Sake Shirayuki Japan 14,5%

In Itami, north-west of Kobe, the Konishi family has been brewing sake since 1550. The water runs down from the Rokko and Nagao mountains, soft and low in minerals, and that is the kind of water that yields a calm, clean sake. Shirayuki means white snow.

The expert's description

Shirayuki Sake Japanese Rice Wine 75 cl 14.5% is a Japanese Sake brewed from rice, water, koji and yeast and bottled at 14.5%.

Behind it stands Konishi Brewing Company in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture. The brewery has been run by the same family since 1550 and counts as the oldest sake brewery still owned by the line that founded it. The family originally sold medicine and brewed sake on the side. Itami was Japan's most important sake town through the 17th and 18th centuries, when production was shipped to Edo, and only later did the neighbouring district of Nada take over as the country's largest.

Sake is called rice wine but is not made like wine. Rice holds starch rather than sugar, so a mould called koji is laid over the steamed rice and breaks the starch down, while the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol in the same vessel. Both processes run side by side, and it is a technique you find almost nowhere outside sake.

The style here is the classic, clean one. No heavy aromatics, no lean towards the sweet, but a dry grainy base with fruit laid over it. Shirayuki takes both cold and warm service, and the brewery itself points to the warm serve, which is the traditional Japanese way with a sake in this style. Warming is done in a water bath or an oven to around 40-45 degrees, after which it is poured into a tokkuri and drunk from small sakazuki cups.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe pear first, soft and light. Behind it sits a dry grain character close to the steam off cooked rice, and at the edge a trace of grapefruit peel.

Palate

Creamy and soft with a mild alcohol that never pricks. Pear carries the sweetness, grapefruit cuts in a lightly bitter edge, and a spiced pull arrives towards the close. Warmed, the grain and the spice step forward; cold, it is fruitier and tighter.

Finish

Medium and dry. The spice holds on, the sweetness drops away quickly, and what remains is a clean grainy tone that readies the mouth for the next mouthful of food.

Specifications

Name: Shirayuki Sake Japanese Rice Wine 75 cl 14.5%
Producer: Konishi Brewing Company
Region/Country: Itami, Hyogo, Japan
Type: Japanese Sake
ABV: 14.5%
Size: 75 CL
Serving suggestion: Warmed in a water bath to 40-45 degrees and served in a tokkuri with sakazuki cups, or lightly chilled with fish and Asian dishes

Flavour profile

Fruity · Creamy · Spiced · Dry · Grainy

Did you know?

It was the Konishi family that first made clear sake, and it happened by accident. Ash fell into a fermentation vessel and, rather than ruining the batch, cleared it. Until then sake had been cloudy and milky.

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Frequently asked questions about Shirayuki Sake Japanese Rice Wine 75 cl 14.5%

Should Shirayuki be served warm or cold?

Both work, but the brewery recommends it warm. Heat lifts the aroma and pulls the grain and spice forward, which is the classic Japanese way with a sake in this style. Cold, it turns tighter and fruitier, and the pear stands out more clearly.

How do you warm sake without ruining it?

Stand the flask in a water bath and let the heat arrive slowly. The water should be hot, not boiling, and the target is 40-45 degrees. A microwave heats unevenly and can drive the alcohol off the surface while the bottom is still cold.

What does it mean that Shirayuki is brewed with soft water?

Soft water carries few minerals, which makes fermentation slower and gentler. The result is usually a rounder, softer sake than hard water gives, since hard water pushes the yeast and produces a tighter style. The water in Itami comes off the Rokko and Nagao mountains and sits at the soft end.

Why does Itami matter in the history of sake?

Because the town was Japan's leading sake centre through the 17th and 18th centuries. When the capital moved to Edo an enormous market opened up, and the Itami breweries shipped their sake there. The Konishi family even built its own shipping company to keep up with demand. Sake already had centuries behind it in Itami long before Japanese Whisky existed at all.

What is a tokkuri, and why use one?

A tokkuri is the small bottle-shaped flask sake is served from. The narrow neck makes it easy to pour into small cups and holds the heat once the sake has been warmed. The cups are called sakazuki, and they are deliberately small so there is always a reason to pour for one another.

What food suits Shirayuki?

Fish of every kind, oily and lean alike, plus Asian cooking in general. The dry grain base scrubs the palate after fat, and the spice in the finish stands up to soy and ginger. Warmed, it also flatters grilled fish and mushroom dishes.

How long does an opened bottle of sake keep?

Roughly one to two weeks in the fridge. Sake is not distilled and therefore sits at a low alcohol strength, so it oxidises faster than spirits. Put the cap back on, keep the bottle cold and dark, and drink it while the fruit is still fresh.