The “Beau-Zone” Layer - Mutsu Hassen Junmai Daiginjo
From Aomori Prefecture.
Junmai Daiginjo.
SMV: -3 Acidity: 1.2
Trust Me! This month’s BZL is all about trust, and unless you’ve been to Aomori prefecture, and unless you've been to the killer Mutsu-Hassen brewery then you’re going to have to trust me when I tell you that this is one of “those” sakes that should not be missed. In a word this Junmai Daiginjo is amazing! Is it the feeling? Is it the flavor? Is it the brewing style and technique? Is it the aura that surrounds Mutsu Hassen sake? Or is it all of the above? When I visited this brewery several years back, I wanted to specifically see how two of my favorite sakes were made. The first is their incredible “Red Label” Junmai that is the flagship of the brewery, and secondly I wanted to see how this JDG was hand crafted. Standing in the shubo (sake yeast starter) room it became clear that they do things differently at MH. In fact they do things very differently when it comes to the shubo, and the result (nearly half the time of traditional shubo) makes for excellent sake. And so clean! The kura is impeccable and that transcends into the flavor of the sake.
In my review for this Daiginjo, I say it is a “Masterclass in Layered Sake” and I think that pretty much nails it! This brew has so much working on so many levels, but yet it is incredibly balanced. When you think that there is a layer of delicate spritz or effervescence and then you ask yourself was that really there? Then you know that you’re dealing with a shape shifting sake that not only baffles, but delights. Trust me when I say that you should gift this sake to yourself. You deserve it! Unless you’re leaving for Aomori any time soon then bring Aomori Prefecture to your house. This sake could easily cost twice as much, trust me!