Tanzawasan Aged Yamahai Junmai Omachi Rinho "Cold Mountain"

The nose on this instant classic sake is a fine collection of steamed rice, konbu, dashi, apple pie, graham cracker, oatmeal, grilled lemon, white miso, and a touch of white pepper aromas. We love sake with a mission, and we really love sake with extra flavor and delicious complexity. Sake is supposed to be a mystery in every sip! This Cold Mountain is a mystery shrouded in a veil of suspense with a dash of umami and culminates in a complex and supremely drinkable flow that is great chilled but also won medals for being room temp and heated! It was aged between 4 and 6 years and released when the Toji said “It tastes like the Rinho Taste.” Does it drink like Koshu or room temp aged sake? No, because it’s stored in cold temps and uses the “time-intensive Yamahai method.” And it’s made with our favorite Omachi rice varietal milled to 60%. “White Burgundy Inspired,” it drinks layered, rich, full-bodied, ricey, and savory, but not like a heavy Koshu. Look for steamed rice, sourdough bread, white miso, rice cracker, grilled lemon, and forest floor flavors with a very complex layer of umami that expands as the glass warms. This is “old fashion” sake that is built to appeal to modern sake drinker sensibilities and is a food pairing beast! WORD: Beautiful Complexity WINE: Complex Reds/White Burgundy BEER: Full-Bodied Ales FOODS: Sushi, sashimi, grilled rosemary chicken, caprese salad, mushroom risotto, fettuccine alfredo, Yakitori, steaks and chops, and layered soups and stews.