Kagatobi Junmai Ginjō Hiyaoroshi

Kagatobi Junmai Ginjō Hiyaoroshi (加賀鳶 純米吟醸 冷やおろし) is made with 80% Kinmonnishiki (Kijimadaira, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture) and 20% Yamadanishiki (Taka Town, Naka Ward, Hyōgo Prefecture). "Hiyaoroshi" (冷やおろし) is a style of sake brewed in winter, pasteurised once at low temperature, and then stored in the brewery for around six months to mature through the summer. When autumn arrives and the temperature of the air matches that of the sake, it is bottled and released without undergoing a second pasteurisation. This seasonal release, a familiar autumn tradition, is known for its balance and smoothness — the youthful sharpness of freshly pressed sake mellows into a rounder, more harmonious flavour over the summer months.

In Ishikawa Prefecture, breweries traditionally release their hiyaoroshi around the Chōyō no Sekku (重陽の節句) festival on 9 September, marking the beginning of the autumn sake season. Designed as a food-friendly sake, it pairs well with autumn dishes.

This junmai ginjō is brewed using high-quality sake rice grown under contract and pure natural water known as "Hyakunen-mizu" (百年水), which takes more than a century to filter down from the sacred Mount Hakusan (白山) to the brewery's 150 metre-deep underground aquifer. After maturing over one summer, it is bottled unpasteurised. The result is a sake with a light ginjō aroma reminiscent of fruit and a smooth, full-bodied umami. It has been certified kosher by the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

The label design follows the recently updated look of the regular Kagatobi Junmai Ginjō, with an additional shoulder label indicating "Hiyaoroshi." The striking gold motif of "clouds and lightning" (雲に雷 kumo ni ikazuchi) recalls the emblem printed on the long hanten coats once worn by the Kaga domain's fire brigades known as the "Kagatobi" (加賀鳶). This symbol has been used as the brand's mark since its launch in 1992.

Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery is located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. It was founded in 1625. The culture of Kanazawa flourished during the Edo period when the capital of Kaga Province became famous for its craftsmanship in kimono, gold beating, lacquer craft and ceramics. The town, surrounded by the sea and mountains, also enjoyed a rich food culture. Today, it is known as a modern city with a history of traditional Japanese culture that is still appreciated. Fukumitsuya is known as a junmai-gura, a brewery specialising in junmai sake.

The Kagatobi label (加賀鳶) derives from the firefighters of Kaga (modern-day Ishikawa Prefecture) who served at the domain's Edo residence. They conveyed an image of strength and resilience, being highly skilled but short-tempered, qualities that made them popular among the population of Edo. Kagatobi is made from high-quality sake rice and local groundwater, with a variety of tastes reminiscent of the Kaga firefighters.