Please Help Japan

Sennenichi Chito No Enishi (千年一 千代の縁) 

On a recent visit to Awajishima Island (just off the coast of Kobe, on the way to Shikoku) we stopped off at this brewery for a quick tasting and tour.

Unfortunately I was driving so my wife got to do the tasting.

She recommended (and bought me) 3 bottles and this was the best, and most expensive.

It's a daiginjo, and the rice is polished down to a staggering 40%! Your average sake is 70-60% I guess, with most quality sake's (that I've tried) polish down to 50%. So this was extra special. (The more the rice is polished, the more of the external husk is removed, leaving the pure "rice" which leads to purer and better sake).

It has a nihonshudo (Sake Density value) of +4 so should be fairly dry (which it was), and a sando (acidity) level of 1.5

It's a clear sake in the glass with a clear, fresh sake nose with a hint of aniseed.

This aniseed comes through on the palate too, which is fresh and smooth. The aniseed is very smooth and pleasant, not in your face like a Pernod or Pastis, just smooth and light.

This was the first time I'd tasted aniseed in a sake (how do you get that flavour from rice??), very unusual.

This is a really, really good, exquisite even, sake and highly recommended.
It was a little bit expensive at around ¥4000 (about $40), I don't know the exact price as I didn't buy it, for a 720ml bottle, but worth every yen.

It's a very small brewery, and they were very friendly and more than happy to show us around, so if you're ever in the area I highly recommend it. Their website (in Japanese only, but has some nice photos of the brewery) is here.

Oh, and I just remembered, inside the (very nice) box there was a note explaining this sake was awarded a prize from, or came recommended by, the governor or Hyogo. Which is nice.

11 Drinkers Online - Cheers!