Type
Taruhei Brewery · Yamagata
Gin Sumiyoshi Tokubetsu Junmai Taruzake
$14.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Sasanishiki
Prefecture
Yamagata
Flavor profileEach scale is our tasting-room read on where this bottle sits between two extremes — dry to sweet, light to full-bodied, soft to acidic, and subtle to aromatic. These are subjective, however, and will shift with food, serveware & temp.
DrySweetBone dry: crisp and clean, almost no perceptible sweetness. Everyone will read "5" as dry.
LightFullLight: lean and easy, mellow, has enough flavor and umami to give it character but generally really easy to drink. This is the most common weight for junmai ginjo/ginjo sake.
SoftAcidicVery soft: gentle and mellow, almost no perceptible acidity. A "1" sake isn't flat or boring, but is balanced around overall subtlety and softness, using other characteristics to give it structure.
SubtleAromaticModerate aroma: noticeable from the glass. Most often, moderate intensity aromas are either ginjo-ka (fruit, florals) or koshu-ka (nuts, mushroom, brown sugar).
Pairs with
Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, Imoni, Steak Yakitori, Hibachi, BBQ, grilled mushroom and vegetable skewers, fire-roasted sweet potato. If it's cooked in or over fire, and it's real toasty and nice, Gin Sumiyoshi is a silver bullet.
Gin Sumiyoshi is brewed with a special local eating rice, sasanishiki, which was developed in Sendai, Miyagi for the cool climates of Northern Japan. Taruhei omits the charcoal filtration step, which results in a delicate amber hue. The finished sake is dry and rich, finished by aging only for a brief period in taru--cedar barrels-- which confers a much milder cedar flavor than you'd find in standard taruzake.
Gin Sumiyoshi is well loved by serious sake fans. As evidenced by the old-school, Showa-era, post-WW2 retro label that has not changed in forever...this is not an impressive, showboat, tutti-fruity sake. This is a sake for traditionalists, hearty eaters, and grumpy old men, like me 🙋♀️. "This is how true sake should taste."
Notes of dried persimmon, kokuto sugar, miso chocolate chip cookies, London dry gin, Dolin vermouth and smoky fireplace.
Ground shipping is $25 to $40, free at 12 bottles.
Free pickup at our Portland shop. An adult (21+) with photo ID must be present for delivery.
Specifications
Region: Tohoku
Type: Tokubetsu Junmai & Tokubetsu Honjozo
Style: Koshu: Aged
Rice: Sasanishiki
Rice-Polishing Ratio: 60%
ABV: 15-16%
SMV: +5
Acidity: 1.9
Yeast: Kyokai #7
Size: 720ml
Shipping
Ships to most states, not Alaska, Hawaii or Utah. No sales tax (Oregon). Free Ground shipping at 12 bottles. Pickup at our Portland shop is free.
Pick up in person
Shop open Tu–Sun. Order online and pick up at the shop — 107 SE Washington St. #121, Portland, Oregon.
