• Prefecture: Gifu

• Rice & polishing: Yamada Nishiki, polished to 50%

• Style: Junmai Daiginjo

• Food pairings: Beef carpaccio, roast duck, herb-grilled chicken, soft cheeses

• Taste: Strawberry, herbal, almond, umami

• Alc.: 15%

Hyakujuro Black Face is a Junmai Daiginjo made from Yamada Nishiki polished to 50%. The nose is soft and light, with sweet strawberry laced with green herbs. After two or three sips a faint almond note emerges, accompanied by a distinct acidity that lingers until the swallow, and a good measure of umami comes through at the end. Deep and layered, it can be enjoyed with or without food.

SMV: +3

About the brewery

Hayashi Honten was founded in Kakamigahara, Gifu, in October 1920 by Eiichi Hayashi, a rice farmer who wanted to brew from the rice he grew himself. Brewing water is drawn from the subsoil flow of the Nagara River, one of Japan's three clearest rivers. Fifth-generation president Rieko Hayashi leads a range headed by the Hyakujuro label, from dry junmai to aged and lower-alcohol bottlings.