Mimurosugi Junmai Daiginjo 35 "Dedicated to Takahashi Ikuhi no Mikoto"

The nose on this excellent sake offers a cool collection of Concord grape, candied kiwi, violets, honeydew melon, celery, nectarine, grapefruit peel, and snow-melt aromas. This is one of the coolest breweries in Japan (with a big cult following), producing a premium brew that is elegant, crisp, complex, light, gentle, slightly spritzy, and off-dry, with a quick finish but a long, lingering flavor. This is definitely a sushi bar sake, one that pairs beautifully with high-end cuisine and carries a refined vein of umami. Look for green apple, nectarine, pomegranate, yellow peach, apricot, grape candy, celery, daikon, and layers of mineral flavor that shine when served in a white wine glass, which highlights the astringency and integrated acidity. It looks and drinks cool, a great gifting brew for the choosy sake drinker. WORD: Elegant WINE: Dry Reds / Crisp Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, caviar, cured meats and game, grilled fish, yakitori, shabu shabu, steaks and chops, savory pasta, white fish carpaccio, sukiyaki, and raw oysters.