Sake

Question 1

Junmai Ginjo ‘Wandering Poet’, Rihaku

Answer 1

• It is named after the famous Chinese poet, Li Po, who was said to
  drink a bottle of sake and write one hundred poems.
• Rich & Dry
• Notes of citrus and tropical fruits (banana & Lemon)
• Pair as an aperitif & light courses & vegetables

Question 2

Junmai Ginjo ‘Sacred Power’, Chiyonosono (Kumamoto)

Answer 2

• This is a rich, full flavored sake
• Fresh-cut green grass aromas and hints of tropical fruits.
• The mouth feel is silky with umami flavors. It finishes with excellent acidity.
• Pair with fresh oysters & bok choy

Question 3

Junmai Daiginjo ‘Soul of the Sensei’, Takatenjin (Shizuoka)

Answer 3

• This sake was made to commemorate legendary Hase Toji, who brewed
  here until his nineties and helped develop the style of fruity, dry sake
• Light & Dry
• citrus & tropical
• Pair with meat & seafood

Question 4

Junmai Ginjo ‘Moon on the Water’, Fukucho (Hiroshima)

Answer 4

• brewed by one of Japan’s only female brewery owners
• Light & Dry
• vibrant fruit aromas
• Pineapple, Violet, Fennel (tropical, floral, and vegetal)
• Pair with Seafood

Question 5

Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo, Shichi Hon Yari (Shiga)

Answer 5

• The rice is polished way down and then fermented even slower than
  normal and collected drop by drop after fermentation.
• Light & Dry
• Smoke, Sea Salt, White Pepper
• Pair with Meat

Question 6

Junmai ‘Forgotten Fortune’, Fukucho (Hiroshima

Answer 6

• Female brewery owner, Miho Imada, mills the rice for this sake less than most Junmais because she believes it results in the best expression of rice flavor, balance, and complexity.

-Light & Dry
-Lemon, Apricot, Earth

Question 7

Tokubetsu Junmai ‘Heaven’s Door’, Ama No To (Akita)

Answer 7

• The label image is an icon of good fortune from the Shinto Sun
  Goddess who is believed to have brought light to the world and cultivated
  Japan’s first rice fields.
• A true grower sake, made by rice farmers.
• Light & Dry
  -Floral and tropical aromas with a hint of nuttyness

-Pair with seafood

Question 8

Tokubetsu Junmai ‘Noble Arrow’, Taka (Yamaguchi)

Answer 8

Brewer, Takahiro Nagayama spent time apprenticing at iconic
burgundy producers to make sake that had the same intensity and
tension as the greatest wines n the world.
Light, dry &Refreshing
Melon, Lime, and Mint

Question 9

Junmai Ginjo 3 yrs aged ‘Star Filled Sky’, Mantensei (Tottori)

Answer 9

This sake is named for a lovely flowering plant that is a symbol for the
town where the brewery is located.
Rich & Sweet
Apple, Fennel, baking spice aromas

Question 10

Namazake Moon on the water

Answer 10

A fruity nose of lime and melon with bold hints of fennel, white pepper and allspice

sweetness

Question 10

Namazake Moon on the water

Answer 10

A fruity nose of lime and melon with bold hints of fennel, white pepper and allspice

sweetness

Question 10

Namazake Moon on the water

Answer 10

A fruity nose of lime and melon with bold hints of fennel, white pepper and allspice

sweetness

Question 11

Junmai Daiginjo, SOTO (Niigata)

Answer 11

• Off Dry
• Medium Bodied
• Green apple & Lemon

Question 12

Daiginjo, Joto (Hiroshima)

Answer 12

The 72 clocks on the label represent the 72 hours spent to carefully polish
the rice
Rich & Dry
soft acidity and mix of apple and pear notes.

Question 13

Junmai ‘Organaka’, Tentaka (Tochigi)

Answer 13

Rich & Dry
Mint, Melon, Steamed Rice

Question 14

Junmai ‘Nopa’, Shiokawa (Niigata)

Answer 14

Rich & Dry
lemon & papaya with hints of black pepper and smoke.
pronounced acidity.

Question 15

Junmai Ginjo ‘Bride of the Fox’, Kanbara (Niigata)

Answer 15

Inspired by local legends of Niigata’s annual fox-bride festival.
Rich & Dry
Mango, Strawberry, white pepper

Question 16

Junmai Ginjo ‘Olive’, Kawatsuru (Kagawa)

Answer 16

Made with yeast extracted from the Sanuki olive native to the region
melon, white flowers and green pear, salinity

Question 17

Kachou Gesseki Daiginjo ‘Morning Flower, Evening Moon’, Yuki No Bosha (Akita)

Answer 17

Competition grade sake
Light & dry
shows orange and peach on the
palate, and finishes with long, elegant honey notes

Question 18

Chosetsu Junmai Daiginjo ‘The Sound Of Snow’, Yuki No Bosha (Akita)

Answer 18

Competition grade sake: not easy to get

Legendary brewer

Light & sweet with a creamy texture that opens up as you drink

Asian pear, white flowers

Question 19

Junmai Daiginjo ‘Ultraluxe’, Toko (Yamagata)

Answer 19

Competition grade sake
Light & sweet
Elegant Bouquet of violets, roses, & tropical notes

Question 20

Cedar Barrel Aged ‘Untitled’, Kojimaya (Yamagata)

Answer 20

a sake that has remarkable intensity and concentration
Notes of maple, black cherry, and baking spice.

Question 21

Yamahai Junmai 12 yrs aged ‘Ancient Treasure’, Kanbara (Nigata)

Answer 21

Despite 12 years of aging, this sake still has a shocking amount of acidity
due to the technique of using 99% koji rice, compared to the industry
standard of 20%.

Rich & Sweet

Chocolate & Honey

Pair with Meat

Question 22

Sparkling Junmai ‘Awa’, Hakkaisan (Niigata)

Answer 22

Rich w some sweetness
Melon, Pear, Grapefruit
Great with Aperitif and starters

Question 23

Nama Junmai ‘Blue Door’, Brooklyn Kura (New York)

Answer 23

Rich & Dry
earthy with subtle notes of banana and ripe melon.

Question 24

Senkin “Immortal Wing” URARA Junmai Daiginjo

Answer 24

Rich, Off-Dry, Green Apple aromas/flavors

Question 25

Kaze no Mori “Alpha Type 3”

Answer 25

Light & Dry, Effervescent
Pear & Cucumber

Question 26

Honjozo ‘Yamahai Miyamanishiki’, Noguchi Naohiko (Ishikawa)

Answer 26

Unpasteurized
Rich, off-Dry, Complex
Berries, Herbs, Yogurt

Question 27

Junmai Ginjo ‘Ken’, Katsuyama (Miyagi)

Answer 27

Rich & Dry
Earth & sweet rice
Aperitif

Question 28

Daiginjo ‘Premium Reserve’, Kurosawa (Nagano)

Answer 28

Light & Sweet
Rice pudding, Coconut, Cashew
Meat & Seafood

Question 29

Daiginjo ‘BY - Library Release’, Kikuhime (Ishikawa)

Answer 29

This rare Library Release has been carefully aged for a decade before release.
Complex melon notes with hazelnut and an earthiness brought out by extended aging
contrasted by a big structure and chewy texture that broaden the flavor and make it exceedingly complex.
Pair with everything

Question 30

Junmai Daiginjo ‘Ginrei’, Kurosawa (Nagano) 300 ml

Answer 30

Rich & Dry
Pear, Kiwi, Pineapple
Pair with Seafood & Meat

Question 31

Junmai Daiginjo, Kirinzan (Niigata) 300 ml

Answer 31

Light & Dry
Citrus notes with savory mouthfeel & long finish

Question 32

Junmai Ginjo, Kirinzan (Niigata) 720 ml

Answer 32

Dry
Earth & steamed rice
Simple but has a lot going on

Question 33

Junmai Daiginjo ‘Asian Beauty - Ichiban Matoi’, Sumikawa (Yamaguchi)

Answer 33

Off Dry, medium bodied sake
fresh strawberry, ripe melon and papaya.

Question 34

Nigori, Wazake

Answer 34

Rich and delicate at the same time, with aromas of rice and milk as well as a touch of acidity on the finish which gives it a very nice balance

Question 35

Namazake Moon on the water, Fukucho

Answer 35

A fruity nose of lime and melon with bold hints of fennel, white pepper and allspice

Sweet

Question 36

Namazake Origin of Purity

Answer 36

powerful expression of namazake.

layers of smoke, molasses, toast cereal, and candied nuts.

Question 37

IWA 5

Answer 37

Made by the former Master Brewer of Dom Pérignon, this sake is “orchestrated” with 3 different rice varietals and 5 different brewing yeasts including 2 wine yeasts.

Rich and sweet
Weighty
Lychee, Rosemary, Honey notes