True Nabeshima – Welcome To The Retail Headquarters of Nabeshima Sake
Everything happens for a reason, so they say! In the sake world I firmly believe this is true, and the good news is that it usually results in good news. And the good news for you, the best customers in international sake, is that we have expanded our inventory of a very special sake brewery from Saga Prefecture that is uniquely awesome and proud of it.
In a word, Nabeshima is cult sake in Japan. Those who know sake make an effort to seek out their different offerings. Why? They are a technique and style driven brewery (Fukuchiyo). But aren’t all breweries technique and style driven? Yes, in a sense, but some breweries have a style that translates and is represented in each product even with different rice varietals in the makeup. So when tasting a Nabeshima sake, you can almost taste the feeling before the flavor, and that’s pretty cool. And this has caught the international attention of sake aficionados overseas who constantly seek out all Nabeshima products.
Since this is a story, the next chapter recently took place in a suitcase that was hand carried over from Japan by one of our favorite distributor representatives, who tasted us on several unavailable products from Nabeshima. We have carried three or four different Nabeshima for several years, and have done a very good job of growing the market and awareness for these Saga superstar sakes. So much so that the brewery via JFC International and our dear friend Matsui-san (the hardest working man in sake) have decided to make more Nabeshima offerings available to True Sake.
And voilà! We like to say that we represent Nabeshima Headquarters in the US retail market, and if you’re looking for a new delicious expression of handcrafted Japanese sake then we recommend giving Nabeshima a try.
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -2 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this expressive Daiginjo is a wonderful collection of grape, tangerine, persimmon, Asian pear, honeydew, strawberry, white peach, and white lilac aromas. Say hello to everybody’s favorite rice varietal “Omachi” made the Nabeshima way. This exciting brew is the perfect blend between technique and Omachi’s unique flavors that drinks with a slight spritz, bright, crisp, zesty, slippery, fleshy, and very elegant with a professional round finish. And what about those flavors? Holy Moly, look for fresh apple, papaya, persimmon, peach, honeycomb, green apple, kiwi, ginger, breakfast cereal bar, orange peel, and hint of white pepper and ginger. There are plenty of effervescent sakes out there today, but this sake is not that, it is gentle with elegant zestiness that is more positive than distracting and excels in a white wine glass. WORD: Expressive WINE: Zesty Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Crispy Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, lobster, crab, shrimp, oysters, Champagne fare, high-end grilled fish and chicken.
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -1 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this incredible Junmai Daiginjo is a fascinating collection of mango, blackberry, baking flour, powdered sugar, honeydew, grape, lemon, whipped cream, flint, and black pepper aromas. If and when you taste this fabulous sake, you could very well be the only person that you know that has tasted Tankan Wataribune rice that is a descendant of Omachi, and rarely used in high-end sake making. Rich-lite, crisp, spritz-lite, silky, smooth, round, medium-body, frisky, and with a laser finish, this sake drinks with a slippery yet sharp elegance that would appeal to wine drinkers who seek out complexity and balance. Look for lemon-lime, dry papaya, poppy seed, black berry, persimmon, blueberry, green apple, basil, popcorn, daikon, and egg custard flavors with lots of umami and a hint of earth tones that jump with astringency and a smart clean finish. Made the Nabeshima way and extolling a very unique flavor of rice, this sake speaks best in a wine glass. WORD: Exotic WINE: Complex Reds/Sharp Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, white fish carpaccio, fresh tofu, heirloom tomatoes with cracked salt, oysters, ponzu dishes, and steaks ’n chops.
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: +3 Acidity: N/A
The nose on this dynamic Junmai Daiginjo is a stellar collection of papaya, lemongrass, cherry, winter melon, grapefruit, and sweet corn aromas. Fukuchiyo Shuzo are extremely well regarded in the sake world for making a unique style of delicious sake and this Yamadabo is another expression of their technique using a very famous, but relatively unknown rice varietal that is one of the parents of the world famous Yamadanishiki, with the other parent being Tankan Wataribune rice. So this is almost a target sake in that the brewers use their style to hit the target of the flavor of Yamadabo rice. Silky, spritzy, tingly, lively, crisp, elegant with a long fresh finish. This sake is medium-bodied with a sliver of bitterness and an overall dry feeling. So what does Yamadabo taste like? Look for mangosteen, mint, melon icee, sweet rice, rock sugar, honeydew, grape, watermelon, lemon peel, bamboo, bitter melon, lemon-lime, and mineral flavors that pulse with an integrated acidity creating a complex, elegant, and refreshing drinking experience that is perfect for Omakase experiences. WORD: Spritzy WINE: Deep Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, crab, shrimp, lobster, ponzu dishes, oysters with lemon, yakitori, and champagne fare.
Nabeshima "Black Label"
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -6 Acidity: 1.6
The nose on this extremely limited masterpiece is a stupendous collection of tropical fruit, white flower, pear, peach, lychee, mint, and mineral water aromas. Say hello to the best of the best from a brewery that has a very distinctive way of making sake. A top of the line offering that is rich and bright, effervescent and elegant, soft and expansive with a signature zesty acidity that drinks crisp with a tantalizing uptick umami finish. Seek out apple, kiwi, papaya, mango, melon, guava, and herbal flavors on an exciting and mouth watering flow. This is A-List sake at its best and you don’t need a special occasion to taste perfection in a wine glass. WORD: Masterpiece WINE: Complex Reds/Zesty Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Champagne fare, hors d'oeuvres, lobster, crab, and caviar.
Nabeshima "Aiyama"
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Daiginjo. SMV: -6 Acidity: 1.6
The nose on this New World style sake is a lively collection of strawberry, peach, honey, tangerine, nectarine, and mineral water aromas. Say hello to an extremely popular new-age sake that drinks similar to how the label looks - spritzy, tingly, silky, expressive, lively, and juicy. Talk about exciting sake, this brew literally dances in the glass with a wide flavor field including berries, rock sugar, peach, mango, passion fruit, white raisin, strawberry Pixy Stix, and guava hints. Fun and crisp, this Daiginjo made with the very pricey Aiyama rice varietal is a great brew to share with somebody who is new to sake and with those who want to see the new players in the industry. WORD: Fun WINE: Zesty Reds/Spritzy Whites BEER: Crisp Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, Champagne fare, crab, lobster, caviar.
From Saga Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo. SMV: N/A Acidity: N/A
The nose on this sake is a great collection of apple, rock sugar, papaya, green fig, peach, and spring flower aromas. Say hello to a tasty sake that drinks fruity, fresh, and fun. Made with Yamadanishiki rice – the best in the business – this brew is spritzy, tingly, fleshy, juicy, and bright on the palate. Look for peach, grape, powdered sugar, green apple, honeydew, lemon grass, and lime flavors with a clean and quick finish. Wine drinkers will rejoice at the shibumi presence of this sake that drinks with astringency and plump acidity. And for those who cannot get unpasteurized sakes shipped to their homes, this sake drinks very much like a nama. Great chilled in a wine glass. WORD: Spritzy WINE: Fruity Reds/Crisp Whites BEER: Fruity Ales FOODS: Sushi counter, crab, oysters, white fish sashimi in ponzu.