Akashi-Tai
The history of Akashi-Tai Sake Brewery Co Ltd stretches back to the end of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1867), when the company produced soy sauce and traded in rice. From 1918, they made the most of their geographic location which was ideal for making fine sake. In brewing its select sakes, Akashi-Tai use only the choicest ingredients, often produced locally. For example, the company uses the yamada-nishiki variety of rice — a superior strain — grown in the region just north of Akashi.
Japanese sake has played a long and distinguished role in the evolution of Japanese tradition and culture — sake reflects the appreciation of the Japanese for the ebb and flow of the seasons, enjoyed and shared among friends.
Sake is not a wine, as this implies the fermentation of fructose. It is really a strong rice beer with an ABV up to 20%. However, it is immediately noticeable that the complexity of aromas, flavours, and styles are more reminiscent of wine than beer!
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Rice Wine Japan
30cl
Honjozo is a traditional and well-established favourite amonst sake lovers. The lightest style of traditional sake - Honjozo is a great start point for those new to the world of sake. Made using rice from which at least 30% of the outer layer has been milled away this can be enjoyed chilled to expose the dry citrussy crispness or served warm - to bring out it's intense creaminess and almost sweetly smooth texture.
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Rice Wine Japan
Half-litres
Conventional umeshu, or plum liqueur, is made by preserving Japanese ume plums in distilled spirits. However, Shiraume is a luxurious plum liqueur made by preserving plums in the finest of Japanese sakes - premium ginjo sake made from Yamada Nishiki rice. In Shiraume, the mild flavour of brewed sake nurtured to perfection blends harmoniously with the fruity flavour of ume plums. No sharp tang of alcohol mars the finish to the palate, as sometimes... (more info)
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Rice Wine Japan
70cl bottles
The Daiginjo Akashi-tai is made using Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Hyogo Prefecture. A brew master watches over the koji for 72 hours — without sleeping — to ensure the absolute finest of sakes. A fruity fragrance can be detected amid the full-bodied flavour. (cf The Sancerre of Sake?)
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Rice Wine Japan
70cl bottles
The Genmai Akashi-tai is created using the finest of rices for sake — Yamada Nishiki — in an almost entirely unpolished form. Because unpolished brown rice was used, this sake required extra special attention to detail, such as double-steaming of the rice. Although brewed in 2002 and bottled after being allowed to age, the Genmai Akashi-tai will continue to grow in delicious complexity if allowed to age further. Newly fermented sake cannot provide... (more info)