Keigetsu Aikawa-Homare Junmai Yamahai

Rice - Gin no Yume � Prefecture - Kochi Brewery - Tosa Brewing Company Limited Color - Light Green Aroma - Steam �, �, �, � Taste - Light Umami - Medium First impression - Lively Body - Light Sweetness - Medium Dry Tail/length - Medium Overall - First time trying a yamahai �. Yamahai means lactic acid is not added but occurred naturally. With the Yamahai method, it definitely produces a varied aromas of fruits and �. Also the � going into this �is not the common Yamadanishiki or Gohyakumangoku and is grown on terraced fields instead. ***** it chilled around 14 degree. Strong � and � aroma when first interacted with the nose but� favor kicks in during first taste. Medium umami and length makes this �a well balanced one. 3 days later decided to try this �at Atsukan temperature 50 degree Celsius because it was raining the whole day. I was amazed how great tasting the sake became. The � aroma was replaced by a clean crisp note of steam � and alcohol which really enhances the � I was pairing it with. I like it especially when one can truly enjoy 2 different ways of appreciating 1 �. 亁杯

Clear, very faint yellowish appearance (almost colourless) with high viscosity. Nose: Apple, pear, melon, fresh cream, sea-salt, fresh wood shavings Palate: Apple, pear, melon, banana, fresh cream, fresh wood shavings, white pepper, dark chocolate. Body: Medium (-) Alcohol: Medium. Umami: Medium. Acidity: Medium (-). Personal opinion: Some intensity of aroma and complexity were observed. Ginjo-ka were evident on both the note and palate (more muted on the palate). On the palate, additional spice notes notes were observed as well, though they manifest more evidently as aftertaste. Some lactic and woody-notes were also observed, though they tend to be covered by the other more predominant flavours. Sake has a medium body (smooth and light texture) and is slightly dry. Astringency was definitely present in the sake too. Some attack was felt, and it has a slightly long finish which started off as peppery-chocolate(ty) notes and gradually fades away, leaving behind the subtle wood-shaving notes. For a Yamahai, this is rather refined and slightly more elegant, probably due to the higher polishing ratio. With the slight astringency, spicy notes and the umami, it might actually goes well with grilled meat such as chicken. I also tried this with some Japanese Kimchi (for experimental sake), and it really amplify the flavours (and of course, the spiciness). I was rather surprised that the Ginjo-ka is the more prevalent notes, rather than the lactic and more gamey notes (since this is a Yamahai).

Yamahai. Smooth. Very slight sourness.

Good