Misuzu SUN-ROKU Junmai Ginjō

Misuzu SUN-ROKU Junmai Ginjō (美寿々 SUN-ROKU 火入純米吟醸) is made of Yamaenishiki rice grown in Matsukawa Village, Kitaazumino District, Nagano. Kumagai Naotaro, the son of the current owner of Mizuzu Shuzō (美寿々酒造), has embarked on developing a new product, reflecting on the brewery's mission and vision for the future. Focusing on "drinkability," the new product is a low-alcohol sake designed to serve as an accessible entry point for younger generations in their twenties and thirties and those who have yet to experience sake. Mizuzu Shuzō announced the launch of its new brand, "SUN-ROKU." Created to preserve the sake tradition for future generations, this sake invites those unfamiliar with the drink and younger audiences to discover and appreciate its qualities. It is a low-alcohol genshu (undiluted sake), carefully pasteurised (火入 hi-ire) to retain freshness.

The aroma is subdued yet elegant, featuring refreshing notes of green apple and pears with a faint underlying acidity reminiscent of the brewery's unpasteurised offerings. On the palate, delicate fruit flavours unfold alongside a lively juiciness, culminating in a refined aftertaste of gentle sweetness and soft umami. The sake's light and crisp character encourages effortless enjoyment. For optimal appreciation of its refreshing qualities, serving this sake well chilled is recommended.

SUN-ROKU was named after the panoramic view of Shiojiri from the Higashiyama Sanroku Line (東山山麓線). This place has long been a key transportation hub and a busy place with people. The word "SUN" derives from the view of the sun shining down in a ribbon of light and is combined with the "san" (山 mountain) of the Sanroku Line.

Misuzu Sake Brewery in Shiojiri, Nagano, was founded in 1893 as Shimizu Jōzōten (清水醸造店) and incorporated in 1955 under the name Misuzu (美寿々). The sake's name was chosen after the Shinano pillow word (枕詞, figure of speech) "misuzukaru" (みすずかる). Shiojiri-juku has flourished as a posttown since the Edo period . The area is located in a semi-highland area at an altitude of 750 metres, and the water and air are clean, making it an ideal environment for sake brewing. The water used for brewing sake is soft and delicate water from the Narai River system, enabling smooth, soft sake production. After graduating from the Department of Brewing at Tokyo University of Agriculture, Kumagai Naoji (熊谷直二) has been involved in sake brewing for over 40 years and has been Misuzu's head brewer since 2000.