Kenbishi "Mizuho" Junmai
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Kenbishi Mizuho Junmai is a masterful blend of rich, aged flavors: brown sugar, toasted nuts, pastry, wild mushrooms, earth, spice, steaming brown rice, and brown butter. On the palate it's velvety and dense, like an oaky Napa Valley merlot.
Mizuho warms nicely to any temperature, although I like it most at around 110F, where the sweetness and aroma are enhanced but the acidity is still mellow. This 517 year old classic is a treat for both connoisseurs and historians.
Brewery: Kenbishi Shuzou, 剣菱酒造
Location: Hyogo, Japan
Classification: Junmai
Rice: Yamadanishiki (Toku A), Aiyama
Polishing: Blend. 70% minimum
Starter method: Yamahai
Aging: 2-8 y
SMV: +1
Acidity: 1.7
ABV: 17%
A singular, historic Hyogo brewery, which is utterly committed to its recipes and tradition. Kenbishi tastes like Kenbishi...it's a house style, blended, the junmai is aged an average of 8 years, from an unknown combination of rice, polishing ratios and techniques (except yamahai-- we do know it involves yamahai!)
In order to preserve their traditional methods, Kenbishi has played a significant role in keeping the local cooperage and forestry industries alive. At one point, because of the widespread use of stainless steel and fiberglass, Hyogo prefecture was down to one elderly master cooper with no apprentices. Now, with the support of Kenbishi, a 3-person cooperage is flourishing and encouraging tojis to return to the old ways.
Rich dark chocolate, nuts, crackers and raisin butter.
