AZUMAICHI Junmai Ginjo 'Hakutsuru Nikishi' / 東一 純米吟醸 白鶴錦
Updated: Mar 28, 2024
Hakutsuru Nishiki is a rice suitable for sake brewing that was developed by Hakutsuru Sake Brewery in order to surpass Yamada Nishiki, which is known as the king of sake rice. One after another, sake breweries with high reputation and technological prowess have started brewing sake using Hakutsuru Nishiki, and are producing wonderful sake.
AZUMAICHI has also produced a sake that takes full advantage of Hakutsuru Nishiki's characteristics that give it a light flavor that is suitable for Daiginjo style. It has a stylish flavor that is typical of AZUMAICHI, with the umami flavor of the rice, but a modest sweetness, and a light acidity. This taste can only be achieved through the collaboration of AZUMAICHI and Hakutsuru Nishiki!
DATA
Rice：Hakutsuru Nishiki
Rice milling : milled to 49%
ABV : 14%
TYPE
Aroma : Gentle
Taste：Medium bodied
Serving temperature：Chilled
Gochoda Shuzo
Gochoda Shuzo, is located just a 20-minute drive away from the Ureshino hot spring district, nestled near the serene Shiota River. The brewery separated from the adjacent Seto Shuzo in 1922. Aiming to produce the best sake in East Asia, and named the sake "Azumaichi" (using characters that mean "East" and "one"). The ideals and beliefs of Gochoda Shuzo revolve around the relentless pursuit of quality and the continual advancement of traditional sake-making techniques, placing a strong emphasis on utilizing self-cultivated sake rice.
Sake Brewing Starts from Rice
Recently, it has become increasingly common for sake breweries to cultivate their own rice. However, Gochoda Shuzo have been cultivating their premium Yamada Nishiki rice since 1988. At that time, it was difficult to obtain Yamada Nishiki in Saga Prefecture, so through trial and error, a group of rice cultivators consisting primarily of sake brewers learned techniques for raising seedlings and managing water and fertilizer.
Gochoda Shuzo handle almost everything in-house, from milling the rice using their machines and building custom square wooden rice steamers to cultivating own strains of yeast. The outcome is a line of full-bodied sake bursting with flavor, showcasing its Kyushu roots while also revealing remarkable subtlety.
Well-balanced flavor profile of the five tastes
Azumaichi is a sake that represents the rich umami of rice. Furthermore, it strikes a harmonious balance among the five key sake flavors: sweetness, acidity, bitterness, astringency, and umami. This balance makes it an excellent companion for a wide range of dishes, making it a delightful choice to enjoy with meals.