Sake Challenge – Five Brews That You Should Feel!

Let’s talk about your feelings! To be more accurate, let’s talk about your sake feelings! Are you a sake drinker who likes super clean like-water brews that swoosh through the palate like a whisper? Or do you prefer feeling? For me I love the perfect blend between feeling and flavor, and call that the feeling/flavor ratio! If a sake has overwhelming flavor but drinks thin then for me it’s okay. Likewise, if you have a super fat and chewy brew that is too clunky and junky it can drink heavy. So herewith are 5 Power Brews that are perfect on the feeling/flavor ratio scale, and should not be missed by all sake enthusiasts.

1) Urakasumi Honjozo Genshu - We will start with a Honjozo that has a very wide personality! It’s big in feeling, and big in flavor. But it does not let the 19% alcohol distract from the overall slide of this very smooth and chewy brew. This is a good example of balanced largeness in sake.

2) Tsukinokatsura Junmai “Iwai” - Now it’s time to get really “Junmai-ed.” This brew is made with a rice varietal called Iwai milled to just 80% and the result is a feeling/flavor superstar. I wrote that this brew drinks like a Bo Derrick “10” with tons of body and amazing flavors. This sake is so soft for so much flavor and that is why it is in this Power 5.

3) Shirataki Junmai “Noujun Uonuma” - Another Junmai sake milled to 80% makes this Power 5 List, because this Niigata brew doesn’t drink like typical Niigata sake. We love this sake, because it shows how sake is being taken in a new direction in Niigata Prefecture. And the best part of this feeling/flavor play is that it is layered, which makes this brew drink like an adventure in the palate.

4) Harada Junmai Ginjo Muroka Nama Genshu “Brew Master” - Had to have a nama on this list of super feeling and flavored sakes. Harada is world class in both. When you describe a sake as being “thick” it better be balanced with a great flavor that makes you drink up that thickness. We wrote “velvet personified” in the review and that is exactly how Harada drinks. So much amazing flavor wrapped up in so much wonderful feeling.

5) Stella Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Genshu Shizuku - The fifth and final Power 5 Feeling and Flavor brew is an amazing Junmai Daiginjo that has taken True Sake by storm. This is a staff favorite pick and for good reason. It is juicy and fruity, but the feeling is what makes this sake shine. Can silky and slippery be a great feeling sake? You bet! And this brew is a wonderful combination of mouth-feel and flavor, and there is a great “glide” to this Harada that can only be attained by using the Shizuku style of brewing.