• Prefecture: Iwate

• Rice & polishing: Aiyama, polished to 50%

• Style: Junmai Daiginjo

• Food pairings: Seared scallops, grilled prawns, chicken satay, mild soft cheeses

• Taste: Honeyed, fruity, rich, crisp

• Alc.: 16%

Brewed entirely with Aiyama, one of Japan's rarer sake rice varieties, this Junmai Daiginjo opens with honeyed notes laced with citrus, fresh grass, pineapple and banana. The first impression is clear and fresh, with a touch of sugar-crystal sweetness, before a rich, dense and full-bodied palate takes over. It then turns dry and crisp, fading with a short, gently bitter finish. A lively, vibrant sake that shows off the character of Aiyama; serve chilled in a wine glass.

SMV: −2｜Acidity: 1.5

About the brewery

Nanbubijin was founded in 1902 in Ninohe, Iwate, by Suetaro Kuji, and draws its brewing water from its own well and a spring at nearby Takenouchi Shrine. The brewery has steered its production towards premium and ginjo-style sake rather than ordinary table sake. Fifth-generation president Kosuke Kuji, who took over in 2013, works alongside veteran toji Hajime Yamaguchi, who has been with the brewery since 1951.