Happy Saké Day, Nomidachi!

Well, maybe we're jumping the gun just a bit, but since it's already October 1 in Japan, we'll say it again: Happy Saké Day!

Yes, it's really a thing.  Actually, it's an industry-driven "holiday," but it's slowly and surely becoming an internationally recognized day on which to celebrate the brew and unique drinking culture we all know and love.

And, since EVERY day is Saké Day at Saké Nomi, we like to stretch it out and celebrate the month of October as "Sakétoberfest."

This year we're doing a somewhat low-key rollout, but it's a marathon of a month, so please stay tuned for special events and new saké arrivals we'll be celebrating from now 'til Halloween.

This Weekend's Schedule

Friday, 9/30- Saturday, 10/1 (2- 10 pm)
Sunday, 10/2 (Noon- 6 pm)
We're kicking off the saké-centric celebrations by introducing two new brews from Gunma prefecture's Ryujin ("Dragon God") Shuzo (brewer's of Saké Nomi favorite, Oze no Yukidoke "Omachi" Junmai Ginjo).  Ryujin Kakushi Ginjo is a once-pasteurized genshu, and Ryujin Junmai Daiginjo Namazume is a once-pasteurized junmai daiginjo brewed with famed Yamada Nishiki sakamai (saké rice).  Both saké are elegant, savory, and terrific values.

Of course, we'll have our "regular" menu selections available throughout the weekend as well, and there are some pretty great brews featured on the list.  Not to mention the "off menu" items . . .



Masumi Hiyaoroshi
PLEASE NOTE: This very limited, new-to-Washington seasonal release has not yet arrived (we heard a 10/7 ETA), so there's still time for you to get in where you fit in.

For those of you who could use a reminder, hiyaoroshi is a style of once-pasteurized sake we see around this time of year, and it has come to symbolize "autumn in a glass" for us.

Most sake have been pasteurized twice, once before the customary six-month aging period, and then again before the sake is shipped from the brewery.  Hiyaoroshi sake undergoes just the initial pasteurization, and is released in the early fall, when temperatures have cooled and a second pasteurization is deemed not necessary.

We will soon be receiving the Washington debut shipment of Masumi Hiyaoroshi, a very limited (only 10 cases in all of Washington!) seasonal release.  As such, we have no detailed tasting notes available, but according to the importer, "Hiyaoroshi acquires a patina of flavor depth, while retaining its youthful freshness."  Most of you are familiar with Masumi’s other outstanding sake by now (Arabashiri, anyone?), so we’re sure you have as much confidence as we do that this will be another outstanding offering from the renowned brewery.  If you can hang onto it that long, it’ll make a very special Thanksgiving treat.

PRICE: $50/720 ml bottle (10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)

Order by: Saturday, 10/5

ETA: 10/7-11


Upcoming Sakétoberfest Happenings:

Wednesday, Oct. 12: Meet the Brewer
Please join us from around 6 pm as we welcome the owner of Kasumi Tsuru Brewery and pour their excellent Kimoto Extra Dry Honjozo and re-introduce their lovely Yamahai Ginjo to the Washington market.

Friday, Oct. 14:  Sakeman Tasting
Those masked maniacs known as Sakeman will be joining us for what promises to be a raucous tasting event featuring the brews of their import company, Kuramoto US.


Thanks & Kanpai!
Johnnie & Taiko

Greetings, Nomidachi!

We will soon be receiving the Washington debut shipment of Masumi Hiyaoroshi, a very limited (only 10 cases in all of Washington!) seasonal release.  As such, we have no detailed tasting notes available, but according to the importer, "Hiyaoroshi acquires a patina of flavor depth, while retaining its youthful freshness."  Most of you are familiar with Masumi’s other outstanding sake by now (Arabashiri, anyone?), so we’re sure you have as much confidence as we do that this will be another outstanding offering from the renowned brewery.  If you can hang onto it that long, it’ll make a very special Thanksgiving treat.

PRICE: $50/720 ml bottle (10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)

Order by: Saturday, 9/24

ETA: 9/27
 

Sharaku Junmai Daiginjo
This sake has been a Saké Nomi standard since the year we opened.  Unfortunately, the distributor has recently informed me that they will soon be discontinuing it.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that they’ve reduced the price, and they have a pretty decent amount of stock available (something like 7 or 8 cases).

Our notes:  Cinnamon and nutmeg spices in nose, with butterscotch notes on palate.  Buttery, rich, balanced, smooth, round, and slightly plump.  Low-key, but elegant.  Match with medium rare beef or other rich dishes.  The bottle’s classic print of a kabuki actor is by ukiyoe artist Sharaku, circa 1794.

PRICE: $40/720 ml (was $48!  10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)  

ETA: 9/23

Order by: Thursday, 9/22


Rare Sake Still Available (but not much, and not for long!)

Isojiman Junmai Ginjo
We see this sake only semi-annually or quarterly, at best.  It quickly became one of our “desert island” picks after we first encountered it a couple years ago.
Tasting Notes:  Floral nose, with notes of candied fruit and a faint minty freshness.  Light and soft, with hints of peach on the palate, but not as sweet as the fragrance would lead you to believe.  The light, dry finish makes it a very approachable saké, well-suited to wine drinkers and saké “beginners."
Price: $65/720 ml


Isojiman “Omachi” Tokubetsu Junmai
A couple years ago, we received a “mistake” shipment of this saké in the 1.8L “big boy” size.  Due to some miscommunication with the importer, our distributor ended up selling us the case of 6 bottles at a discount, and it didn’t take long for us to pour and sell it — unfortunately, before we were able to squirrel away a bottle to enjoy ourselves!  That won’t happen again . . .
Tasting Notes:  Greenish tint, with aromas of pear and apple.  Very ginjo-esque in both aroma and flavor, with pear and citrus flavors.  Soft, full, and viscous, yet with a solid, almost “prickly” acidity, and a finish that hangs around and makes its presence felt.  Brewed with Omachi rice milled to a ginjo level of 55%.
Price: $80/720 ml

Konnichi wa, Nomidachi!

While we're sad to see summer on its way out, we think we have just the thing to help you ease into autumn and football season (Go 'Hawks!).

We've just been notified by our distributor that some rare (only a case or 2) and new-to-WA sake are available, and they're giving us (and YOU!) first dibs.  As such, we will be making these sake available for purchase by the glass, flight, and bottle this Friday (6-10 pm) and Saturday (2-6 pm), while limited supplies last.

In addition to our "regular" selections on this week's tasting menu, we'll also be featuring:


Isojiman Junmai Ginjo
We see this sake only semi-annually or quarterly, at best.  It quickly became one of our “desert island” picks after we first encountered it a couple years ago.
Tasting Notes:  Floral nose, with notes of candied fruit and a faint minty freshness.  Light and soft, with hints of peach on the palate, but not as sweet as the fragrance would lead you to believe.  The light, dry finish makes it a very approachable saké, well-suited to wine drinkers and saké “beginners.”EndFragment
Price: $65/720 ml


Isojiman “Omachi” Tokubetsu Junmai
A couple years ago, we received a “mistake” shipment of this saké in the 1.8L “big boy” size.  Due to some miscommunication with the importer, our distributor ended up selling us the case of 6 bottles at a discount, and it didn’t take long for us to pour and sell it — unfortunately, before we were able to squirrel away a bottle to enjoy ourselves!  That won’t happen again . . .
Tasting Notes:  Greenish tint, with aromas of pear and apple.  Very ginjo-esque in both aroma and flavor, with pear and citrus flavors.  Soft, full, and viscous, yet with a solid, almost “prickly” acidity, and a finish that hangs around and makes its presence felt.  Brewed with Omachi rice milled to a ginjo level of 55%.
Price: $80/720 ml


Matsu no Tsukasa Junmai Ginjo
Last June, just before our 9th anniversary, we had a special tasting of this new-to-Washington brew, and we poured and sold the entire case of 12 bottles in the space of a couple hours.  This time around, there are yet again only a dozen bottles available.  Brewed with Yamada Nishiki rice milled to 50%, it’s really a junmai daiginjo masquerading as a junmai ginjo.  Super tasty.  You’ll have to take my word for it, because we sold (and drank) it before I could do any detailed notes . . .
Price: $70/720 ml bottle


Suminoe “Tatoo” Tokubetsu Junmai
Yes, we think it should be spelled with 3 “t”s, but that’s not how the label came out (very stark, cool label, printed on washi, by the way).  This a sake we know by reputation, but have not had a chance to taste for ourselves.  I can tell you it’s brewed from Omachi rice milled to 60% and its SMV is +3.  The importer says it’s “well-balanced and refreshing,” and we’re kind of predicting it to be a no-nonsense, sessionable brew for drinkers with a slightly refined sake palate.
Price: $55/720 ml bottle

Since these sake are in such short supply, if you're interested in getting a bottle or two, please stop by or get in touch ASAP.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be CLOSED this Sunday, Sept. 11 due to the Seahawks home game.

Thanks very much for reading, and we hope to see you at Saké Nomi again soon.

Kanpai!
Johnnie & Taiko

Happy Saké Day, Nomidachi!

Well, maybe we're jumping the gun just a bit, but since it's already October 1 in Japan, we'll say it again: Happy Saké Day!

Yes, it's really a thing.  Actually, it's an industry-driven "holiday," but it's slowly and surely becoming an internationally recognized day on which to celebrate the brew and unique drinking culture we all know and love.

And, since EVERY day is Saké Day at Saké Nomi, we like to stretch it out and celebrate the month of October as "Sakétoberfest."

This year we're doing a somewhat low-key rollout, but it's a marathon of a month, so please stay tuned for special events and new saké arrivals we'll be celebrating from now 'til Halloween.

This Weekend's Schedule

Friday, 9/30- Saturday, 10/1 (2- 10 pm)
Sunday, 10/2 (Noon- 6 pm)
We're kicking off the saké-centric celebrations by introducing two new brews from Gunma prefecture's Ryujin ("Dragon God") Shuzo (brewer's of Saké Nomi favorite, Oze no Yukidoke "Omachi" Junmai Ginjo).  Ryujin Kakushi Ginjo is a once-pasteurized genshu, and Ryujin Junmai Daiginjo Namazume is a once-pasteurized junmai daiginjo brewed with famed Yamada Nishiki sakamai (saké rice).  Both saké are elegant, savory, and terrific values.

Of course, we'll have our "regular" menu selections available throughout the weekend as well, and there are some pretty great brews featured on the list.  Not to mention the "off menu" items . . .



Masumi Hiyaoroshi
PLEASE NOTE: This very limited, new-to-Washington seasonal release has not yet arrived (we heard a 10/7 ETA), so there's still time for you to get in where you fit in.

For those of you who could use a reminder, hiyaoroshi is a style of once-pasteurized sake we see around this time of year, and it has come to symbolize "autumn in a glass" for us.

Most sake have been pasteurized twice, once before the customary six-month aging period, and then again before the sake is shipped from the brewery.  Hiyaoroshi sake undergoes just the initial pasteurization, and is released in the early fall, when temperatures have cooled and a second pasteurization is deemed not necessary.

We will soon be receiving the Washington debut shipment of Masumi Hiyaoroshi, a very limited (only 10 cases in all of Washington!) seasonal release.  As such, we have no detailed tasting notes available, but according to the importer, "Hiyaoroshi acquires a patina of flavor depth, while retaining its youthful freshness."  Most of you are familiar with Masumi’s other outstanding sake by now (Arabashiri, anyone?), so we’re sure you have as much confidence as we do that this will be another outstanding offering from the renowned brewery.  If you can hang onto it that long, it’ll make a very special Thanksgiving treat.

PRICE: $50/720 ml bottle (10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)

Order by: Saturday, 10/5

ETA: 10/7-11


Upcoming Sakétoberfest Happenings:

Wednesday, Oct. 12: Meet the Brewer
Please join us from around 6 pm as we welcome the owner of Kasumi Tsuru Brewery and pour their excellent Kimoto Extra Dry Honjozo and re-introduce their lovely Yamahai Ginjo to the Washington market.

Friday, Oct. 14:  Sakeman Tasting
Those masked maniacs known as Sakeman will be joining us for what promises to be a raucous tasting event featuring the brews of their import company, Kuramoto US.


Thanks & Kanpai!
Johnnie & Taiko

Greetings, Nomidachi!

We will soon be receiving the Washington debut shipment of Masumi Hiyaoroshi, a very limited (only 10 cases in all of Washington!) seasonal release.  As such, we have no detailed tasting notes available, but according to the importer, "Hiyaoroshi acquires a patina of flavor depth, while retaining its youthful freshness."  Most of you are familiar with Masumi’s other outstanding sake by now (Arabashiri, anyone?), so we’re sure you have as much confidence as we do that this will be another outstanding offering from the renowned brewery.  If you can hang onto it that long, it’ll make a very special Thanksgiving treat.

PRICE: $50/720 ml bottle (10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)

Order by: Saturday, 9/24

ETA: 9/27
 

Sharaku Junmai Daiginjo
This sake has been a Saké Nomi standard since the year we opened.  Unfortunately, the distributor has recently informed me that they will soon be discontinuing it.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that they’ve reduced the price, and they have a pretty decent amount of stock available (something like 7 or 8 cases).

Our notes:  Cinnamon and nutmeg spices in nose, with butterscotch notes on palate.  Buttery, rich, balanced, smooth, round, and slightly plump.  Low-key, but elegant.  Match with medium rare beef or other rich dishes.  The bottle’s classic print of a kabuki actor is by ukiyoe artist Sharaku, circa 1794.

PRICE: $40/720 ml (was $48!  10% “case” discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)  

ETA: 9/23

Order by: Thursday, 9/22


Rare Sake Still Available (but not much, and not for long!)

Isojiman Junmai Ginjo
We see this sake only semi-annually or quarterly, at best.  It quickly became one of our “desert island” picks after we first encountered it a couple years ago.
Tasting Notes:  Floral nose, with notes of candied fruit and a faint minty freshness.  Light and soft, with hints of peach on the palate, but not as sweet as the fragrance would lead you to believe.  The light, dry finish makes it a very approachable saké, well-suited to wine drinkers and saké “beginners."
Price: $65/720 ml


Isojiman “Omachi” Tokubetsu Junmai
A couple years ago, we received a “mistake” shipment of this saké in the 1.8L “big boy” size.  Due to some miscommunication with the importer, our distributor ended up selling us the case of 6 bottles at a discount, and it didn’t take long for us to pour and sell it — unfortunately, before we were able to squirrel away a bottle to enjoy ourselves!  That won’t happen again . . .
Tasting Notes:  Greenish tint, with aromas of pear and apple.  Very ginjo-esque in both aroma and flavor, with pear and citrus flavors.  Soft, full, and viscous, yet with a solid, almost “prickly” acidity, and a finish that hangs around and makes its presence felt.  Brewed with Omachi rice milled to a ginjo level of 55%.
Price: $80/720 ml

Konnichi wa, Nomidachi!

While we're sad to see summer on its way out, we think we have just the thing to help you ease into autumn and football season (Go 'Hawks!).

We've just been notified by our distributor that some rare (only a case or 2) and new-to-WA sake are available, and they're giving us (and YOU!) first dibs.  As such, we will be making these sake available for purchase by the glass, flight, and bottle this Friday (6-10 pm) and Saturday (2-6 pm), while limited supplies last.

In addition to our "regular" selections on this week's tasting menu, we'll also be featuring:


Isojiman Junmai Ginjo
We see this sake only semi-annually or quarterly, at best.  It quickly became one of our “desert island” picks after we first encountered it a couple years ago.
Tasting Notes:  Floral nose, with notes of candied fruit and a faint minty freshness.  Light and soft, with hints of peach on the palate, but not as sweet as the fragrance would lead you to believe.  The light, dry finish makes it a very approachable saké, well-suited to wine drinkers and saké “beginners.”EndFragment
Price: $65/720 ml


Isojiman “Omachi” Tokubetsu Junmai
A couple years ago, we received a “mistake” shipment of this saké in the 1.8L “big boy” size.  Due to some miscommunication with the importer, our distributor ended up selling us the case of 6 bottles at a discount, and it didn’t take long for us to pour and sell it — unfortunately, before we were able to squirrel away a bottle to enjoy ourselves!  That won’t happen again . . .
Tasting Notes:  Greenish tint, with aromas of pear and apple.  Very ginjo-esque in both aroma and flavor, with pear and citrus flavors.  Soft, full, and viscous, yet with a solid, almost “prickly” acidity, and a finish that hangs around and makes its presence felt.  Brewed with Omachi rice milled to a ginjo level of 55%.
Price: $80/720 ml


Matsu no Tsukasa Junmai Ginjo
Last June, just before our 9th anniversary, we had a special tasting of this new-to-Washington brew, and we poured and sold the entire case of 12 bottles in the space of a couple hours.  This time around, there are yet again only a dozen bottles available.  Brewed with Yamada Nishiki rice milled to 50%, it’s really a junmai daiginjo masquerading as a junmai ginjo.  Super tasty.  You’ll have to take my word for it, because we sold (and drank) it before I could do any detailed notes . . .
Price: $70/720 ml bottle


Suminoe “Tatoo” Tokubetsu Junmai
Yes, we think it should be spelled with 3 “t”s, but that’s not how the label came out (very stark, cool label, printed on washi, by the way).  This a sake we know by reputation, but have not had a chance to taste for ourselves.  I can tell you it’s brewed from Omachi rice milled to 60% and its SMV is +3.  The importer says it’s “well-balanced and refreshing,” and we’re kind of predicting it to be a no-nonsense, sessionable brew for drinkers with a slightly refined sake palate.
Price: $55/720 ml bottle

Since these sake are in such short supply, if you're interested in getting a bottle or two, please stop by or get in touch ASAP.

PLEASE NOTE: We will be CLOSED this Sunday, Sept. 11 due to the Seahawks home game.

Thanks very much for reading, and we hope to see you at Saké Nomi again soon.

Kanpai!
Johnnie & Taiko