“Zuiyo” & “Benten” In-store tasting event @ Ikebukuro


You can taste Zuiyo, ZUIYO CO.,LTD. from Kumamoto prefecture, and Benten, Goto Shuzoten from Yamagata prefecture.

Zuiyo (ZUIYO CO.,LTD.)

Zuiyo is founded in 1867, in Kumamoto. Kumamoto is a city on the Japanese island of Kyushu. The brewery is in Kawashiri, the south of Kumamoto city.

Sake can be enjoyed at a various range of temperatures. Each temperature has a different name, and you can enjoy unique aspects of the same sake when you try it at different temperatures.

Houjun Junmai Zuiyo is awarded Grand Gold in Kan sake contest in 55 ℃ good value category.

55℃ is called Atsu-kan which is vapor rises from the tokkuri (larger sake jars). The tokkuri and choko (small sake cups) are hot to the touch. The sake’s aromas are sharpened and it tastes dry, with a clean finish.


Generally speaking, Atsu-kan is suited to hot pot (“nabe”) dishes and foods made with a lot of oil and fat. The fat from the food coats your tongue and palate, which desensitizes your taste buds. As a result, your second bite is less tasty than first. Your food would taste better if you washed your mouth between mouthfuls. Sipping Atsu-kan is an easy way to wash away the fat deposits.

How is sake heated?

To warm up sake, place the tokkuri containing sake in a pot of hot water. The tokkuri gradually heats up and the heat is transmitted to the sake. It is heated to a temperature before alcohol begins to evaporate, so that the aromas do not dissipate.

What’s Tokkuri?

The server of a sake set is a flask called a tokkuri (徳利). A tokkuri is generally bulbous with a narrow neck, but may have a variety of other shapes, including that of a spouted serving bowl (katakuchi).

Cat tokkuri and choko, Sake set サンアート かわいい食器 「 だんらん酒 とっくり 」 三毛ねこ 徳利・お猪口セット 白 SAN2524

ZUIYO CO.,LTD. Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Houjun Junmai Zuiyo 芳醇純米酒 瑞鷹 720ml [熊本県]

 

Benten (Goto Shuzoten)

Based in Okitama, Yamagata Prefecture, Goto Shuzoten is a jizake brewery dedicated to the small-lot production of high-quality sake since 1788. The current president is the eighth-generation owner, and his successor works at the brewery among the kurabito (brewery workers) during the winter sake-making months.

Primarily using rice grown by contracted producers, among them the brewery’ s own kurabito, Goto Shuzoten brews junmai-shu and junmai ginjo-shu, among others.

Its preferred rice varieties are sake rice such as Dewasansan, Tsuyahime, Kamenoo and Yamada Nishiki, especially those produced locally in Yamagata. Small-lot production and Yamagata’ s natural blessings ensure the excellent quality and great taste of Goto Shuzoten’ s sake.

 

Benten (辯天)

Their flagship brand Benten was named after the goddess of music and performing arts, Benzaiten (Saraswati), who is one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

Benzaiten has traditionally been worshipped by musicians, dancers and other artists.

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) was established in 1984 and has now firmly positioned itself as one of the most respected blind wine tasting competitions in the world. The IWC sake competition was introduced in 2007 and has grown tremendously over the past 10 years with sakes entered from Japan, Canada, Norway and the USA in 2016. As such, the IWC employ a vast number of international sake experts to judge the competition each year.

Goto Shuzoten’s sake is awarded many times in IWC.

Goto Shuzoten Home page

Tasting at home by amazon

Benten Gokujo Junmai Daiginjo Genshu Yamadanishiki 後藤酒造 辯天 極上 大吟醸原酒 山田錦 720ml

This is awarded Sake Trophy 2017 in IWC.

TASTING NOTES

Medium+ intensity of fruity aromas such as apple, banana – fruit basket, floral, some quality rice, mandarin orange. Soft mouthfeel, sweet front palate but good savoury astringency, so refined long finish with good precision.

DATE AND TIME

2018/10/18 (Thu)~2018/10/24 (Wed) 10:00~20:00

You cannot go? Check out ichibansake Event Calendar

LOCATION

Ikebukuro Tobu Department Store B1F

1 Chome-1-25 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 171-0021

Google map

Access

Directly connected to “Ikebukuro station”

Web site

For more information visit, 東武百貨店 池袋店 日本酒催事スケジュール

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