Dassai Mirai "Future with Farmers"

The nose on this “special sake” is a vivid collection of cantaloupe, green grape, pear, apricot, powdered sugar, strawberry, and rice bran aromas. In a word, this sake was made using rice that was graded out of production, which usually accounts for 10% of most Yamadanishiki yields. Is it bad rice? Nope, it’s just the rice that didn’t meet the size and shape requirements for top of the line sake-brewing rice. So instead of wasting it, they super polished this odd-shaped rice to 8% remaining. Holy Moly! Since this sake is a story, then it’s totally appropriate that it drinks like a book with a gentle off-sweet beginning, a beautiful smooth mouthfeel middle, and an elegant whisper finish. It is velvety, soft, round, viscous, juicy, and very elegant, with a density and complexity that drinks like a concentration or reduction in cooking terms. Look for blueberry, pear, red plum, lychee, peach, stewed apple, violet, tomato water, mochi, and grape flavors that show better in different sized glasses. Because of the rice “oddities”, it cannot be classified as a Junmai Daiginjo, but it surely drinks like one with deep impact and emotions. WORD: Concentrated WINE: Fat Pinot Noir/White Burgundy BEER: Rich Fruity Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, Champagne fare, and complex flavored cuisines.