Fukumitsuya Kuroobi DO DO Yamahai Junmai "Black Belt"

The nose on this sake made by the oldest brewery in Kanazawa, which has made sake for over 400 years, this special blended sake has a wonderful nose filled with mushroom, leather, almond, star anise, soy sauce, milk chocolate, aioli, butter, salted plum, and steamed rice aromas. Quickly becoming a staff favorite, this brew is made with blended batches of sake with differing rice varietals (Yamada and Kinmonishiki) milled to different levels and aged differently then released when it drinks at peak dryness and umaminess (my word) for a very cool drinking and food pairing experience. This is a wine and food lover’s sake and is sort of a hybrid to satisfy these new sake fans and their wicked ways. Light, dry, clean, water-like, rich-lite, bright, firm, and oddly refreshing for a Yamahai-style sake. It’s intelligent sake layered with an immense flavor field such as dashi, cocoa powder, spring water, butterscotch, crispy rice cracker, pinto bean, seaweed, daikon, rice malt, nutmeg, white pepper, mushroom powder, and grilled lemon with a massive umami backbone that makes it a pairing wonder. WORD: Umami WINE: Dry Reds/Rich Whites BEER: Dry Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi (Tuna), grilled mackerel, Sukiyaki, aged cheeses, Yakitori, and Izakaya pub-fare that is salty and savory.