Sake Expressions – Yamazaki Aged Sake Collection

When you've imported more sake into the US than anybody or any business, you've seen it all. It’s safe to say that Kazu Yamazaki from Japan Prestige Sake International Inc has seen it all, if that’s even possible. I’m proud to say that Kazu has been my closest friend and mentor in the sake world since the year before I opened True Sake. We've had many conversations about his desire to age certain brews and call them Yamazaki Aged.

As you know, sake is perishable and should be consumed between 12-18 months after release. Some breweries age their sake more than others, as aging is an expression of what they want their sake to feel and taste like. The longer you age, the more full and perhaps plush the brew will taste, as sake tends to plump up with age. At the end of the day, the alcohol and the water blend more with aging as they both relax in the bottle. We always joke about self-aging sake is like the Forrest Gump Paradigm where “It’s like a box of chocolates and you never know what you’re gonna get.” Some brews age better than others and it’s that simple. I’ve written for years that you should always age brews that you like to see what happens with time and patience.

Since Kazu carries so much sake, he moves so much. When you have a lot of sake, some doesn’t move, or some gets hidden, and you tend to overlook it for a couple years. This happened a lot with Kazu, and that was just fine by me because he would always share bottles that were accidentally aged. We found some amazing brews that really opened up perfectly with layers and layers of accidental textures and flavors. The ones that did the best, Kazu said he would purposefully age and release them as “Yamazaki Aged Selections.”

But he never did. And that always bummed me out. For years I said do it. But he wouldn’t because there were a lot of factors known and the unknown. This includes the company that he worked for. Which is actually a public company in Japan with shareholders who didn’t take kindly to sitting inventory past its prime.

The bottom line is that we have the first unofficial-official Yamazaki Aged Selection at your disposal, and quite frankly it’s the best Junmai offered in America at the moment! Wait what? Did you say that this is the best Junmai available in the US right now? Yes, I did and I challenge anybody to prove me wrong. It’s superb. It’s out of this world, and it’s exactly what Kazu and I had hoped for when we planned this so long ago.

Kikuhime Kinken Junmai is aged for two years at the brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture. They released it and Kazu had it in their LA warehouse for almost three years before we jumped on it. That’s a brew with almost 5 years of relaxation, and the result is beyond world class, because the brew is out of this world.

This is the classic when-they-are-gone, they-are-gone scenario. So if you would like to taste something that is literally above the vast majority of Junmai sake exported today then take a shot at something that will not only open your eyes, but it will open your heart too!

From Ishikawa Prefecture. Double Aged Junmai (Yamazaki-Aged).

SMV: -4 Acidity: 1.6

Please Note That This Spectacular Sake Was Aged For Two Years At The Brewery, Released, And Then Aged For Two More Years By Kazu Yamazaki – We Call It a Yamazaki Collection Sake. The nose on this one of a kind full-bodied Junmai is an amazing collection of honey, pear, cream, leather, butterscotch, wool, earthy, and butter aromas. Simply the best Junmai sake on the market today, and when it's gone it's gone. How good can a Junmai sake drink? This brew has evolved into a beauty. It has a stunning, crazy good flavor and feeling. It almost has a perfect blend of water and alcohol in each relaxed sip. Full, smooth, plump, buttery, soft, velvety, and ricey it drinks with a fluffy buoyancy that is plush and unparalleled in the market today. Look for butter popcorn, sweet rice, molasses, nougat, honeycomb, maple syrup, cocoa, and creamy flavors that works-well slightly chilled and closer to room temperature. When warmed, look for honey roasted nuts and creamy licks. A bigger bowl brings bigger fun. WORD: World Class WINE: Huge Bordeaux/Creamy Whites BEER: Creamy Belgians