A close friend of mine from high school is getting married next month.
Although we went our separate ways after high school, we still keep in regular contact and go out drinking about twice a year. His personality is the complete opposite of mine, so people around us wonder how we got along, but we don't know why we've stayed this close. But there was no doubt that we were special friends.
I wanted to give him something special as a wedding gift.
He is an avid alcoholic and must have tried many different types of alcohol, including wine, sake, and shochu. However, even he would be surprised to find a vintage sake to be quite unusual.
The history of aged sake is long, dating back to the Kamakura period, when it was considered a noble drink.
Apparently it is such a prestigious drink that it is even used in modern imperial wedding ceremonies . When I first learned about it, I thought it would be the perfect gift for his wedding.
Aged sake brewed over 10 years...
That alone seems fitting for a wedding celebration that pledges eternal love .
In addition, I was also attracted by her elegant attire.
The gorgeous, golden-hued packaging is produced in small quantities at a domestic factory that makes luxury gift boxes for famous brands. Even before tasting the aged sake, you can sense the nobility of its flavor.
"Ancient Fine Wines" has many gift items, but I chose "Ancient Celebrations."
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[Product Introduction]
*"1995 Kamaya" Special Junmai Sake
Raw rice: Miyamanishiki (polished to 60% )
Alcohol content: 18%
Brewery: Kamaya (Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture / Established in 1748 )
Storage in tanks at room temperature
This pure rice sake has been aged for over 25 years in a 100- year-old storehouse. It has a gentle aroma reminiscent of ripe bananas and a floral, gorgeous scent. It has a well-balanced mild sweetness and firm acidity, allowing you to enjoy its deep flavor.
* "2001 Tenon" Japanese sake brewed with brewing yeast
Raw rice: Hida Homare (polished rice ratio 70 %)
Alcohol content: 20%
Brewery: Kawajiri Sake Brewery (Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture / Established in 1839 )
Storage in tanks at room temperature
This is a honjozo aged sake that the brewer Kawajiri Sake Brewery is proud of. The vanilla-like aroma matches the sweetness and is reminiscent of chestnuts and bananas. You can also feel the aroma of the Honchikara forest and the bitterness from the Hida Homare sake rice, making it a complex and deep aged sake.
Kawajiri Sake Brewery is also a very unique sake brewery, and due to its very small production volume, it is difficult to distribute, making this a precious sake that can only be purchased locally in Hida Takayama.
*"2005 Suwa Izumi" Japanese Sake Junmai
Raw rice: Yamada Nishiki / regular rice (polished to 65% )
Alcohol content: 18%
Brewery: Suwa Shuzo (Chizu Town, Tottori Prefecture / Established in 1859 )
Tank storage / Room temperature bottle aging
After two years of storage in tanks, this sake is bottled and aged for a long period of time. After a soft mouthfeel, you can feel the pleasant aroma of aged almonds and spices. The aftertaste has a good balance of sweetness and acidity, with a taste that is slightly reminiscent of Japanese citrus fruits.
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All of the aged sakes in "Kosoki no Iwai" are carefully crafted by breweries with over 150 years of history . They have overcome many obstacles to produce these sakes.
Thinking about this, I hope that even if they face difficulties in the future, they will be able to overcome them and find happiness.
Congratulations on their marriage. We wish them the best as they start their new life together.
"Kosoki no Iwai" is available for purchase at the official online store. Please check it out here .