Konnichi wa, Nomidachi!

Please join us this weekend, July 21-23, as we introduce a fantastic new "cloudy" nigorizake, Daishichi Yukishibori Nigori.

The first ever kimoto-style sparkling nigorizake introduced to the domestic Japanese market in 1994, Yukishibori is lightly sparkling and has aromas of pears and white peaches. It is light, clean, and faintly mineral on the palate. 

Johnnie’s tasting notes declare enthusiastically, “Here is your champagne for oysters!” 

From Daishichi's Facebook page: "Daishichi went against the trend at the time of producing thick and sweet nigori and sparkling sake and designed Yukishibori Nigorizake to be lightly cloudy and more dry so that it works well not only as aperitif but also a versatile partner to food. Featuring fruit-like elegant sweetness and soft bubbles as well as the typical umami and acidity of kimoto sake, Yukishibori Nigorizake matches superbly with such foods as sautéed meat, spicy dishes, tempura and bitter spring vegetables."

Tasting Event Hours:
Friday, July 21: 6- 10 pm
Saturday, July 22: 2- 6 pm
Sunday, July 23: 2- 6 pm

We hope you have a chance to join us and enjoy this uniquely refreshing treat.

Denshin Natsu “Summer” Daiginjo Namazake
Denshin puts out a different namazake bearing each season’s name.  Natsu (“Summer”) is a gravity-dripped daiginjo made from top quality Yamada Nishiki rice milled to 50% of its original size.  Here’s what the importer has to say about it:

"This is a limited seasonal product from DENSHIN series for summer. A Daiginjo Namazake (Unpasteurized) which is pleasant fruity aroma, and transparent feeling when it goes down your throat. For the pressing process, we use “FUKURO-TSURI”. This method is to let the bags which each contain 10L of moromi hang inside of the tank, so that gravity is the pressure. We collect only dripping liquid and bottle it.”

Our tasting notes look like this: “One of Saké Nomi’s most popular limited seasonal releases.  Sunflower yellow tint with notes of honeysuckle, chamomile, and roasted marshmallow in the nose.  Soft, creamy mouthfeel, with significant weight.  Rich, mellow, and clean, but with a hint of smokiness."

Price: $60/720 ml bottle (10% discount on orders of 6 or more bottles)
In-Store Availability: Tuesday, July 25
Order by: Noon, Sunday, July 23  (Note:  Availability on this item is super limited and we WILL sell out!)

Hello, Nomidachi!

As we mentioned in our last missive, as far as we can tell, June 27 was the official 10 year anniversary of us opening Saké Nomi.  Due to familial circumstances (namely, being a little overwhelmed with the Wonder Twins' high school graduation and getting them enrolled in colleges and universities and preparing to set them loose on the world), instead of doing one massive blowout of an anniversary celebration (as seems right), we're going to hold some special events, tastings, etc. throughout the rest of the year.


This week, that involves a menu of some "greatest hits," if you will, as well as a special Saké Nomi 10th Anniversary Kikizake Sampler for $10.

Born Muroka Nama Genshu Junmai Daiginjo (Fukui)                   Fragrant, fruity, lively, and rich with notes of cinnamon and figs. A Japanese vocabulary lesson of a junmai daiginjo, with a serious case of the “un”s: unfiltered (muroka), unpasteurized (nama), and undiluted (genshu).  Undoubtedly one of the best sake currently available in Washington.  $70/720 ml bottle




Seikyo “Omachi” Namazake Tokubetsu Junmai (Hiroshima)     Limited seasonal release!  Soft & citrusy, with a luxurious, almost viscous mouthfeel.  Notes of grapefruit and lemon throughout, creating a wonderful, beguiling contrast between the sharpness of the acidic citrus elements and the silky texture.  Traces of minerality and astringency on the edges make it an ideal pairing for oysters on the half-shell.  $55/720 ml bottle


Dassai “Otter Festival: 50” Junmai Daiginjo (Yamaguchi)           Golden coloring, with jasmine, muscat grape, and sea salt fragrances.  Soft and light, with a surprisingly full mouthfeel.  The “50” in the name refers to the 50% milling rate of the rice used to brew this saké.  $90/1.8L bottle; $45/720 ml bottle


Kaiun “Better Fortune” Junmai Ginjo (Shizuoka)                             Intriguingly elusive, drinking one minute dry, the next minute sweet and displaying a gentle, layered balance of sweet, dry, and astringent elements.  Golden tint due to lack of charcoal filtration -- the spring water source is so pure no filtration is required.  Have you seen the festively decorated 1.8L bottle?  It's the perfect celebration sake.  $95/1.8 L bottle; $50/720 ml bottle






Jokigen “Euphoria” Junmai Ginjo (Yamagata)                                   Spicy aromas of white peach, lavender, and strawberry.  Soft texture, with pleasantly sharp acidic notes.  The astringency (think young, tart strawberry) ties everything together and strikes a nice balance with the acidity.  Johnnie translated Jokigen as “high quality buzz.”  $70/1.8 L bottle; $40/720 ml bottle


Eiko Fuji Honkara Honjozo (Yamagata)                                                 Dry, soft, and light, with a touch of citrus and melon fragrances in nose.  Good example of a dry saké with substance and body.  Slightly sweeter as it warms to room temperature.  If you don’t LOVE the label, I’m not sure we can be friends.  
$62/1.8 L bottle; $34/720 ml bottle