Kaitō Otokoyama Junmai

We revisited Kaito Otokoyama's Junmai, relying on a bigger calibre: an isshobin to help us through the cold winter evenings. Why does sake always taste better from bigger bottles?

We fired it up right away this time, and it was as splendid as the last time. Even when served warm, it retains its pleasant fruitiness and a refreshing acidity. We had a bit of a nostalgic sentiment towards Kaito Otokoyama. We found this sake for the first time on a bicycle tour that led us from Sendai to Niigata around 2008. We spent the night in a deserted minshuku close to Zaosan and found this excellent bottle in a nearby convenience store. The label brought back a lot of memories.

Kaitō Otokoyama Junmai presents a complex aroma of dried fruit, narazuke pickles, and shiitake mushrooms with a subtle sweetness. The palate is smooth and mellow, with a balanced acidity and moderate sweetness. It's a light-bodied sake with a refreshing mouthfeel and a pronounced dry finish. Flavours of fruity sweetness and steamed rice are prominent. The brewery recommends serving it chilled between 15-18 degrees Celsius or slightly warmed to about 45 degrees Celsius. While the chilled sake loses some crispness at room temperature, becoming more elegant and sweet, it truly shines when warmed. The acidity and crispness diminish, leaving a well-rounded sweetness that makes it one of the kanzake we've tasted.

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Appearance: clear and lemon-green
Nose: medium-
Aroma: sweet, spicy
Sweetness: medium-dry
Acidity: medium
Umami: medium
Alcohol: medium
Body: light
Flavour intensity: medium
Flavour characteristics: Rich and mellow
Texture: standard
Finish: short, acid
Quality level: very good