The Beau-Zone Layer – Sawanoi “Fountain of Tokyo”

It’s been 5 years since this incredible sake was in my zone! So many of you might have forgotten or never knew about this sake that was made in a very historical fashion. Huh? You bet! This sake is very much unlike 99.9% of the sakes out there in that it was produced in wood vats rather than enamel or stainless steel. Is that a big deal? You bet! It is very hard to maintain balance when fermenting in wood because the active yeasts work in weird ways. I have tried a lot of these “Kioke” efforts and most are not that great, but Sawanoi hit this brew out of the park. It is rich, round and full-bodied. But it drinks elegantly, which is odd because of the Kimoto and Kioke methods used in the process. If you like the concept of wood, then try this sake that was made using wood the old fashioned way!