good to know!
what did you eat with it?
the one and only sushi yoshizumi
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Aw yeah. #ēēęÆ儽ę„
some recent pickups. thanks to gifts from dear friends, new connections, and just making the baggage weight limit for my suitcases from my trip to Japan 
from right to left:
Hitakami Winter Aquarium nigori junmai ginjo
Kankiku Ocean Ninety-Nine Nagi Spring Misty, spring Japan release nigori junmai ginjo
Kankiku Sakemirai 50 Wonderland junmai daiginjo
Aramasa Viridian 2023 (āAD-HOCā)
Ubusuna Homase Gonojo Kawamatsuri āriver festivalā
Ubusuna Yamadanishiki no. 2
Nabeshima Ura
Denshu Yonwaregobu Gineboshi junmai daiginjo
Akabu Red Emblem
edit: I tried some Nichi Nichi tastings back to back between sake bowl, guinomi, and wine glass at a special store, and I learned that style of sake was much better in a sake bowl. Wine glass (I think it was Riedel Vinum) concentrated the alcohol and bitterness a bit too much, especially a bit sharper on the nose. This was a surprise to me because I tend to drink sake in a wine glass for flavor or in various kiriko at home for the experience. Guinomi was too small, needs to be refilled too quickly. But sake bowl was definitely preferred for this particular one. It could be confirmation bias, but Nichi Nichi yamadanishiki did taste a bit more bitter in the wine glass. Different sake for different vessels, though.
I ended up buying this Tambayaki and got on the waitlist for some other styles
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Iām going to Japan next month and Iāll be flying first class on JAL!
I donāt drink often (I suffer from Asian glow), though what should I try?
https://www.jal.co.jp/inter/service/menu/pdf/drink/nrt_sp_ame_f_d_202503.pdf
For sake, they have
- Jikon Hakutsuru-Nishiki
- Hakurakesei
For Japanese wine
- Tomi No Oka Winery: From Farm Tomi No Oka Koshu 2022
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Get the 2013 Salon because itās free and otherwise a bottle will run you over $1,000. You wonāt come across Salon champagne by the glass. I love Salon on the rare occasions I do get it, but havenāt had the 2013 yet.
Jikon and Hakurakusei are are much more readily available. You can easily drink these great sakes at many places in Japan. I love Jikon, itās one of the tops, but you also see various ones at many, many good restaurants and even just walking around you can find it (I saw randomly in Nihombashi and Ichinomiya). In fact at almost every nice restaurant I went to, or many izakayas, I could order Jikon and Hakurakusei. Also, I tend to like sake with food, so Iād save that experience for when youāre in a Japanese restaurant. If you must go sake and not get champagne, then Iād go with Jikon. Itās much harder to get retail, but itās also one of the best around.
I donāt care for Japanese wine too much, so I donāt know about the Tomi No Oka. Itās by Suntory? Interestingly, sake brewer Kuheiji now has some burgundy.
Youāll be flying well. Have a good trip!
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Salon is not possible. Those are only for flights from Japan.
That Mimuro Sugi Dio Abita is very good. Itās easy to love sakes (and teas and coffees) that taste vividly and almost singly like one thing. This was a total melon bomb in the best way. Tried to search for more of it, but it seems I wasnāt the only one that loved it.
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Yes itās quite delicious, round, slick, and dangerously easy to drink at 13%. Iāve had it with crab chawanmushi, with anago, and with a cheese plate all to very good effect.
Thereās a bunch available for $25 at Hi-Time right now.
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Recent sips
From right to left:
- Hirotogawa tokubetsu junmai
- Senkin Hope! Assemblage Miracle junmai ginjo
- Gakki Masamune Type-C āWhite Drumā daiginjo nakadori
- Nichi Nichi Library Selection
- Nabeshima Kitashizuku junmai daiginjo
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If it is still available for $25 at Hi Time, it is a steal. It wasnāt available at reputable sake shops in Tokyo in late fall. Sounds like MTC havenāt exhausted their inventory yet! Highly recommend.
Iwa 5 blew me away.
