Type
Nate Shuzoten · Wakayama
Kuroushi Junmai "Black Bull"
$27.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Omachi
Prefecture
Wakayama
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.
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.
SoftAcidicSoft: the most common degree of acidity for sake. A little bit of acidity to give it structure and keep the flavor refreshing, but acidity isn't an important part of its identity.
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.
Although labeled as a junmai, Kuroushi white label is polished to 55%: well into ginjo polishing and nearly a daiginjo! It's more unctuous and richer, though, than its polishing level would let on. A touch of pink peppercorn lends complexity and astringency but overall, this wide, gentle beast is all about the texture.
Stats:
- Region: Wakayama
- Rice: Yamadanishiki
- Polishing: 55% (per brewery website, seems like it varies 55-58% depending year)
- Yeast: 901
- ABV: 15.6%
- SMV: +4 (dry)
Brewery:
A producer specializing in Junmai and selling the majority of its products to the local market, Kuroushi is highly regarded within Wakayama and associated with the umami-driven junmai style. "Black Bull" is named for one of the 50 Famous Waters of Kishu, "Kuroushi no Mizu" (aka black bull water) which has a high mineral content. This minerality drives happy, vigorous fermentations that break down the rice more fully, leading to a high amino acid content (aka more umami for you). This famous spring emerges from a black bull statue and is used by several local breweries. While the brewery is reluctant-- as so many are-- to use the term terroir, they concede that "if you dare to think of "terroir", water occupies an important position."
In addition, this is one of the few breweries that- in the interest of attracting good talent, and offering a better work/life balance for their employees- has transitioned to year-round employment, as of 2017. The industry standard has been difficult, 24/7 seasonal work (a bit like wine harvests) for hundreds of years, but forward thinking breweries like Kuroushi have introduced new products, such as plum wine, amazake, and narazuke (a regional, aged sake kasu pickle) as well as other sources of revenue (seaside inn, tasting room) to keep their staff gainfully employed all year long.
For more information on the 50 Famous Waters of Kishu: http://www.wakkun.or.jp/meisui/meisui.htm
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.
Out of stock. Get an email when it's back
We'll email you once when it's back in stock.
Specifications
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.
