Type
Aoki Shuzo · Niigata
Yuki Otoko Honjozo "Yeti"
$26.00
No sales tax — Oregon
Rice
Gohyakumangoku, Koshiibuki
Prefecture
Niigata
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.
DrySweetBone dry: crisp and clean, almost no perceptible sweetness. Everyone will read "5" as dry.
LightFullVery light: delicate and water-clean on the palate, light in flavor and overall presence.
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.
SubtleAromaticVery subtle aroma: almost no aroma, maybe a little rice, chestnut, or pear. Usually comes with a subtle flavor profile as well.
Aoki Shuzo, makers of Kakurei, designed "Yuki Otoko" to be their super-dry brand of sake. For a while, it was so popular in Japan that the annual production sold out too quickly to export! They’ve since scaled up, so it comes to the US in limited amounts.
Yuki Otoko Honjozo is the lighter cousin of Y.O. junma: iboth in terms of $$ ($5 less!), and style. If Junmai is the one submerging its giant yeti-feet into the crunching snow, Honjozo is the one dancing on the snow so lightly that it doesn't fall through.
The palate is super fresh and clean, with a crisp edge like sparkling mineral water.
Unlike some honjozo that unwrap into layers on the palate, here we stay clean and forward: delicate notes of white rice, poached pear, chestnut, but it really feels like the aruten aspect brings the crystal-clear water into focus. Lovely balance.
In an interview, I once read something to the effect of: subtlety in sake is more difficult to achieve than loud expression. Turning the volume down while maintaining beauty and balance is the hard part. This is a testament to that concept.
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
Type: Honjozo & Futsushu
Rice: Gohyakumangoku, Koshiibuki
Rice-Polishing Ratio: 65%
ABV: 15.5%
SMV: +8
Acidity: 1.2
Size: 720ml
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.
