Tasting Notes

The nose on this classic Hiyaoroshi Namazume (single-pasteurized) sake is an awesome collection of maple syrup, chestnut, oatmeal, brown sugar, brown rice, sugar cookie, and cereal milk. Smooth, viscous, round, medium-to-full-bodied, luscious, and voluptuous with textural complexity, this brew drinks like Fall in your glass. This is throwback Hiyaoroshi sake that does not drink like the modern more fruity versions, and classically catches the umami and richness of Autumn. Look for cereal, grains, honey, toasted rice, brown sugar, almond, nougat, corn, and elegant red bean flavors that roll through the palate, and drinks more ricey as it warms in the glass.

Embrace the flavors of fall with Hiyaoroshi sake! This small-batch, seasonal sake is bottled in the spring and spends a perfect six months maturing over summer. Layers of labor gradually open up to a lively, smooth taste that pairs well with a range of foods. This sake is only available in the Fall, usually landing in the States mid-october. Yasunobo Tomita, the 15th generation of the family, is committed to making sake using only local ingredients. Yamada Nishiki grown by contract farmers in Shiga prefecture is used to make this sake. Stored as namazake for six months after brewing and released in the fall, this is another specialty type of sake that is authentic and rare.

Brewery Description

Founded in the 1540s, the Tomita Brewery is one of the oldest breweries in Japan and is now managed by the 15th generation of the family, Yasunobu Tomita, who is also the brewmaster. 

Yasunobu is committed to his local area, its history, food, and agriculture.  He has supported local farmers growing Tamazakae rice, a varietal that is indigenous to Shiga. By committing to purchasing stated amounts every year, he insures his farmer-partners that they will have a customer for the rice. He has also worked with them on developing new strains, such as Ginfubuki, which is a cross between Tamazakae and Yamada Nishiki, the most celebrated sake rice. Although we take pride in Taka Yamauchi of Huchu Homare reviving Watari Bune rice, Tomita-san has also contracted with local farmers to grow this rice. All of this innovation keeps local agriculture healthy and it gives Tomita-san more variety for making sake. 

Additional Information

Classification: Junmai, Hiyaoroshi Namadzume

Prefecture: Shiga

Rice: YamadaNishiki

Yeast:  #901

Rice Polishing Ratio: 60%

Sake Meter Value: +4.5

Acidity: 1.7

Pressing: Fune

Yeast Starter: Sokujou

ABV: 15%

Size: 720ml