The “Beau Zone Layer” – Izumibashi Akitonbo “Yellow Label”
From Kanagawa Prefecture.
Junmai Ginjo.
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.5
This Beau Zone this month is so good for so many reasons! The first is a simple image. Imagine the owner of Izumibashi (Hashiba-Shacho) watching dragonflies flutter over his fall rice fields with a golden glow of the afternoon sun. Dragonflies dancing in the dry autumn sky earned the name Akitonbo (Autumn Dragonfly.) That’s sake pride. That’s sake being in tune with nature. That is sake balance. Now look at the rice varietal that makes up this brew. The Niigata-made brewing rice called Rakufumai (joyful wind dance) was born from Gohyakumangoku and the table rice Dontokoi to produce a unique shorter standing stalk that results in a very tasty and unique brewing rice. There is not a lot of Rakufumai sake available in the US, and this brew is a great way to introduce you to this flavor and feeling. Then look at technique. This sake is brewed, pasteurized, and immediately bottled, but not released for another 6 months to capture a special flavor essence that will be available year-round. If you are looking for a new sake expression to enjoy and add to your personal sake path then let Akitonbo fly into your glass.