the yamahai, on the numbers, and tastes that way too, milder, but still full flavoured, savoury, and a definite presence in the mouth. Too interesting to slurp, but not so interesting that you must sip. In a nice spot. <img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGSBsjsD_pWt1qU4Ua5zolDA5QWWthLMjsNxb2tOsOWknz9SwNDVV3mJJz-hXVR13WFLbPyaeJ-jDq8jOdGIkxuqe8Gtvj__NdaFgF1qZfbiWydSZAC9U9TRfeoJd3U5CfjGYoAdeXxkV/s400/IMG_0665.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;">Tengumai Uma Jun, a junmai from Ishikawa Prefecture's Shata Shuzo - I loved their yamahai, I guess this is the <i>sokujo</i> version of the same? Don't know the rice type, but it is milled to 60%, SMV +6, acidity 1.6, and 15.5% abv. A little drier than the yamahai, on the numbers, and tastes that way too, milder, but still full flavoured, savoury, and a definite presence in the mouth. Too interesting to slurp, but not so interesting that you must sip. In a nice spot.

Kagatoubi Cho-Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai

Kagatoubi Cho-Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai. Already a big fan of Kagatoubi, and all the Fukumitsuya products, but this is really something. You'd certainly not guess that this is yamahai. Yamada Nishiki and gohyakumangoku milled to 65%, SMV +12, acidity 1.8, 16% abv. Dry, yes, but really not an extreme sake, the acidity is not aggressive, and even though you might think it would amplify any yamahai funkiness, it just doesn't. Full-flavoured without being full-flavoured.Yum. <img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0-0uCTPfEonNZKEjle1ZLJxPG-A2LEdGhwRtE8ngxeDzHXAXnVhPsVTxlHuruojsiy2TV_XkSIRb0RXSSoFr_gDnsIyMXnuhtXjEFtRq5zqYB-tqNx6yVHDHh929qelAZXny7sEilVrV/s400/IMG_0702.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;">Kagatoubi Cho-Karakuchi Yamahai Junmai. Already a big fan of Kagatoubi, and all the Fukumitsuya products, but this is really something. You'd certainly not guess that this is <i>yamahai</i>. Yamada Nishiki and gohyakumangoku milled to 65%, SMV <b>+12</b>, acidity 1.8, 16% abv. Dry, yes, but really not an extreme sake, the acidity is not aggressive, and even though you might think it would amplify any yamahai funkiness, it just doesn't. Full-flavoured without being full-flavoured.Yum.