Type
Kaetsu Shuzo · Niigata
Kanbara Junmai Genshu Koshu "Ancient Treasure"
$87.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Prefecture
Niigata
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.
DrySweetPerceptibly sweet: very juicy, with a sweetness that lingers on the finish. Often balanced by more acidity. Sake in this category can pair nicely with desserts & sweeter foods, like BBQ sauce. No one will read "4" as dry, but many won't consider it especially sweet, either.
LightFullVery full: big, dense and viscous, layered and very complex, and/or lots of sweetness, alcohol, umami & age (or all the above). Like a strong cocktail, you'll sip a 5 more slowly.
SoftAcidicAbove-average acidity, an important part of this sake's character, but nowhere near sour/tart. Lift, refreshing. When paired with higher sweetness, it creates a juicy, ripe impression.
SubtleAromaticModerate aroma: noticeable from the glass. Most often, moderate intensity aromas are either ginjo-ka (fruit, florals) or koshu-ka (nuts, mushroom, brown sugar).
This unique sake is a 12 years aged (approximately-- the brewer uses a solera system of fractional blending, think of it like a mother sauce), and is made of 99% koji rice, aged in tank. The 99% koji and low polishing of the rice (90%), plus brewing with the high-acidity yamahai method, give the sake enough sweetness, structure and acidity to stand the test of time. Why 99% koji and not 100%? Because that inclusion of 1% plain steamed rice lets it legally qualify as sake in Japan. In contrast, Nanbu Bijin's All Koji is not legally sake.
Kaetsu Shuzo calls this style “jijoshu,” which is a term they invented, as it has much more acidity and glucose than most koshu but is not technically kijoshu. Dr. Sato of Kaetsu heads a society dedicated to studying the aging of sake and has been doing it longer than most (actively brewing >50 years now!)
Kaetsu's Kanbara brand (of Kanbara Junmai Ginjo Bride of the Fox) was created to make non-Niigata styles of sake (their original brand, Kirin, is much more Niigata-like). Kaetsu exports most of their Kanbara production to europe and the US as they love the idea of their sake being served chilled in fine glassware with international foods like foie gras, blue cheese, or ribeye with caramelized onions.
Enjoy as you would a tawny port, madiera or oloroso sherry.
Stats:
- Location: Niigata
- Rice: Yamadanishiki, Koshitanrei (local)
- Polishing: ~70-90%
- Starter method: Yamahai
- Other: genshu (undiluted), muroka (unfined), tank aged appx. 12 years, 99% koji
Your case:
Ground shipping: $25 to the West, $35 to the Central states, $40 to the East. Free pickup at our Portland shop.
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
Out of stock. Get an email when it's back
We'll email you once when it's back in stock.
Specifications
Poured at our Wednesday Flight
- Wednesday Lessons: Niigata — Land of Rice & Snow, Feb 15, 2023
Shipping
Available nationwide to states and counties that permit alcohol. No sales tax (Oregon). Ground shipping is priced by region, and pickup at the 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.
