Kagatobi

A convenience store in my neighborhood carries the junmai sake named Kabatobi Gokukan Junmai (加賀鳶 極寒純米) made by Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery. Fukumitsuya, based in Kanazawa City in Ishikawa Prefecture, is known for its adherence to making of junmai sake, and I hear the brewery is making only junmai sake (no brewing alcohol-added sake).

A 720-ml bottle of this Kagatobi is sold at a quite reasonably price of 1050 yen, but its flavor is never cheap. At the first sip, I felt that this was sweet sake. Then my taste buds began to recognize its acidity, and the salivary glands were stimulated. Now, my palate was awoken and tasted the sake flavor happily and sufficiently. Then, shortly, the taste of sake faded away quickly. Oh, I knew this is the junmai sake!

This sake is also nice when warmed.

Kanzake (warmed sake) temperatures

Hinaka-kan (日向燗, "sunbathing warm"): Around 30 degrees C (86 degrees F)

Hitohada-kan (人肌燗, "body warm"): Around 35 degrees C (95 degrees F)

Nuru-kan (ぬる燗, "lukewarm "): Around 40 degrees C (104 degrees F)

Joh-kan (上燗, "nicely warm"): Around 45 degrees C (113 degrees F)

Atsu-kan (熱燗, "hot"): Around 50 degrees C (122 degrees F)

Tobikiri-kan (飛び切り燗, "piping hot"): Around 55 degrees C (131 F) or hotter