SAKE SOCIAL TASTING NOTES
Kaze no Mori – Akitsuho 657 ABV 17%
Classification: Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
Tasting notes |
Akitsuho 657 has a delightful mix of melon and sweet banana on the nose. As it hits the palate (as with many of Kaze no Mori’s nama offerings) it has a light effervescence. The flavour profile for us is honeydew melon with some nuttiness, and a tangy minerality on the finish. |
Production notes |
This unpasteurised, undiluted and un-charcoal filtered sake highlights the Akitsuho rice varietal (grown locally for the brewery in Nara prefecture), which has been milled to 65% of its original size. It uses the classic yeast strain #7, which was isolated in 1946 and is the most used yeast strain for sake. The number 657 refers to these two facts. Akitsuho 657 is the flagship product in the Kaze no Mori range – a true modern classic! |
How we’re serving it |
This sake was cold freighted all the way from Japan to ensure it stayed in peak condition and we’re not going to be messing with that! We’ll be serving it straight from the fridge, but definitely take note of how it changes as you drink it. As it approaches room temp it will open up a little. |
About the brewery |
Yucho Shuzo was founded in 1719 in Nara, not far from Bodaisan Shoryakuji Temple, the birthplace of refined sake in Japan. It launched the Kaze no Mori brand in 1998 with a focus on freshly pressed, unpasteurised sake, becoming one of the vanguards of lively, new school nihonshu. |
Kaze no Mori – Aiyama 807 ABV 16%
Classification: Junmai Muroka Nama Genshu
Tasting notes |
An absolute banger this one. Has a beguiling aroma that reads of sesame and prune to us (but let us know what you get!), while the flavour profile is rich and complex, driven by notes of pear and white peach, balancing both subtle sweetness and sour elements, with a tangy finish. As is often the case with Kaze no Mori, a light effervescence on the palate makes the mouthfeel zippy. |
Production notes |
This unpasteurised, undiluted and un-charcoal filtered sake uses Aiyama rice, which is a modern cultivar with a killer pedigree. It has both Yamadanishiki (the “king of sake rice”) and Omachi (an heirloom variety that was almost lost but has been brought back and is a firm favourite of the Kicks crew) in its lineage. Even more interesting, however, is the fact that this rice has only been milled to 80% of its original size – extremely unusual in the world of premium sake and certainly a key factor in this brew’s complexity. The 807 name reflects this, as well as the fact that the production used the super popular #7 yeast. |
How we’re serving it |
This sake was cold freighted all the way from Japan to ensure it stayed in peak condition and we’re not going to be messing with that! We’ll be serving it straight from the fridge, but definitely take note of how it changes as you drink it. As it approaches room temp it will open up a little. |
About the brewery |
Yucho Shuzo was founded in 1719 in Nara, not far from Bodaisan Shoryakuji Temple, the birthplace of refined sake in Japan. It launched the Kaze no Mori brand in 1998 with a focus on freshly pressed, unpasteurised sake, becoming one of the vanguards of lively, new school nihonshu. |
Kuromatsu Hakusen – Hana ABV 16%
Classification: Junmai Ginjo
Tasting notes |
Get ready for a classic modern ginjo! Hana lives up to its name with an elegant floral aroma, alongside melon and banana. The mouthfeel is lush and silky, with a delicate banana sweetness and floral complexity, and a hint of star anise. This gives way to a crisp acidity on the finish. |
Production notes |
This was a gold award winning junmai ginjo at the International Wine Challenge in 2023. The rice used has been polished to 55% of its original size. |
How we’re serving it |
This sake is delicious both chilled and at room temp, but we’re serving it chilled to accentuate its elegance and slightly dry overall flavour profile. That said, take note of how it changes as you drink it and the temperature changes… if you can keep it in the glass long enough! |
About the brewery |
Hakusen Shuzo is located in Gifu prefecture and is actually most famous for its mirin, which it still brews according to their Edo era recipe. As a mirin brewery it was established around 1825, but expanded to producing sake in 1899. Run by the Kato family (with only eight kurabito – brewery staff) they use 100% locally grown Gifu rice and pristine water from beneath the Hida river. |
Senbazuru – Yamahai Zukuri ABV 15.5%
Classification: Junmai Yamahai
Tasting notes |
The curveball of our selection, this sake has an earthy, umami-driven nose – think soy sauce, mushrooms and Vegemite. On the palate there’s some caramel sweetness and plenty of savoury notes, as well as a notable acidity. Complex and worth savouring! |
Production notes |
Yamahai is an old school method of making sake that allows a lactic environment to form naturally in the shubo (yeast starter), as opposed to most modern sake production, where lactic acid is simply added (this is called “sokujo”). The Yamahai approach adds an extra couple of weeks to production, but the result tends to be sake with more funkiness and complexity. This sake uses Gohyakumangoku rice milled to 65% and No. 901 yeast. |
How we’re serving it |
This is a super versatile sake, able to be enjoyed chilled but also absolutely popping off when heated to 50-60 degrees. We’ve decided, however, that room temp is the best way for us to showcase its umami-laden charms at the brewery. |
About the brewery |
Sato Shuzo was established in 1917 in Oita prefecture, and is very much focused on producing sake for the local population. With only six kurabito (brewery staff) including the Toji (master brewer) it’s a small operation, and has only been available outside Japan for a few years. In fact, after China and Singapore, Australia is only their third export country! |
