December and January are very productive months of the year at sake breweries!
Most of the sake put out then are “shinshu/New Sake” and “Gentei shu/limited edition sake”.
It is a great time for experimenting and looking for new flavors!

This particular brew concocted by Kansawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City is a limited edition. They accordingly came up with the name “Shizuoka Aoi Premium” to differentiate it from other brews.
It is a daiginjo of extravagant proportions when you consider the rice has been milled down to as little as 35%.
The fact it is also a “Nama/unpasteurised” sake means there was little manipulation!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 35%
Dryness: + 4~+ 6
Acidity: 1.1~1.3
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity: dry bananas, pears, apples.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Lingers only for a little while warming up the palate and disappearing on a sweetish impression and then back on a dry note.
Complex. Banana, apples. Grows even drier on second sip and even drier again with food.
Some oranges, dry nuts and faint coffee beans peeking out later.
Overall: Although a very sophisticated and deep sake, it will definitely appeal more to dry sake loving gentlemen than to ladies, but you never know…
Intriguing and aggressive sake, unusual by Shizuoka standards.
I cannot count the times the bottle called me back from the refrigerator for an extra cup…
A “provocative untamed sake”, or a “one-night only lover”?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery