11/9/07: Day 8 in Japan Part II - Tasting Rare Sakés of Shichi Hon Yari

After the tour of the brewery, Mr. Tomita was generous enough to offer me a tasting of some very rare sakés. For the second time in my trip, I had a chance to try muroka nama genshu (無濾過生原酒- unfiltered, unpasteurized and undiluted) sakés that brewers use to monitor and evaluate the quality of their sakés. (The first time was for Dassai.)

In all, I got to try 11 sakés. Since they are high in alcohol and it was only around noon time, we used the spitoon (fashinable curvey white object to the right.) It's important to note that Tomita Shuzo makes all their sakés using one type of rice for each bottle, as opposed to using one kind for yeast starter and another for the mash. Ultimately, Mr. Tomita's goal is to produce sakés that are deep and structured, with clean and sharp acidity, rich in umami on the finish.

Here is the list:

• Daiginjo (Yamadanishiki): Polished down to 40%, using #14 yeast. A quintessential Yamadanishiki with very fruity melon and Japanese pears.



• Junmai Daiginjo (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 45%, using #14 yeast. Fruity, with flavors of red apples.



• Junmai Ginjo (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 50%, using #14 yeast. Mild nose, flavors of Japanese pear and apples. Slight nuttiness and long umami on the finish.



• Junmai Ginjo (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 55%, using #14 yeast. Similar to 50%, but sharper and more liveliness of the namazaké.



• Junmai (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 60%, using #14 yeast. This was very sharp and vibrant.



• Junmai (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 60%, using #7 yeast. Soft, mellow, and balanced. Mr. Tomita noted that #7 seems to age faster, as it shows definitive signs of ripening.



• Junmai (Ginfubuki): Polished down to 60%, using #14 yeast. Earthier style, with hints of mushrooms. Deep acidity with good structure. The progression of tasting is proving to be a very educational exercise in polishing ratio and use of yeast.



• Tokubetsu Junmai (organic Tamazakaé): Polished down to 60%, using #1701 yeast. The balanced flavors of citrus, melon, and fresh mushrooms provides complexity and interesting structure.



• Teiseihaku Junmai (Tamazakaé): Polished down to 80%, using #7. This is the most popular saké sold locally. Mildly creamy aroma followed by soft creamy palate. Less complex, but brings out umami on the finish.

The last two sakés were different style:

Kodaimai Red Saké: using old saké rice (古代米), the red saké possessed notes of cream, vanillam nuts, red beans, and deep minerals on a dry finish.

Junmai Ginjo (Ginfubuki): Pasteurized. Polished down to 55%, using #14 yeast. Had a muscat grape-like aroma and flavor.

Huge thanks go to Henry Sidel for arranging my visit, and Mr. Tomita for his incredible hospitality!