Dewatsuru's series of Akita festival-themed cup sake are about as cute as it gets, and made a delicious train tipple on my recent trip to Akita. When I saw they were going to be available in the US, I put in an order immediately!
Akita's Summer festival is represented by the Kanto Lantern Festival cup, while Winter is represented by the Yuzawa Inukko festival and the Oga Namahage festival. All share the same sake inside, which has a soft and mellow aroma of stone fruits, milk chocolate, and earth. The sake itself has a fresh vibrancy with pure rice flavor. Dry with a higher acidity, this junmai is excellent paired with strong flavors and rich foods.
It's a celebration. Kampai!! :)
Stats:
- Location: Daisen, Akita
- Rice: Menkoina (locally grown, Akita variety)
- Polishing: 65%
- Water: Subsoil (Fukuryusui) from the Dewa Hills
- Yeast: AK-1 (Akita Konno #1)
- SMV: +5
- Acidity: 1.6
- Starter method: Sokujo
- Aged: 1 year in tank prior to bottling
Background:
Founded in 1865 as Yamato Shuzoten, Akita Seishu's sake brewing policy over its 150-year history has been to grow rice locally, brew sake with a local flavor, and endeavor to make sake that is loved by the community. In recent years, the brewery has focused on producing Junmai sake mainly using the traditional Akita-Style Kimoto method that was popular at the time of the company's founding.