Nagurayama Aizu Shikon Tokubetsu Junmai "Crane Castle"
The nose on this inspired brew has a cool collection of peach, honeycomb, melon, pear, nectarine, rock sugar, and clove aromas. The importer calls this Junmai “robust, bold, and inspired,” and what’s so unique is that this drinks buoyant and light for so much feeling and flavor. How do they do that? Fresh, clean, and crisp with a little spritz, this brew is plump and juicy, but also silky and round. Semi-sweet, but more bright with a quick umami finish, this brew is loaded with amazing flavors including apricot, nectarine, strawberry, tangerine, peach, honey tea, nougat, brown sugar, sweet rice, and King's Hawaiian™ sweet rolls. This brew is a great example of sake brewing technique that takes a big Junmai and brightens it up for a modern drinking experience. WORD: Inspired WINE: Zesty Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Fruity Ales FOODS: Nabe, hot pots, rich western cuisine, rich sashimi, and yakitori.