Type
Kikuhime Junmai Yamahai
$46.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Yamada Nishiki (AAA Class grown in Yokawa, Hyogo)
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.
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: Chubu
Class: Junmai
Style: Yamahai
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
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.
