Name: Rihaku Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu "Origin of Purity"
Brand: RNDC
Price: 44.0 USD
Availability: InStock

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720ml

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This 2024 release is quite a bit more mellow than past years-- where I'd ordinarily categorize it with the Terada Honke's and Kidoizumi's, this year it's a subtler sort of wild card. Notes of honeysuckle, rose, cantaloupe, nougat, sweet carrot juice, fresh ginger, vanilla and loquat dance giddily on the palate, taking me somewhere deep into my sensory past. The palate is full and flavorful, with that natural sort of carrot-root bass notes balancing the gingery, floral high notes. The finish has a buzzy heat-- not alcohol, not astringency-- that I can only describe as the burn of fresh ginger beer.

Rihaku fans: Origin of Purity is at once totally unlike the rest of the Rihaku line (subtle, mineral, low volume), but simultaneously the truest expression of the brewery, the passion project of its owner, and the beating heart from which Dreamy Clouds and Wandering Poet emanate.

When now-president and 5th generation kuramoto Yuichiro Tanaka was studying at university (Todai, Tokyo Agricultural University fermentation department) his focus was on flower yeasts. A handful of breweries, for instance Amabuki, now specialize in sake brewed using yeasts derived from flowers-- this is thanks to the research Tanaka-san contributed to. And when he returned to his home brewery, he created a line of sake-- Rihaku-- which is delicious and clean, super mountain-influenced flavors, truly among my favorites. Which is why Origin of Purity-- undiluted at 17%, made with Shimane Omachi rice, utilizing flower yeast-- is such a stunning departure from the rest of the line, and yet, feels like it belongs.

Brewery: Rihaku Sake Brewery, 李白酒造
Location: Matsue, Shimane Prefecture
Brand: Rihaku
Grade: Junmai Ginjo Muroka Genshu Namazake
Polish: 55%
Prefecture: Shimane
Yeast: Hanakobo (flower yeast) - Creeping rose
Rice: Omachi
Starter: ko-on tooka
Established: 1882

Shimane, the kuramoto says, is really in the middle of nowhere and as it has no shinkansen it’s fairly low population. The weather is cool, foggy, cloudy, receiving moody vibes from the Japan Sea that faces China and Russia.
I asked him about hanakobo, as he is a member of the hanakobo society and used to engage in hanakobo development when he was at Tokyo (Nodai) University. To identify saccharomyces cerevisiae suited to sake brewing, which is an alcohol fermenter like wine yeast but very distinct in other respects (different tolerances, even different shape under a microscope) researchers expose the prospective yeast to an antibiotic produced naturally by koji mold. Sake yeast can withstand this antibiotic, but other yeasts can’t. Once it’s determined that the yeast can survive it, then you begin the process of iteration to create a yeast with desirable characteristics and resistance to high alcohol. Only members of the hanakobo society are permitted to use these yeasts!

Origin of Purity is a phenomenal pairing for anything wasabi, anything ume, anything shiso. With a snack (Wasabi crackers = 100%) the punchy alcohol fades and the intense, rich mouthfeel takes its place. Something interesting also happens with cheese, butter and cream-- the creamy dairy notes persist and become floral, fresh, like raw mountain milk. 1 + 2 becomes Z, that is, something totally different than each component on its own. Its also notable that Rihaku recommends pairing with broiled mackerel...and who could disagree?