Haginishiki Brewery in Shizuoka City has been brewing this particular sake for many years and has become a “regular” in downtown izakayas!

“Toro no Sato/登呂の里” stands for the “Home of Toro Ruins”, a nationally famous 1,800-year old archaeological site!

Rice: Biyama Nishiki
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: + 4
Acidity: 1.5
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in September 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: practically transparent
Aroma: dry and fruity. Pears, apples
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up with strong junmai petillant.
Complex: almonds, chestnuts, dark chocolate.
Disappears fairly quickly warming up back of the palate before departing with more dark chocolate and hints of oranges.
Don’t vary much with food but for a drier note.

Overall: Very solid and reliable sake.
No wonder it is such a long-seller!
Perfect with heavy food, especially izkaya fare.
Take it to a BBQ!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

So what did we have today!
Notice that the bottle has to be gently turned around before opening it or you might encounter some surprises!

Eikun Brewery-Junmai Ginjo (no pure alcohol blended in) Nama (unpasteurized) Genshu (no pure water added) Bakuhatsu (explosion!) Nigori (white lees as they are!)!
Eikun Brewery stands in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

The word “bakuhatsu/explosion was noted because if you don’t move it around slowly and open it carefully the sake might gush out at your face!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Fukui Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast: Shizuoka New-5
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Bottled in December 2014

Clarity: white as unfiltered white lees will cloud it but very clean
Color: whitish and cloudy
Aroma: Assertive. Pears, apples.
Body: Fluid. Little asperity caused by white lees.
Taste: very fruity attack backed with puissant junmai petillant and white lees.
Complex: pears, custard,melon.
Very easy to drink in spite of white lees and high alcohol content.
The junmai petillant stays strong all the way through thanks to the white lees.

Overall: A surprisingly elegant white lees/nigori sake, very fruity and complex.
Obviously conceived to accompany food, but thoroughly enjoyable on its　own.
The fruitiness will appeal to ladies.
Should marry splendidly with strong cheese and sweet desserts!

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays & National Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

This is already my fifth shizuoka sake tasting article conducted there in the company of Mrs. Hiromi Hasegawa/長谷川浩美さん!

This time I tackled an extravagant 21-year old koshu/古酒/matured sake under the name of Garyubai by Sanawa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki (Hyogo Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Berwed in 1993
Bottled in October 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Deep, dry and fruity.
dry persimmons, dry fruits and nuts, sherry
Body: fluid
Taste: dry, fruity and well-rounded attack backed up with puissant junmai petillant and pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Tastes like an old white sherry.
Persimmons, dry nuts, dark chocolate.
Stays faithful to itself all the time, revealing more facets with the next sips.
very mature. Lingers on the palate like a great wine. Tends to take on drier turn with further sips with late appearance of chestnuts.

Overall: Would make for a wonderful aperitif as probably best enjoyed on its own. Drinks like an old white sherry.
If you wish to pair it with food, cheese, pork meats, smoked fish and chocolate desserts would most appropriate.
An extraordinary sake for tasting and pairing at gastronomic parties/events!

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays & National Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

This is the second tasting of a nectar brewed by Eikun Brewery in the mountains of Yui in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, and I conducted it in the same place as before!

At la Sommeliere in Myuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

Note that this particular sake was exclusively made with Shizuoka products including Shizuoka-grown Homarefuji rice and Shizuoka NEW-5 yeast!

Rice: Homarefuji
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW5
Dryness: 2
Acidity: 1.6
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in July 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: fruity. Banana, dark chocolate, custard.
Body: fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Very fruity and dry attack backed with puissant junmai petillant.
Complex. Pears, banana, custard. Late appearance of dry coffee beans and dark chocolate.
Disappears fairly quickly.
Drinks very easily. Really elegant and mysterious at times. Facets just keep appearing.

Overall: Superb sake despite the modest status of the rice grown in Shizuoka, which shows that not only if you have the skills to take it to a higher level Homarefuji is fast proving its value.
Beautiful aperitif when enjoyed slightly chilled.
At first I didn’t want to drink it with food but I couldn’t resist the quiche Lorraine on the menu, and discovered that it would do better than many a vaunted white wine with French gastronomy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Hagoromo no Mai is an old regular brand by Sanwa Brewery in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, to commemorate the legend of Hagoromo/Veil lost by a deity to a fisherman had had to dance/Mai to regain it!

If you can read Japanese you will find the whole story on the label!

It is a junmai, meaning no pure rice alcohol was blended in!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Toyama Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Dryness: + 3
Acidity: 1.4
Bottled in July 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Fruity. Banana.
Body: fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: very dry and fruity attack backed by puisasnt junmai petillant.
Complex. Banana, pears, apricots, nuts.
Quickly disappears on a very dry note with hints of greens.
Late appearance of faint coffee beans.
More coffee beans backed with pears and hints of dark chocolate surging out with further cups.
Varies little with food but for more pronounced dryness and acidity.
Marries well with any food.

Overall: Eminently enjoyable sake on its own or with food, although obviously conceived to accompany food, especially heavy izakaya fare.
Slightly chilled it becomes a delicate aperitif.
Its dryness and acidity make it a great accompaniment to cheese or chocolate!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents