Suishin Kyūkyoku no Daiginjō

Suishin Kyūkyoku no Daiginjō (究極の大吟醸, "Ultimate Daiginjō") is made of 100% Yamada Nishiki rice, carefully milled to 30%. It is called the "sake that Taikan loved." Yokoyama Taikan was a Japanese artist who called Suishin's sake an art form. The Ultimate Sake is produced in a limited quantity with the famously soft water of Hiroshima, the birthplace of nansui shikomi (軟水仕込み), soft-water brewing. Mihara's "ultrasoft" water from Mount Takanosu, in the central area of Hiroshima Prefecture, results in a gentle, full and fine taste characteristic of soft-water brewing. Hiroshima was the first region in Japan to develop the Ginjō-zukuri method of brewing. The Ultimate Daiginjō is brewed using traditional techniques. It is recommended to drink it chilled.

Awards:

• 2020: 'First Prize, Highest Award' at the National Autumn Liquor Concours (秋季全国酒類コンクール)
• 2020: 'First Prize Special Award' in the National Spring Liquor Concours (春季全国酒類コンクール)
• 2019: First Prize in the National Autumn Liquor Concours
• 2018: Awarded 'First Place Special Prize' at the National Autumn Liquor Concours
• 2018: Awarded the Silver Prize in the Daiginjō category at the International Wine Challenge
• 2018: Highest Gold Medal in the Daiginjō category at the Fine Sake Award Japan

Suishinyamane Honten Brewery is located in Mihara (三原), Hiroshima Prefecture. It was founded in 1860. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), more than twenty different types of sake were brewed under the name Suishin (醉心). Hiroshima sake is typically dry and sweet, while Suishin is also crisp and dry, making it an excellent food pairing.

The region of Mihara is renowned for sake production, witnessed by the fact that it was mentioned in the Man'yōshū (万葉集), a collection of Japanese waka poetry from the 8th​ century, as 'Kibi no sake' and in the Kefukigusa (毛吹草), another compilation of poetry. Mihara is located in the centre of San'yō on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea coast. It is a typical castle town that sprawled around Mihara Castle (三原城), constructed by Kobayakawa Takakage (小早川隆景, 1533-1597), the third son of Mori Motonari. The town was a busy commercial centre and a transportation hub, which is thought to have contributed to the development of sake brewing in Mihara. While most sake was cloudy in the Edo period, Mihara was already brewing sake that matched modern techniques.

In Hiroshima, sake brewing is nansui shikomi (軟水仕込み, "soft-water brewing"), as the local water has few traces of calcium, iron, magnesium and other elements, which allows fermentation to proceed gently and produces a mild taste on the palate.