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Discovering Artisanal Sake
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007 |
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Speaker: Paul Tanguay, Saké Sommelier/ Beverage Director, SUSHISAMBA New York City
This tasting of eleven sake’s provided us the experience of tasting sakes of different styles and learning how Sake was brewed from rice and water, like beer. Rice polishing: The more the rice is milled before being used, the higher the grade of sake. Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo was the favorite of the tasting. Isojiman Junmai Ginjo placed second and Crazy Milk Nigori Sake placed third.
All the sakes showed well.
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| JUNMAI |
Votes |
Full Retail Price
$20.00 - $40.00 |
| Made with only rice, water and koji mold. The rice is polished to remove at least the outer 30% of the original size of the grains. This means that each grain is only 70% of its original size. Often a full and soft flavor profile, clean and well structured. |
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Kissui Miyanoyuki Junmai
Polished to 70%. Earthy nose, more acid. |
1 |
$20.00 - $40.00 |
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Isojiman Tokubetsu Junmai
Polished to 60%, fruity nose, melons, heavier, dry. |
6 |
$20.00 - $40.00 |
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Hakurakusei Tokubetsu Junmai
Earthy, not as fruity, bitter, astringent.
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2 |
$20.00 - $40.00 |
| GINJO |
Votes |
Full Retail Price
$30.00 - $50.00 |
| Brewed with labor–intensive steps, eschewing machinery for traditional tools and methods, using highly polished rice at least 60%. The rice is polished to remove at least the outer 40%of the original size of the grains, and fermented at colder temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, aromatic, fruity, refined. |
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Toyo Bijin Junmai Ginjo
Polished to 60%, Explosive nose, fruity, licorice. Alcohol added. Corked. |
0 |
$30.00 - $50.00 |
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Isojiman Junmai Ginjo
Floral, delicate, elegant. Placed second in the tasting. |
10 |
$30.00 - $50.00 |
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Hakurakusei Junmai Ginjo
Bigger nose, balanced. Fruit on palate, apples, yeast, bitter and astringent in finish.
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5 |
$30.00 - $50.00 |
| DAIGINJO |
Votes |
Full Retail Price
$50.00 - $200.00 |
| Brewed with very highly polished rice to at least 50% and even more precise and labor intensive methods. The pinnacle of the brewer’s art. Generally light, complex and quite fragrant. |
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Miyanoyuki Junmai Daiginjo
More polished. Smoother, more starch. |
6 |
$50.00 - $200.00 |
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Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo
Bananas, papaya, Light, complex. The favorite of the tasting.
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11 |
$50.00 - $200.00 |
| NIGORI |
Votes |
Full Retail Price
300 ml $ |
| "Cloudy"- sake is unfiltered or roughly filtered so that some Moromi in the fermenting tank make it into the bottle. This sake has a milky white appearance. Needs to be shaken before drunk. |
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Crazy Milk Nigori Sake
Cloudy, texture. Sweet but not cloying. Placed third in the tasting.
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9 |
$7.80 |
| KOSHU |
Votes |
Full Retail Price $ |
| Aged Sake at least 5 years. |
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Koten Koshu
Polished to 65%. Aged for 5 years. Caramel color. Sulfer. Not sweet, acid.
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4 |
$50.00 - $200.00 |
| SPECIALTY SAKE |
Votes |
Full Retail Price
330 ml $ |
Moon Rabbit Sparkling Sake
Sparkling is made using Methode Champenoise. Light, bubbly and refreshing.
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8 |
$9.00 |
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