Description
Background
As many of you know, Gokyo is one of my favorite breweries. From their enigmatic leader to their bold sake and pioneering experimentalism, there’s a lot to love. I find their sake to have big aromas, a relatively weighty texture and what really defines them is noticeably higher total acidity and amino acids than most sake. Not stratospheric levels, but many of their sake are around 2% total acidity whereas your standards are closer to 1.3-1.7%. Check out their youtube channel.
There are four very special Kioke sake below. The “5” series are all brewed in a single wooden vat. This doesn’t give them a bunch of wood flavor as they aren’t rested in new cedar, rather there is a creaminess to them due to the increased oxygen in fermentation. I have exclusive distribution.
Tasting Notes
Karakuchi means dry (and hot too). And indeed even the nose is very dry. I also get minerals, a little bit of herbs and a creamy sweetness from the Kioke process. On the palate, we initially get a bit of the barrel it was fermented in. This only appears on the Karakuchi though. The stronger stronger aromas on the others mask the wood flavor. Look for grapefruit then dryness building into the finish.
Alc 15.0% – SMW +11.5 – Total Acidity 1.6 – Amino Acids 1.5 – Nihonbare (Yamaguchi) & Yamadanishiki (Yamaguchi) 60% – Yeast No. 901
From the Importer:
Rich type. The moderate yet refreshing aroma of citrus fruits, such as grapefruit
and summer orange. Clear umami of rice, slightly soft creamy taste with the acidity of lychee. Crisp short finish.
Serve chilled or warm.
Tasting Strategy
Beef steak, Veal cutlet, Fried chicken, Hamburger, Stewed flounder in a soy broth, Shikmered meat and potatoes with sweet soy sauce, Sweet & sour pork, Mapo tofu, Cream stew, etc.
