Type
Kikuhime Shuzo · Ishikawa
Kikuhime Junmai Yamahai
$46.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Yamada Nishiki (AAA Class grown in Yokawa, Hyogo)
Prefecture
Ishikawa
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.
DrySweetBalanced dry: reads as dry, with a little bit of softness, or maybe a fruit/brown sugar note that tempers the impression of dryness. Most people will read "2" as dry.
LightFullMedium: a bit of richness or creaminess, heft, more flavor intensity, more presence, sometimes higher alcohol or sweetness. A lot of namazake sits here.
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.
SubtleAromaticSubtle aroma: if you stick your nose in, you'll get a few quiet notes of fruit, grains, nuts & rice. Aroma isn't a big part of this sake's character. An aromatically quiet sake can still have a powerful flavor, though.
Profoundly executed, this earthy, spiced Junmai from Kikuhime-- famed longtime domain of Japan's greatest toji, Noguchi Naohiko-- is without a doubt the most complex of this year's brews.
On a subtle platform, dryadic notes of forest floor, nutmeg, chestnut, sweet fennel pollen, matsutake and adzuki bean, whisk me away to somewhere quiet and still. Every so often I encounter sake that demonstrate the power of balance and subtlety. This is like, so far and away the best hiyaoroshi of the year, it's unfair (I think - Nina). An uninhibited, undiluted, unapologetically untrendy 18% genshu powerhouse that never feels like a hammer. It has the most sultry duality of aromatic autumn fruit: quince, poached pear, some kind of elegant alien banana, & the distilled essence of a walk in the forest.
Most known for their astronomically expensive, collectible cellar releases (10 years+ in age), this is a rare opportunity to experience their famed craftsmanship for under $100.
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: Chubu
Type: Junmai
Style: Yamahai, Koshu: Aged
Rice: Yamada Nishiki (AAA Class grown in Yokawa, Hyogo)
Rice-Polishing Ratio: 65%
ABV: 18%
SMV: -2
Acidity: 2.0
Yeast: Kikuhime House
Size: 720ml / 1800ml
Poured at our Wednesday Flight
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.
