Toyo Bijin, Ippo, A step forward, Yamada Nishiki
While the initial clean-up and rebuilding process was still underway, Head Brewer Sumikawa was already undertaking the first steps back from the brink, courting the so-called ‘king of sake rice’ in the form of the Yamada Nishiki variant. Without declaring it on the label, this is daiginjio-grade in the junmai style, having undergone a grain polish of 50%, no filtration, and a single pasteurization. In accordance with the brewery ethos, the look is virtually indistinguishable from the pure water that imbued the original rice stalks, presenting a white-grape aroma, supple, almost fluffy mouthfeel, and gentle but lengthy finish, lingering on the palate.