Taiun Junmai 90 "Taichu-65"

The nose on one of the most storied sakes today is an intriguing collection of green apple, lemon tart, lemon zest, grape, rice vinegar sunomono, and Lemonhead™ aromas. Where do we start! Made with brewing rice from Taiwan by a Taiwanese brewer in Shimane Japan, and milled only 10%, you know that this sake is made with sake love and passion. It’s old school, but new school cool, and every natural wine and sour beer lover take note, as this is rice’s version of all that! Smooth, juicy, bright, silky, fleshy, and with a wine-like acidity, this brew drinks like a ricey and citrus dream. It’s earthy, it’s ricey, it’s rich, and it’s round, but it drinks deliciously, velvety, and with a supremely appealing sour complexity that is expressive and vivid. Look for lemon water, pomelo, tangerine, green apple, plum juice, and pink lemonade flavors that roll on an umami driven flow that is a cut above, with a quick and zesty finish. At 12.5% ABV, this sake is such a gateway fermentation brew at its balanced best. WORD: Citrus WINE: Natural Wines BEER: Sour Beers FOODS: Smoked meats and fish, beef and game, steaks and chops, grilled veggies, tacos, cocktail fare, comfort foods, vinegar and ponzu based dishes. (2026)