Chestnut, fresh mushroom and ripe tropical fruit aromas introduce this sake to the nose. It is a full-bodied, textural sensation which enlivens the palate with medium sweet, bold fruit and umami rice flavours. Every sip has impact and the great acidity and grip in this Tokubetsu Junmai rounds out the drinking experience. This sake has great flexibility with food, particularly with bold flavours such as curry or strongly spiced and seasoned dishes.

The sake equivalent of the big red wine. This sake is unpasteurised and should be kept refrigerated before and after opening.

The kanji lettering on the bottle label in gold spells out the brand name Harada はらだ. The distinctive orange label is a combination of motifs representing the sun, mountains and water which are central to rice growing and sake brewing. The word momidi (or momiji) which forms part of the brewery name references the Japanese maple tree but was also used to describe the colour change that occurs with the change of seasons. This coming to life as the colour change sweeps through the natural landscape of Japan is a strong and evocative image for Hatsumomidi sake brewery.

• Brewery: HATSUMOMIDI SAKE BREWERY
• Region: Yamaguchi
• Classification: Tokubetsu Junmai (unpasteurised)
• ALC/VOL 16%
• Net Volume: 720ml, 1.8L
• Rice: Yamada Nishiki rice grown in Yamaguchi Prefecture
• Rice Polishing Ratio: 60%
• SMV: Undisclosed
• Serve: Cold | Chilled | Warm
• Matching Food: Moroccan Tagine, Korean Fried Chicken, Malaysian/Thai Curry