The culmination of 500 years of sake making history, Manjyu is Kubota’s flagship creation. As well as receiving countless gold medals and a huge score on RateBeer.com, this Junmai Daiginjo (the most refined sake grade) is acclaimed in John Gauntner’s “Joy of Sake” as one of the finest examples of its kind. Despite the immense cost and skill involved, 50% of the Gohyakumangoku rice grains (a variety renowned for its clean flavour) used in the koji (the rice inoculated with cultures that kick off the fermentation process) are gently polished away. For the mash, which is also made from locally grown rice, a massive 67% of each grain is milled away. The more you polish, the cleaner, brighter, and more delicate and aromatic the final sake. So, this is top-tier stuff. Kubota is made at Asahi Shuzo in Niigata, a mountainous Japanese prefecture full of rivers and valleys, and home to Mount Tanigawa. Firm believers that “the quality of sake can never exceed the quality of its ingredients”, Asahi Brewery use only the finest. They work closely with local farmers to ensure access to the ultimate sake-brewing rice and keep their production techniques a well-guarded secret. This premium sake is an exhilarating and flawless affair that will appeal to fans of Dassai and fine wine. Clean and silky smooth in texture, we recommend serving it lightly chilled and then spend the next few hours picking apart its complex notes of pear sorbet, creamy Champagne, gingerbread, melon, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, rose petal, rice cakes, nutty quinoa, orange blossom and caramelised pineapple. The cleansing and refreshing experience of Manjyu is something akin to the joy of a sudden downpour on a hot day. The name roughly translates as “10,000 celebrations”, so save this for special occasions and pair with delicate dishes that let the sake take centre stage.
£13.75 per 100.00ml
