Kudoki Jouzu: 100% Omachi Rice

I've been looking forward to posting this sake, so here it is, Kudoki Jyouzu of Kamenoi Brewery in Yamagata prefecture. Now, Kudoki Jyouzu is a wonderful sake. The name "Kudoki Jyouzu" means sweet talking the ladies. And not only is it popular with Westerners but Japanese, also. The reason I chose to select this particular sake is because, unlike its other brands, it uses 100% Omachi rice. This is quite rare by the way.

Rice is a big deal in the sake world because it's one of the key ingredients that define taste, texture, and aromas in the sake. Other things would be the water, the mold, and then the technique.

Most brewers tend to use Yamada-nishiki or Gohyakumangoku. The sake I'm drinking this morning hails from Yamagata prefecture, so the rice of choice would typically be either the top two, or Dewasanzan, a true Yamagata born rice. The rice used in this sake, 44 Omachi rice, is originally from Okayama prefecture, and has more defined flavor characteristics to it and more earthiness.

The sake meter value is a plus 1 which makes it sweet, but also keep in mind that I'm drinking a Junmai(JOON-mai) Daiginjyo(die-GEEN-joe), and what that basically means is that I'm drinking the very best product of this brand with rice millet down to less than 60%. Just to give you a little context; table rice is, the stuff you eat, is milled at 10%, which means you get to eat 90% of its content whereas in the case of sake, the more that stripped away from each grain of rice the better and more refined a sake will taste.

It's a 44 Omachi(雄町), which means that 56% of the rice is polished away. The more rice that's polished away the more refined it is in taste, which typically leads to lighter and more fruity sake.

Not all good sake has to come from this rating, though. In fact I rarely drink Daiginyo sake simply because I prefer something with a little more umami(stronger more noticeable flavor), plus I like to taste the rice, so a Junmai or a Junmai Daiginjyo would work best for me, plus nothing is added to it at all. Daiginjyo sake is refined down and then some spirits are added to it.

This sake I'm drinking this morning has a very wonderful and soft floral texture and aroma to it. Elegant, dainty, sophistication and it's very appealing to the senses. No wonder this sake has been hailed as a favorite in many contests.

Enjoy the video. It shows me opening and pouring a brand now bottle of this stuff.

Oh yeah, morning sake works too, like a beer breakfast in the morning.