Ippin Junmai Sake

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR:

From the Kanto region of Ibaraki prefecture, the Junmai Sake by Yoshikubo Brewery uses only the best rice that ahs been polished to 60%. It won Gold in the London Sake Challenge. It starts smooth, creamy with a balanced acidity, a medium body, and a dry, lingering finish.

It has an ABV of 15.5%, and has wonderful earthy aromas of dried fruit, leaves, peach, and chestnut. On the palate, you get notes of eggplant, mushroom, toast, and roasted root vegetables.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

Perfect as a meal ender, the Ippin Junmai Sake also pairs beautifully with sushi, sashimi, oyster, salmon, and king fish. It can be served either chilled or at room temperature.

STEADFAST TRADITIONS

Established in the Ibaraki prefecture of Japan in 1790 by Seizaburo Yoshikubo, it began as the Awanoya Brewery. The building burned down in 1945 during the war, but was rebuilt soon after. Renamed Yoshikubo Brewery Co., Ltd. In 1952, it continued to brew high quality sake with the same traditional methods.

It is still owned and managed by the Yoshikubo family, and is currently on its 12th generation. But the traditions remain—they use the clear waters from their hometown of Mito, with methods passed down through so many years.

Storage Instructions

Store unopened sake upright in a dark place, at a cool room temperature, ideally at about 12 to 15°C. If you wish to drink your sake chilled, place it in the refrigerator the night before consumption. Opened bottles should always be kept refrigerated. If you later wish to drink your sake at room temperature, place the portion you want into a small pouring vessel and leave that out on the counter at least 3 hours before consumption. Generally, sake should be consumed within one year of the bottling date, but when properly stored, it can survive up to 2 years. An open bottle of sake must be consumed within 2 to 3 weeks.