Koshi no Kanbai "Solid Gold" Junmai Daiginjo, 720ml

越乃寒梅 金無垢 純米大吟醸 — Koshi no Kanbai "Kinmuku" Junmai Daiginjo, from Ishimoto Sake Brewery.

Niigata's clean, dry style, hugely popular nationally in the 1970's jizake boom, to the point where it was nearly impossible to buy. Kinmuku 金無垢 mean pure gold/solid gold. It is the flagship.

The style is restrained rather than aromatic, a quiet ginjo nose with a slight natural sweetness. The taste and feel of pure spring water, notably, the brewery recommend it warmed as well as chilled.

The Japanese retailer specifically calls out nuru-kan (gently warmed) as the way to open up its aroma and flavour. That's unusual advice for a 35%-polished junmai daiginjo and worth trying if you buy it.

Grade: Junmai Daiginjo
Rice: Yamada-Nishiki (Miki City, Hyogo, per the Japanese listing)
Polishing: 35%
ABV: 16%