This sake is made by maturing Nama (unpasteurized) Genshu (undiluted sake), and is great for enjoying warm.
This is a "3-star" sake (sakazuki), a sake ranked as one of the best in the category of sake suitable for heating by several of our expert tasters.
Okuharima Yamahai Hyogo Yumenishiki
Vintage | 2020 |
Years aged | 2 years |
- 2010 or later
- All Products
- Less than 5,000 yen
- Light Yellow/Green
- More attractive when warmed
- Throughout the meal
- Brewer:Shimomura Sake Brewery
- Alcohol:17.3 degrees
- Volume:720ml
[ Drinking alcohol under the age of 20 is prohibited by law. ]
Shimomura Sake Brewery is located in the Banshu region of Hyogo Prefecture, which is known for producing high-quality Yamada Nishiki sake rice.
This sake is made by maturing Nama (unpasteurized) Genshu (undiluted) sake brewed using the ancient Yamahai starter method, and is particularly characterized by its overflowing charm.
Please enjoy the rich flavor, the tantalizing acidity and sharpness, and the unique aroma of matured fresh sake with your meal.
- about
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Type 純米吟醸 Rice polishing ratio 55% Yeast type Association No. 7 Ingredients/raw materials rice, rice malt Rice type Hyogo Yumenishiki Origin of rice Hyogo prefecture Toji(Brew Master) - Assemblage -
- Recommended occasions/temperature
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- How to store
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- Delivery dates and charges
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Tasting comments
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Nobuhiro Ueno
(Juku to Kan Bar Master / Permanent Director of the Toki Sake Association)(chilled)
The aroma of matured namazake (unpasteurized sake) may be divisive, but it's never really bothered me, and has become something of a personal favorite like the scent of koji (rice with koji mold grown on).
At the start, I detect a pleasant sourness and sweetness, like that of rice. All in all, it has a lovely balanced umami. After swallowing, you are left with that same pleasant sour taste that keeps you thirsting for more.
(warm)
Opens with an aroma reminiscent of rice freshly steamed in an iron pot, which becomes even more pronounced in the mouth. Although one of the distinguishing characteristics of this sake is its acidity, it is not a tart acidity, but a clean acidity with a solid backbone of umami. Raising the temperature further creates a tighter profile with a crisper finish. The aftertaste is long and stimulates an appetite. -
Hidekazu Ishiwata
(Former National Tax Bureau Chief Appraiser)(chilled)
Pronounced orthonosal matured-namazake (unpasteurized sake) aroma reminiscent of nuts.
The retronasal aroma includes sweet, charred notes, and has a koji-like nuance.
The taste is sweet, spicy, and acidic. I would be interested to see how it develops with even more time in bottle.
(warm)
Opens with a sweet-charred orthonasal aroma like roasted nuts with hints of grain.
In the mouth it's voluminous, with fruity isoamly-based flavors. The final acidic and bitter notes add to the depth and round out the palate through to the long finish. -
Akiko Toda
(Director of ITTEKI, Japan Sake and Meat Research Institute)(chilled)
Opens with the scent of freshly cooked white rice and the scent of cedar wood. Later, a refreshing scent reminiscent of melon and pear emerges. The lingering sweetness is pleasant and the acidity is light. The aroma probably changes depending on the temperature, so you will want to try it gradually heated from lukewarm to hot.
(warm)
An aroma of freshly cooked rice that emanates from the rice cooker, which is unique to namazake (unpasteurized sake). In the mouth, you feel a slight rice-like sweetness.
Raising the temperature will make it crisper and easier to drink, but the aroma will weaken, so I recommend 50C. I think it would be best paired with grilled mackerel.
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Yuji Yamauchi
(Yushima Tenjinshita Sushi Hatsu 4th generation / 1st JSA SAKE DIPLOMA competition winner)(chilled)
Complex, unique nutty aroma
It's full-bodied, and the nuttiness is deeply entrenched in the taste too, all harmonizing well with the acidity balance. I would like to try and pair with sashimi which has been seared skin down.
(warm)
The wide-arching aroma of nuts and honey, full rice flavor, and intensity that continues through to the end is wonderful. Would go well with a fatty tuna sashimi with soy sauce, and wasabi, or yellowtail sashimi seared on its back.
At 55℃, the acidity and flavor crispen. As the temperature cools back down, I just can't get enough of this full and rounded rice flavor. A good food pairing would be shabu shabu with a sesame sauce.
Brewer
Shimomura Sake Brewery
Founded in 1898. Adhering to the family motto of ``There is no skill to excellence in handmade brewing,'' and with the motto of ``presence over transparency, and drinkability over ease of drinking,'' we work hard every day to create sake that impresses drinkers.
The story behind the production of aged sake is that the chairman, Hiroaki Shimomura, had a relationship with the late former president of Shinki Shuzo (Senmu). President Motoki Shimomura was also seconded to Kamigame Sake Brewery for sake brewing training in the 2011 brewing year and learned about the deliciousness of aged sake. They have also taken the time to switch to aged products for the year-round regular products in their brewery.
The complex taste and aroma of raw aging is also achieved by aging it little by little to suit your taste.