Type
Kato Kahachiro Shuzo · Yamagata
Ohyama Junmai "Aka"
$30.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Haenuki (local)
Prefecture
Yamagata
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.
SoftAcidicVery soft: gentle and mellow, almost no perceptible acidity. A "1" sake isn't flat or boring, but is balanced around overall subtlety and softness, using other characteristics to give it structure.
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.
Pairs with
Salty, umami-driven cuisine will bring out its best side. I'd love to have this with fondue, thanksgiving leftovers, tonkotsu ramen, fake (or real) chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce, a pulled pork sandwich... really anything savory with just a tad bit of sweetness should do the trick.
To me, Aka is nostalgic. It's a symphony of all the breakfast cereals of my youth: wheaties, grape nuts, cheerios, kix, and raisin bran (my parents didn't let me have the sugary stuff!) along with familiar notes of just-ripe banana, yogurt, clotted cream, toasted nuts and almond milk.
Aka isn't going to knock you out of your seat, but if you're anything like me, it will be a comforting and familiar flavor profile you don't want to stop drinking. Lovely texture and balance, on the dry side, fantastic at any temperature. A goldilocks sake-- perfect just as it is-- for lovers of other classically styled junmai like Hatsumago, Masumi, or Fukucho Hattanso.
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
Region: Tohoku
Type: Junmai
Rice: Haenuki (local)
Rice-Polishing Ratio: 70% (kakemai), 75% (kojimai)
ABV: 15%
SMV: +7
Acidity: 1.5
Yeast: Yamagata NF-KA
Size: 720ml
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.
