Sake master class with Ataru Kabayashi

Sake is one of those spirits that I find fascinating and then my brain cells let the knowledge go...Obviously made from rice it has its own culture surrounding it.. There will be only minute differences from one to another but viva la difference as they probably dont say in France

Table rice is milled where 90% is still used. Special rice for sake is milled down from 70% to less than 50% remembering the more you lose in the milling the less you will have for the final product. The milling process is a slow and gentle one often taking days on end to complete.
To me all sake has a somewhat similar nose. The way the air smells after a gentle summer rain...clean, a little flowery perfume. nature

matsunoi Wishing Well... reminds me of mocha, very light and delicate and yet a long finish because of the sugar that coats the tongue.

Nyukon Into Your Soul cucumber, banana and grapefruit essences...not heavy at all

Kiminoi Emperor'Well...delicate.. and a little more heat on the finish...richer and more fullbodied than previous sake
Kirin-zan named for the mountain Kirin which was a mythical flying dragon thought to bring happiness...earthier aromas, a light citrus aftertaste...
higher acidity sake can handle the heat of warming...most are recommended now to be chilled instead.

Karen Coy sweeter on the palate...and higher acidity...using yeast that will not be mentioned

Daku Nigori which is unfiltered...green apple on the palate that turns into coconut...milky complextion...

plum sake...light brown in color...a bing cherry nose...plum,cocoa and bing cherry on the palate..it would be interesting to put that with a dessert... think of apple cider on drugs.

sake is called Junmai if there is no added spirits...Junmain Dai-gingo is super premium having more of the rice milled away..

In sake the idea of terroir only really relates to the water used... most use a soft water which creates a compleletly different taste in the end product.