Makiri is the Yamagata term for a fisherman's knife, and the cutting acidity of this sake from Tohoku Meijo brewery lends shape to the term.
Lemon, mineral, and floral notes sing, with a sharp and zippy, pink peppercorn finish. When it's first opened, Makiri shows stronger fruit flavors on the surface: rainier cherry, green apple, lemon-lime soda, but as the flavors settle over 2-3 weeks, more complexity and savory notes (pepper, grain) come to the fore. It's a SHARP, dry sake that performs best when served with food, especially rich, fatty foods like pork and melted cheese. For some, this sake can be a bit TOO dry on its own!
Pairing
I had this with a bowl of guacamole and it was to die for, pulling the lime and cilantro out of the background. With a cheese plate, this extra-dry sake brought out a lovely sweetness in aged, hard cheeses such as mimolette and parmesan. This is an especially versatile brew because of its lemon pepper notes, dryness, and relatively clean umami from the kimoto.
Stats
- Brewery: Tohoku Meijo
- Brand: Makiri
- Grade: Junmai Ginjo Kimoto
- Rice: Miyamanishiki
- Polish: 55-60%
- Prefecture: Yamagata
- SMV +8
- ABV: 16%
- Acidity: 1.5