I’ve always been a bit skeptical about sake. A few years ago, the only thing I would hear of it was that it tasted strong & weird. Not defined as any type of alcoholic beverages that we’re used to, it seemed like a wild beast to tame. Nowadays, sake has gained a lot of popularity in Northern America, providing with more & more examples of quality products. I’m far from an expert, so this is my first official review & it will be followed by others as well as articles. I always do my research upon drinking a sake in order to see whether the brewery recommends having it chilled, room temperature or warm. Masumi mentions on its website that Okuden Kanzukuri is good chilled & even better when warm, so I tried both to compare.
Okuden Kanzukuri
Brewed by Masumi/Miyasaka Brewing Co.
Type: Junmai
Region: Suwa, Nagano, Japan
Rice: Miyama Nishiki, Hitogokochi both from Nagano Prefecture
Polishing rate: 60%
Yeast: Masumi No. 7, Koji
Alcohol: 15%
Sake Meter Value: +1
Acidity: 1.7
Appearance: 8/10
The sake comes in a nice little green bottle with a tight cap. I’ve never seen such a thing, it is like a plastic cover that you unwrap, in order to reveal the plastic cork under it. It looks very hermetic, although I can’t confirm how efficient it really is. The green tinted glass is probably not the best as always, but it’s already better than clear glass. Unfortunately, I don’t read Japanese (yet) so understanding the label was impossible for me. The website had a well translated English version, so it allowed me to know more on what I was going to drink.
Nose: 12/15
When served chilled the floral aspect was the first thing that it me with a hint of melon rind & blueberries. The rice is still very apparent, lending a grainy note reminiscent of mushy white rice with a mild sweetness. There are subtle dried apricots & ginger in the background enhancing the slightly sweet aspect mentioned before. The nose isn’t incredibly aromatic, but from what I get it’s rather pleasant. After warming it up, the floral profile is much more present & the same fruits appear fresh instead of dried. The ginger evolves into a more herbaceous spice, something along oregano & tarragon. The rice character seems even more cooked at this point, lending intense aromas of wet grains.
Mouth: 12/15
Very soft & delicate, Okuden Kanzukuri is medium-bodied with an off-dry palate. When served chilled, there is a hint of acidity that brings out the flavours, although the impression is definitely of a round & slightly viscous sake. The floral profile is reminiscent of apple blossoms. Some fruits shine through, like pineapple as well as apricots, peaches & white strawberries. A faint note of butter & vanilla makes it way slowly as it warms up to room temperature. It makes me think of some well-executed Chardonnay of the New World, but much softer. There is a mild toasted bread flavour that keeps showing up without ever being too present, only contributing to the complexity of the sake. The rice is pretty similar to what was found on the nose, white & slightly overcooked. This is definitely one of the most delicate sakes I’ve tried. It’s very flavourful, without overwhelming the palate with strong umami notes. After warming it up, the sake remains elegant even though the flavours it carries are much more intense. The acidity has rounder edges and it contributes, with an increased sweetness, to a more viscous & soft sake. It appears a little grainier than when chilled, which brings an additional layer to the fruity & floral aspect. The buttery & vanilla flavours have been toned down, as opposed to what I was expecting. The melon notes which were detected on the nose are back, lending some ripe honeydew & cantaloupe.
Finish: 7/10
The finish is of medium length with notes of flowers, apples & a hint of dried fruits. The sweetness doesn’t carry through, while the acidity lasts a bit longer. A pleasant bitterness appears a the very end. Surprisingly, the finish on the warm sake was noticeably shorter, lasting only a few seconds.
Overall: 78/100
A very nice sake. I must admit I’m still dabbling in this vast world, but from what I’ve tasted this is something very different. Much more delicate & complex with less accent towards the umami flavours that some styles can carry. Personally, I preferred the chilled version, although I cannot say it was unpleasant when warm.
3-word description:
Delicate, Fruity & Floral.
The Reference:
More information @masumi.co.jp
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