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.
Your case:
$30 flat-rate case shipping (up to 12 bottles) — the more you add, the less per bottle. Per federal requirements, an adult (21+) with photo ID must be present to receive the delivery.
Sake Club members: $20 shipping (up to 12 bottles) with your club bottles About the clubs
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
Available nationwide to states and counties that permit alcohol. No sales tax (Oregon). Flat-rate case shipping; in-store pickup available.
Pick up in person
Shop open Tu–Sun. Order online and pick up at the shop — 107 SE Washington St. #121, Portland, Oregon.
