11/3/07: Day 2 in Japan Part I- Sakura Masamuné

Today was a very special day indeed. Before I came over to Japan, I had asked my friend Chiaki to introduce me to the very prestigious Sakura Masamuné Brewery (櫻正宗). I had visited their museum during my trip to Nada two years ago, but this visit was much different as I would be introduced to the Brewery straight from the President, Mr. Tazaemon Yamamura (山邑太左衛門) on the day they celebrate "open house" to the visitors.

The Brewery had a very festive and communal feel, as the parkling area was converted to a carnival ground. There were booths with foods, games, a clown... kind of like tailgating. As an added bonus, they had several casks of the newly brewed Namazaké created specifically for this event. Somehow through fate and luck, my Japan trip coincided with the perfect day to visit Sakura Masamuné.

After checking in, Mr. Yamamura (11th Generation to carry this name) greeted me and my friend Motohiko. Mr. Yamamura, despite his very traditional name befit of a samurai, was far younger than I had imagined. He accompanied us with Mr. Saimura (才村), the Toji of the Brewery with over 40 years in experience. The tour began with the decontamination process, and we had to wear a mesh hat as yeast is very sensitive.

Mr. Saimura, who Mr. Yamamura commented as being the mad scientist, lectured us on the brewing process starting with selection of the rice. They select their rice from the highest rated area in Hyogo, an area classified as "Block A," and interestingly, each year they fine-tune the selection of rice from even within the same plot. While it was my understanding that each year, each Kura would want to create a consistent product, Sakura Masamuné takes that approach and takes it further by saying, they would like to aim for consistency while improving the quality every year. They have their ideal saké, but they've never reached it, and they feel that they never will - but nevertheless, they strive for perfection every year.

Such demand for highest detail is reflected in their production approach, which I can best describe as marriage between traditional and modern method. The Brewery uses the best technology for parts of saké production that demand absolute consistency, including transportation and steaming process. For transportation, Mr. Saimura mentions that a mere act of a man carrying the sack of rice can affect the mositure in rice. The steaming process is automated, but it allows Toji to alter the process (timing, temperature) quickly based on his demands. To further demonstrate the Brewery's commitment to excellence and attention to detail, Mr. Yamamura mentions that to Toji like Mr. Saimura, they live in the world of seconds in areas such as washing rice (洗米), where 5 seconds difference in contact with water can drastically alter the flavor of saké. At the same time, the timing is different for each day, and that is all determined through the experience of the Toji.

Further understanding of the history of the Brewery shows that they have been persevered to survive, overcoming several tragedies to remain in production for now over 400 years. The first major challenge was the World War II, that destroyed the Brewery and with it, perishing of Association #1 yeast, first cultivated and identified by Sakura Masamuné. The yeast was thought to be extinct, until it was discovered 60 years later that some strains were kept in a research laboratory outside of the Brewery. Then, the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 destroyed all of the old Kura. Mr. Yamamura mentions that the area surrounding the brewery went through incredible changes, and he showed us the affected area from the company Conference Room while showing us the picture of the olden days. Sakura Masamune did indeed prove the old adage, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Mr. Yamamura concluded the tour by giving us some interesting tidbits of the Brewery and showing us some of the historic artifacts that are displayed in the main building as well as Sakura En museum/ gift shop/ restaurant.


This Koshu on the right, is made in 1931. Mr. Yamamura says it is drinkable without adverse affect on health, and tastes more like Chinese "sho-ko-shu," somewhat akin to Amaro bitters from Italy.


This is a fan without electric plug, as it runs on alcohol. This was used to blow away the foam after fermentation.

Here are some interesting facts:

* Their old Kura was constructed using a traditional buidling technique that did not use any nails, as metal has
* Discovery of Miyamizu
* First color print in Asahi Newspaper was the advertisement for Sakura Masamuné
* First brewery to export sakés to the US, having sent sakés to New York and San Francisco followed by Hawaii in the 1870's. Sakés were exported to Paris even earlier.

In regards to importing to the US, Mr. Yamamura mentioned that Prohibition Law greatly slowed down the exportation business. At this stage, while some bottles of Sakura Masamuné is available as evidenced here, they are not aggressive until they feel they can be confident that their saké is something that will be appreciated, not just something that merely sells well. (In that case... please feel free to export them to directly to my home!)

At this point, Mr. Yamamura concluded the tour, having dedicated 2 hours of his precious time on such a busy day. If that wasn't enough, he gave us parting gifts in the form of Kinmaré. The words cannot adequately express the level of gratitude we felt, and I hope he would visit New York in the near future so I can properly pay my respects. On the way out, I tried Aramakiya Tazaemon Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +2.5, Acidity: 1.1, Rice: Yamadanishiki from Yoshikawa, Seimaibuai: 50%), which was milder and gentler version of Kinmaré, picked up a bottle of the special Namazaké, and left with the ultimate gift of incredible memories.

11/2/07: Day 1 in Japan - Touchdown in Osaka

I touched down in Osaka about 6:45 pm. It took about little bit over an hour to go through customs, change currency, receive JR Rail Pass (West/Sanyo), activate cell phone, and find the way to the hotel (bus). By the time I got to the vicinity of the hotel, it was 8:50 pm.

I suspected 9:00 pm as the witching hour for Daimaru (department store across from the hotel), so the first thing I did even before checking in was to go straight to Basement Level 2 to seek saké. Just in luck, Daimaru was wrapping up a tasting run by Mr. Owada of Yonetsuru Brewery (those in the States may have tried their Junmai Daiginjo). He let me try 6 of the selections, and I ended up buying the Kissui (亀酔 = "drunken turtle"), named after a new style of rice. Kissui Junmai(SMV: +1~3, Rice: Kissui, Seimaibuai: 60%) was officially recognized in 1993 as new strain that is an offspring of Kamé No O, and the saké has similar characteristics to its parent strain: mildly fruity, smooth, with hints of celery and melon. What I find different is that while Kamé No O has stronger approach and finish with quiet mid-palate, Kissui is more balanced throughout. Mr. Owada told me that this rice is grown and harvested on premise, and they are "practicing organic" in their production.

Within 45 minutes of checking in, my friend Motohiko dropps by for a toast, then we are off for some fantstic Hakata style ramen at Ippudo (一風堂). I chose Ippuodo since I remembered it from the last visit, and they were notable for making great ramen and introducing the concept of "Kaedama" (refill order for noodles). I had the "Red" selection which had the richer style soup, having had extra day of simmering than the "White." With 2 order of Kaedama, my bill was about $12.50 for approximately 3 servings - and people think eating well in Japan is expensive!

Motohiko then took me to a Shochu bar, because that what they do in Japan. Yugen (幽玄) had Satoh's Mugi Shochu, and I had to try it since their Imo is very good. In short, this turned out to be the best Mugi Shochu I have tried. While most have the grainy flavor akin to vodka, Satoh maintains complex flavor of wheat, almost as if the aftertaste is that of Mugi-cha.

The nightcap was Nikka Yoichi 10 Year Old whisky. It is a little known fact that Japan produces some of the world's outstanding whiskies, and Nikka 10 is no different. With a very mild and soft approach complemented by fruitier palate and spicy and dry finish, it is complex and dynamic for a very young whisky. During my last visit, I took a bottle of Nikka 15 home; this time, it will be the 10.

11/1/07: Day 0 in Japan - Over the Pacific

Why day 0? I am not quite in Japan yet, but I did have a saké experience... in air plane.

Yours truly flew Northwest (LGA-DTW-KIX), and from the connection from Detroit to Osaka had Eisen Saké from Fukushima on the menu. Billed as smooth on the approach, refreshing going down, and round with distinctive flavor. Here's the reality: junmai nose of steamed rice, soft approach, firm with grainy finish. Imagine a generic bottle of saké, this is it. Type that would be best served warm. Not really my type...

This year, I flew a lot by my standards. How did Northwest rank?
• Cleanliness: Very clean.
• Seats: have good legroom, better than others. Trays don’t pull out – not good for computer work.
• Food: is… prototypical airplane food. Good effort for serving shrimp cocktail.
• Alcohol selection: good effort by offering saké. Despicable that all alcohol cost $5 on international flight.
• Service: too infrequent with drinks.

Rating for NWA: 2.5 stars out of 5.

11/1/07: Couple of News

As some of you already know, things have been really busy for me lately. So busy to a point where I recently resigned from my retail gig. Part of the reason for my job change is that I feel I maxed out my potential after 3 years working for the same store, without real improvement in my responsibility although I have gained substantial knowledge. The other part is that with my increased responsibility in my day job, I need to figure out how I can fully utilize my talents.

I will decide on my future direction in a few weeks. Why few weeks? Well, I am embarking on my trip to Japan from 11/1~11/12. Naturally, my trip will involve visiting breweries to gain further experience and knowledge of saké production. Already, I have on my itinerary a visit to Sakura Masamune, Kobe Shushinkan, and Asahi Shuzo.

During this trip, I really wanted to go to Kamakura area to visit my hometown, and meet up with few people (including a certain saké dignitary. After reviewing my itinerary, it became evident that such plan is far too ambitious. Unfortunately, I cannot visit Kamakura this time, but I have in my mind a plan to schedule next visit to cover Kamakura, Iwate, Fukushima, and Ibaraki.

For now, the next several entries will document my visit to Osaka area.

10/2/07: Nanbu Bijin and Nishi Shuzo Tasting at Sakgura

Under Construction, will be updated soon!

10/2/07: Ama No To Tasting at Sakagura

Under Construction... Will be updated soon!

10/1/07: Saké Day Part II: Sakagura

As MTC Restaurant Show ended at 5:00 pm, far too early to call it the night, it was time to celebrate the National Saké Day in style by visiting Sakagura as they held the cask ceremony. Lefty and I made our way to the bar at 6:00 pm, and were promptly welcomed by friendly staff including Mr. Kadoi, Chizuko-san and Momose-san.

After starting my evening with clean, refreshing, and fruity Ugo No Tsuki Junmai Ginjo from Hiroshima, Mr. Kadoi introduced us to couple of Yamagata sakés including refreshing Hatsumago "Ajisai Monogatari" Junmai Ginjo and En red saké. (Mind you, my palate is pretty gone by this point, so I shall post picture instead...)




Now, at this stage, I was hungry. I ordered their Buta-No-Kakuni (Japanese style stewed Pork Belly), a must. I also remember trying something very special seasonal dish about a year ago, and while it was not technically on the menu, Mr. Kadoi had the kitchen produce the matsutake tempura for me:

(Ooooh, so goood... especially when you're toasted...)

Mr. Kadoi then surprised me by asking to be the MC for the evening (apparently, he wasn't sure how much I had to drink earlier today). Lefty, along with two lucky contestants, were selected for cask-breaking. Here are some photos from the rest of the evening:

10/1/07: Saké Day Part I: Mutual Trading Restaurant Show

This was the second time I am attending Mutual Trading's Restaurant Show. Last year's event was tremendous, and no, I did not get drunk and buy a Masamoto knife this year (although I was mightily tempted...)

MTC carries some of the top brands of selections, including Dassai, Sudo Honké ("Sato No Homaré"), Born, and Nanbu Bijin among others. Today, the first booth I saw featured familiar face, as Chizuko from Sakagura Restaurant was helping with Asamai Brewery, "Ama No To" label. (More on their saké and brewery on the 10/2 entry coming up...)

First order of business was to seek out Kuji-san, but he was out to lunch, so I started to whet my appetite by visiting Born booth. The highlight was the super premium "Yumé wa Masayumé" (Dream Come True.) Their special release, a 2 year-old koshu called "Hoshi" (SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.4, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 40%, Yeast: Kato #903), was very good with mild approach, smooth texture, and rich finish with umami. Interestingly, the kanji for hoshi "地球" denotes earth. I wasn't overly keen on their Genshu, which is made in the sweeter style with longer finish.

After trying fantastic saké selections from Bizen Muromachi, I met up with Kuji-san. Timothy stopped by, so there here's the picture of them. We reaquainted our palate with their fruity Daiginjo that we tried relatively recently, followed by their Tokubetsu Junmai. ALthough I've had their Tokubetsu Junmai on several occasions, most notably at this event, I noticed a difference in flavor of this vintage- it has lost some of the koji-like earthiness with more fruity notes. When pressed, Kuji-san admitted that they changed the production to cater to the changing trend of the consumers. Checking the website after the fact, there is one notable difference from 2006: SMV was lowered from +7 to +4.

The most educational part of the day came courtesy of Mr. Aisawa from Take No Tsuyu Brewery in Yamagata. Majority of their selections were from "Hakro Suishu" series, all made in the similar manner: Nama Genshu, Fukuro-tori, Muroka (unfiltered), and polished to 55%. This proved to be ideal lesson in "sakamai" (saké rice), covering anything from Dewasansan (subtle, mildly fruity) to Miyamanishiki (subtle, round, balanced), with rarer rice such as Kame No O (gentle, mild, celery), Dewa No Sato (subtle, refreshing), Kyo No Hana (subtle, ricey, long finish), Kairyo-Shinko (subtle, round, deep umami) in between. My favrorite happened to be a blend, the combination of Dewa-san-san and Miyamanishiki, memorable with its balance of softness, earthy umami, fruitiness, and roundness. Another treat was Mr. Aisawa using "仕込み水" or their low-alcali soft water to rinse the glass and cleanse palate in between. As if that were not enough, he finished the lecture with his dry style koshu. This Japanese site offers good catalogue of Take No Tsuyu selections.

After such comprehensive lesson, the time was right to visit food section, where I bumped into Lefty.

Upon coming back, I greeted Sakurai-san, and tried few other sakés. Admittedly, my palate wasn't functioning at 100%. I did notice that there were more recent increase in dry style saké, including Taruhei Brewery. Ambling along, I bumped into Rocky and Keiko Aoki, whom I haven't met in about a year. Later on, I saw my friend Chie-san who works for Chopsticks Magazine, and we proceeded to try some interesting cocktails including tomato- based shochu drink, and daikon radish-based shochu drink.


I also reconnected with Lefty, and decided to cap the day by visiting Sakagura for their Saké Day festivities... (continued in Part II)

9/27/07: The Joy of Saké

It's safe to say that all the recent saké activities are the result of Joy of Saké tasting. My role for this year’s JOS event was different from last year, as I was asked to assist in the event by Kitahara-san on behalf of Pacific International Liquor, Inc. In this job, I am to work two out of three hours, and I have free time during the first and last 1/2 hour of the event. This meant that there were significant changes to the game plan from the past.

First stage was to taste the items at the booth. PIL is a small organizations, but handles some very good sakés including Shichiken, Kubota, and Okunomatsu. Here is the list from our booth:
* Shichiken Junmai Ginjo, Yamanashi. Tasting notes available here, here, and here.
* Shichiken "Bigin Bigin" Junmai Koshu. Tasting notes are here and here.
* Hatsumago Junmai Kimoto, Yamagata. (SMV: +2). Full flavor of melon, yet very balanced.
* Kurosawa Yamahai Junmai, Nagano. (SMV: 0). Balance of yeast, cedar, minerals, rice. Complex, with very distinct signature flavor.
* Yaegaki Nigori. Rich, dense Nigori that is mildly sweet and very approachable.
* Yaegaki "Mu- Royal Blue" Junmai Daiginjo, Hyogo. Sharp, intensely fruity style that feels more like Daiginjo (sans Junmai).
* Okunomatsu Sparkling Nigori. Sharper flavor with nice depth and structure.
* Okunomatsu Tokubetsu. Fukushima. (SMV: 0) Interestingly, fruitier than Ginjo. Mild fruits, well-balanced.
* Okunomatsu Ginjo (+4). Dried fruits, earthier style with flavors of melon underneath and chocolate on the finish.
* Okunomatsu "Juhachidai Ihei" Daiginjo (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.3, Rice: , Seimaibuai: 35%, Yeast: Okunomatsu). Very fruity, balanced, lush, with a lasting finish. Quintessential Daiginjo.

After tasting the booth, I went to the Japan-only floor, where they had a nice display of Yamagata selections featuring sakés based on their idigenous Dewa-san-san rice, which tends to have soft approach with understated core flavor of mild fruit and rice. The most interesting saké I tried was Imai-san's Kudoki Jouzu "Shiro" Ginjo, a saké made using wine yeast. The result was a full approach with richness and viscosity, but with a pronounced depth and mild fruitiness and hints of vanilla. "Shiro" means "white" as in white wine, and it is among the recent trend of creating dry and low alcohol sakés that appeal to wine drinkers (e.g., Miyasaka brand.)

The most interesting selection of the evening was the Negoshian ("寝越庵" pronouced like "Negocian"). Made for Kamei Saké Store in Shinbashi, the research reveal that Nanbu Bijin is predonminantly involved. This came to our booth with the rumor that one bottle sells for a hefty some of ￥200,000, making it the most expensive beverage I have ever tried. The tasting notes, I am sure, does not do justice: nose of burnt caramel, deep prune, soy sauce followed by full and lush flavors of prune, caramelized orange peel, leading to a long finish of dark chocolate and prunes. For more on this unique saké, check these Japanese websites here and here.

What I didn't really realize is that while the event lasts until 9:00 pm, most of the booth close early. Japan-only floor was closed by 8:30 pm. I spent most of the last 1/2 hour talking with friends in the industry: Tim Sullivan (Urban Saké, Kadoi-san, Toshi (Saké Hana), Okada-san (EN), Tomoko (Chopsticks Magazine), Lefty (Saké Collective), Chad Beverlin (Vine Connections), Mr. Hishinuma and Tejima (Oval One, shochu marketers), Keith Norum and Mr. Miyasaka (Miyasaka Brewery/Masumi), Mr. Aizawa (Take No Tsuyu), among others. All in all, very busy but a fun filled and enlightening evening, as always.

9/25/07: Sakagura Tasting featuring 6 Brewers

As Saké Week gains momentum, Sakagura makes a big splash by inviting 6 of the very best brewers supported by Japan Prestige Saké Association (listed in order they were arranged): Taiheizan, Shirataki, Urakasumi, Otokoyama, Narutotai, and Kaika. Each brewer presented limited and high-quality selections, so this was indeed a very rare treat.

I kicked off the evening by previewing the Fall- release namazaké selections. While complex Wakatake “Aki No Ki-ippon” (SMV: 0, Acidity: 1.4) and fruity Urakasumi “Hiyaoroshi” (SMV: +1.5, Acidity: 1.4, Rice: Sasanishiki, Seimaibuai: 60%, Yeast: Urakasumi) are standards that stayed true to their form, we were also able to try new selections in the forms of Aramasa Junmai Ginjo Nama (SMV: +4, Acidity: 1.6) from Akita and Tsuki No Katsura Junmai Nama (SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.6) from Kyoto. Aramasa showed slightly nutty undertones, vibrant fruit, with faint hints of chocolate towards the finish. By comparison, Tsuki No Katsura had creamier nose and fruitier body, though not as expressive as Urakasumi.

First up on the breweries was Taiheizan, a kura that focuses their production using Kimoto method that yields intense style of saké. I started with recently released (in the US)“Tenkō” Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.5, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 40%, Yeast: Assoc. #9), which is something I have not come across since the dinner at Matsuri. Tenkō has mild fruit and gentle steamed rice on the nose, followed by full and deep flavors of rice leading to umami-laden finish. The next selection was the new selection, “Tsuzuki” Tobin Chu-dori Junmai Ginjo Kimoto Muroka (SMV: +1, Acidity: 1.4, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 55%, Yeast: Assoc. #9). Because this did not go through charcoal filtration, the flavor was intense but more along the lines of minerals and umami, and less so on the fruit.

Next to Taiheizan was Shirataki Brewery from Niigata. I am a big fan of Jōzen Mizu No Gotoshi" Junmai Ginjo, so it was good to reacquaint my palate. The new saké was "Minatoya Tosuke" Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +2, Acidity: 1.6, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 50%), which exhibited Niigata-ness through its full, soft body, gentle flavor of nuts and cereal, with balanced fruits and umami, whcih I find very enjoyable.

Third on the line was Urakasumi from Miyagi. Because I am very familiar with their fantastic Junmai and their lighter Zen Junmai Ginjo, I skipped them and went straight to their Yamadanishiki Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +1.5, Acidity: 1.5, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 45%, Yeast: Urakasumi), which had tremendous depth that highlighted fruity qualities of Yamadanishiki very well.

Moving on to Otokoyama, I focused mainly on their Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.3, Rice: Yamadanishiki, Seimaibuai: 38%) which I haven't had since this event. Having this right after Urakasumi, I sensed more fullness and richness on the body, with nice dry finish. The next two were tasting comparison of the Tokubetsu Junmai in the forms of Momenya (SMV: +5) and Utamaro (SMV: +2, Seimaibuai: 55%). In short, Momenya showed more earthy, nutty characters with dry finish, while Utamaro was milder in flavors, balanced, and not as dry.

Rolling right along, I came across Narutotai. I have always enjoyed their Junmai Ginjo Genshu, and today, I had a chance to try their Ginjo Nama Genshu (SMV: +5, Acidity: 1.7 see the first pic), Junmai Daiginjo (SMV: +4, Aidity: 1.5) and very rare 1988 Vintage Junmai Ginjo Dry Koshu (SMV: +13, Acidity: 2.4). While I find their Junmai Ginjo to be balanced in every respect, the Nama version was vibrant with deep umami, Junmai Daiginjo was much deeper and intense with dominant fruit flavors, and Koshu was earthy with elements of nuts and dark chocolate. Incidentally, this was the driest Koshu I have tried to date.

Lastly, I came across Kaika from Tochigi Prefecture, which featured three sakés: Junmai, "Kazé No Ichirin" Junmai Ginjo, and the competition style "Tobindori" Shizuku Daiginjo Genshu. Since I am familiar with "Kazé No Ichirin" and "Tobindori", my focus was on their Junmai(SMV: +3, Acidity: 1.3, Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Seimaibuai: 65%, Yeast: Tochigi). Not surprisingly, the Junmai was soft in style displaying the balanced approach of Gohyakumangoku rice. The brewer's approach was to make saké that are "oishii, tanoshimu" (delicious, enjoyable), which effectively sums up the evening.

9/23/07: Dassai, Kudoki Jouzu and Shichiken Tasting at Chanto

Almost like clock work, I have been attending Chanto tasting during the third week of the month for third month in a row. Although the nature of the event was never fully advertised, this promised to be a great event, as I was provided information about this event from both Sakurai-san of Dassai and Kitahara-san of Shichiken. While having going to a saké tasting event featuring two of my friends was very appealing, the event proved to be far more impressive than I had anticipated.

In addition to Dassai and Shichiken, a third brewer was part of the evening's program: Mr. Toshifumi Imai of Kudoki Jouzu Brewery in the northern prefecture of Yamagata. Joining me tonight for this extravagance were my partners in crime Hideo and Tony, and we had late addition to our table: none other than Mr. Urban Saké himself, Tim Sullivan.

The idea behind the program was to pair five courses with six saké selections, two from each brewer. As if tasting sakés weren't enough, we were to receiv the sakés perosnally poured by each brewers, with detailed explanation.

Sakurai-san led off with his bread-and-butter, the incmparable Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo, to go with three types of Blue Fin Tuna (Akami, Chu-Toro, and Ō-Toro). While the pairing was great, I especially enjoyed the Chu-Toro.

Next up was Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo, to complement Salmon Yuan-Yaki, which is made by marinating with sweet miso. The marinade provided salmon with saké kasu-like depth that managed to extract more fruitniess out of the saké.

In the three hole was Charcoal Grilled Prime Sirloin Steak, ordered medium-rare. Mr. Imai served two versions of Junmai Ginjo as accompaniment. The first selection was the regular Junmai Ginjo, which showcased the high quality of Yamagata yeast, with intense yet clean fruits on the palate. The second bottle was a treat, koshu version of the same saké that was aged for two years. Overall, the koshu paired well, as its nutty, earthy flavors paired well with the soy-based sauce, and softness and mellowness was just the right landing spot for the sweet miso paste.

Batting in the clean-up spot was the Sushi Platter of Chef's Omakasé choice. The sushi featured the usual suspects in the form of Chu-Toro, Akemi, Salmon, Uni-Scallion Roll, and interesting choice of Foie Gras. Saké selection was Shichiken Junmai Ginjo, served Nuru-Kan (for this definition, see this entry.)

The dessert was the decadent Chocolate Fondant paired with Shichiken "Bigin Bigin" Junmai Ginjo Koshu. Pairing with chocolate, whether it's wine, dessert wine, or saké is extremely tricky as chocolate tends to overwhelm the beverage to the point you don't really taste it. However, the depth of Shichiken allowed the flavor to stand up to the richnessof the chocolate.

Now, only if there were Maiko dancing to top off the evening...

9/15/07: Shichiken Tasting at Saké Hana

Today was another treat at Saké Hana, as it welcomed Shichiken Brewery for a tasting session which was first of its kind. Toshi and Kitahara-san designed a three part tasting, including sake making lecture, experiencing saké at various temperatures, and testing sake-food pairing. Joining me this evening were my friends Tony and Hideo, and of course, Tim was on the scene. I also met Hiroko, one of the proprieter for Sakaya, the all-saké retail store slated to open in November.

The evening featured only one saké, which under a normal circumstance may be boring. However, in this context, it was very appropriate and effectiv. The evening kicked off with a Saké Sangria using Shichiken Junmai Ginjo, with lychee in the glass. It was very refreshing and (being a purist I have to add) surprisingly good as clean yet subtle nature of the Junmai Ginjo was a nice complement to the fruit.

The saké brewing lecture is a topic I am familiar with, especially for Shichiken. The key differentces from the earlier tastings were that thsis process was compressed to 30 minutes.

In the next phase, the sakés were served in five different temperatures: 131F "Tobi-kiri-kan" (extra hot), 104F "Nuru-kan" (lukewarm), 86F "Hinata-kan" (sunlight warm), 59F "Suzu-hie" (Cool breeze), and 41F "Yuki-hie" (snow cold). I though the two best temperatures were 50F and 86F, as they were the right tempeature to allow just the right expression to emerge. 41F was bit too cool for this saké, resulting in the flavors to become too focused. A lot of people liked 104F as it brought out some sweetness, but at 131F, it's tough to appreciate this saké's finer points as grainy sharpness of alcohol became predominant.

While it goes without saying that saké selection is usually the key to any saké tasting (can I state anything more obvious?!) the food was extraordinary, and generated just as much conversation. The pairing featured umami-rich Tuna Parmesan (with tomato sauce), Tuna Tataki (With saké ponzu sauce), the peppery Tuna Au Poivre, marinated Beef Satay, and Red Hot Yellowtail Roll. Personally, Tuna Au Poivre with the pepper cream sauce was the absolute winner, even better than the traiditional Steak Au Poivre using Filet Mignon.


At this point, pairing exercise didn't work too well. With saké at five different temperatures floating around, ever changing by the minute, combimed with five different dishes, meant that there were 25 different combinations one could try. At that stage, I just decided to forego the pairing exercise and just go with the flow and enjoy the evening. Afterall, that is the why we do this in the first place!