Koji Sake 米花清酒
"Hottest sake in town!" Flagship Set
熱門清酒之王．必試旗艦套裝
Want to try all 3 of the most popular sake brands in Hong Kong and Japan? This set is for you! Our SSI Kikisake-Shi selected the flagship products from the hottest Japanese sake breweries.
Ohmine, Zaku, and Hakurakusei are described as "the best of the best" and can now be delivered to your door in one go!
-Ohmine 3 Grains Pasteurised Yamada Nishiki 大嶺3粒 火入れ 山田錦 720ml
International Wine Challenge 2021 SILVER Award“Ohmine sake” is created with “Benten water,” also known as “Water for Gods,” and locally grown rice, “Yamada Nishiki,” which is additive-free and masterfully crafted specifically for premium sake. The “Ohmine” brand has been served at three-star Michelin restaurants and top fashion parties. In 2013, the Japanese Government served Ohmine Sake to various world leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2013 in Davos, Switzerland.
Tasting Notes: Delicate aromas of juicy, sweet stone fruit. Fresh with a lactic, yogurt finish that lingers.
-Zaku Miyabi No Tomo Nakadori Junmai Daiginjo
作雅乃智中取純米大吟釀 750ml
International Wine Challenge 2022 SILVER AwardThe name ‘Zaku’ – from the character 作 meaning ‘make’ or ‘create’ – was chosen to convey the notion that the true value of sake is to be created together with the consumer, and is not merely a product that the brewery makes. More than 150 years of brewing experience is put into this sake. It uses sake brewing rice（伊勢平原米）from Ise plain, the rice used since ancient times; coupled with the water from Suzuka Mountain（鈴鹿山伏流水).
Tasting Notes: The nose is mellow and full of fruit. Its palate is simple, clear, and elegant.
-Hakurakusei Junmai Daiginjo 伯楽星 純米大吟醸 720ml
Niizawa Brewery 新澤釀造店 (Hakurakusei 伯楽星) International Wine Challenge Sake Brewery of the Year 2022Hakurakusei(伯楽星) is the first "Ultimate Food Pairing Sake" Series. The goal is food pairing, allowing aroma of the sake approach quietly, and complement the original aroma of the food in your mouth! This sake is often seen in major banquets in Japan and Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. The "ancestor of sake rice" Omachi rice (雄町米) is used.
More often than not, you will come across certain "specialist" terms used on sake labels.
Here is a short list for your ease of reference. If you come across to any terms which you don't understand on any sake purchased from us, please feel free to contact us, we are more than happy to assist.
|
古酒 Ko Shu: |
This is aged sake. Not all sake can be aged and the result depends largely on the aging conditions. Although most aged sake becomes "sherry" like, there are some which are aged in ice cold conditions becomes dryer and richer in flavour. Because of the wide variety of results, it is best to consult with our sake specialist before buying a bottle of Ko Shu.
|
|
濁り Nigori |
Also know as "cloudy sake". In nigori sake, the sake is passed through a coarser mesh allowing some of the lees (rice remnants) to pass through. The taste of nigori sake is less refined and more textured and rich. It goes very well with spicy food (such as Korean kimchi dishes).
|
|
原酒 Genshu |
Usually water is added to the pressed sake, thereby the alcohol level is diluted to 16 to 18%. For Genshu, water has not been added and the alcohol level will be around 20%, the natural rate for sake.
|
|
貴醸酒 Kijoushu: |
Normally water is added to sake after fermentation. For kijoushu, some sake is used in place of some of the water added. The result is a rich, dessert like sake that is often aged/. Many compares this with sherry and port.
|
|
生酒 Nama Shu: |
Sake is usually pasteurized twice, once before storing in a tank and one before bottling. Nama shu is unpasteurised sake and must be stored in refrigerator.
|
|
生貯蔵 Nama Chozo |
Nama Chozo means that the sake is not pasteurized before storage in a tank, but is pasteurized before bottling.
|
|
生卸 /生詰 Nama Oroshi/ Nama Zume : |
Nama Zume is pasteurized before storage in a tank but not pasteurized again before bottling.
|
|
ふなしぼり Funashibori : |
After fermentation, sale is pressed. There are different methods of pressing, which will yield different tasting sake. Funashibori is sake pressed in a traditional wooden box and not with a pressing machine.
|
|
雫 Shizuku: |
Shizuku is sake "pressed" by allowing it to drip from cotton bags, with no pressure applied. It is more time consuming and costly than other pressing methods
|
|
あらばしり Arabashiri : |
After fermentation, sale is pressed. There are different methods of pressing, which will yield different tasting sake. Arabashiri is the first one third of the sake yield, which run off under the pull of gravity alone when pressing with a fune or wooden box.
|
|
中取り Nakadori: |
Nakadori is the "middle" yield of the sake. It is the next third of the sake yield after arabashiri. This is often considered the best.
|
|
責め Seme: |
Seme is the "final" yield of the sake. It is the last third of the sake after nakadori. It often considered the least desirable due to it's deep bitter taste.
|
|
斗ビン(斗瓶)囲い Toubin-gakoi: |
Sake is put in 18 litre bottles (called "toubin") when pressed. This term implies that the sake is pressed with a wooden box ("fune") or drip pressed ("shizuku")
|
We will add to this list as it goes.