Nishinoseki Tezukirui Tokubetsu Junmai Sake (Japan) Im terrible at discriminating the elements of sake; so much of the core of it tastes more or less fine to me, and Im often more excited by the gross textural appeal of unfiltered versions than I am of anything more normal. But lets give it a shot. A little soft and tropical, leaning on banana and a fake sort of bubblegum notion of peach, but smooth and flowing. The texture is utterly seductive, but the content of that texture just isnt that interesting. (10/10)
Tentaka Kuni Hawk in the Heavens Junmai Sake (Japan) 2007 is stamped on the bottleI think. Its very faint, and obscured by characters. The sake, however, is not obscured by character...it is a character, dancing and leaping around the palate in a way that, at least in my experience, is pretty unusual for the genre. Do I like it? Yes, its pleasant enough. (9/10)
Igarashi Syuzo Tenrazan Junmai Daiginjyo Sake (Japan) 500 ml. Medium-dry says the bottle, and it certainly is, but as is somewhat typical (at least in my limited experience with sake) theres as much of a textural feeling of sweetness from the alcohol as there is from any residual sugar. Whats nice here is that the alcohol, so often an incessant bagpipe drone in sake, is completely integrated and well-balanced; youll know it not by the taste, but by the headache the next morning. So, what else? White peaches and syrup-infused pears, and rather a lot of both. Almost overwhelmingly fruity, in fact. Theres alsowell, this is a little on the obscure and dated side, but a long while ago there was a sugar-substitute (made from ever-beloved saccharine) that came in the form of a clear liquid. This tastes like that. And I suspect its not lost on anyone, whether or not theyve tried the long-forgotten product of which Im speaking, that to make this comparison isnt exactly a compliment. I want to like this more than I do, due to its supple form, but I feel like Im drinking a simulacrum of sweetened fruit. (11/10)
S. Maria al Monte Amaro (Liguria) Complex, citrusy, and achieving equilibrium between its bitter, sweet, and aromatic elements. Very pleasant, with just enough bite. (8/10)
Isastegi 2008 Sagardo Naturala (Northwest Spain) I like cider in various styles, but prefer dry. And this is dry. Also: nicely bitter, electric, and raspy. It cannot be ignored. (8/10)
Artesano Mead (Vermont) 500 ml. Very floral. I know that, by definition, all mead is more or less floral, but this is really flowery, as if the bees got pollinated wind of a warehouse clearance sale on microgametophytes. Its good, but I think it might be of more use doled out in very small amounts, or perhaps used in cooking. (10/10)
Tentaka Kuni Hawk in the Heavens Junmai Sake (Japan) 2007 is stamped on the bottleI think. Its very faint, and obscured by characters. The sake, however, is not obscured by character...it is a character, dancing and leaping around the palate in a way that, at least in my experience, is pretty unusual for the genre. Do I like it? Yes, its pleasant enough. (9/10)
Igarashi Syuzo Tenrazan Junmai Daiginjyo Sake (Japan) 500 ml. Medium-dry says the bottle, and it certainly is, but as is somewhat typical (at least in my limited experience with sake) theres as much of a textural feeling of sweetness from the alcohol as there is from any residual sugar. Whats nice here is that the alcohol, so often an incessant bagpipe drone in sake, is completely integrated and well-balanced; youll know it not by the taste, but by the headache the next morning. So, what else? White peaches and syrup-infused pears, and rather a lot of both. Almost overwhelmingly fruity, in fact. Theres alsowell, this is a little on the obscure and dated side, but a long while ago there was a sugar-substitute (made from ever-beloved saccharine) that came in the form of a clear liquid. This tastes like that. And I suspect its not lost on anyone, whether or not theyve tried the long-forgotten product of which Im speaking, that to make this comparison isnt exactly a compliment. I want to like this more than I do, due to its supple form, but I feel like Im drinking a simulacrum of sweetened fruit. (11/10)
S. Maria al Monte Amaro (Liguria) Complex, citrusy, and achieving equilibrium between its bitter, sweet, and aromatic elements. Very pleasant, with just enough bite. (8/10)
Isastegi 2008 Sagardo Naturala (Northwest Spain) I like cider in various styles, but prefer dry. And this is dry. Also: nicely bitter, electric, and raspy. It cannot be ignored. (8/10)
Artesano Mead (Vermont) 500 ml. Very floral. I know that, by definition, all mead is more or less floral, but this is really flowery, as if the bees got pollinated wind of a warehouse clearance sale on microgametophytes. Its good, but I think it might be of more use doled out in very small amounts, or perhaps used in cooking. (10/10)