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High quality sake in post-tsunami Fukushima

W. Blake Gray
Features
5 min read
This should be a success story. In 1990, Fukushima prefecture got zero gold medals at the Japan sake awards. This was just when Japanese consumers started to pay more for premium sake, so the local government took the embarrassing shutout seriously. Fukushima's government started a sake academy to teach brewers

Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky

David Honig
Spirits
1 min read
Coffey stills aren't in that much use anymore, and when used, it's usually for grain whisky. But the Japanese Nikka Distillery is using it to make malt whisky as well as their more well-known grain whisky. The color is gold, with a hint of copper. On the nose, pound cake

Konteki “Tears of Dawn” Sake

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
A complex sake with a multilayered palate. The color is quite clear, like water, but with better legs. Apple, white florals, and hints of caramel roil up from the glass. The palate leads with caramel apple and banana, followed by deeper flavors of potato and truffle. A tiny bite of

Tōzai “Living Jewel” Sake

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
A complex sake with a multilayered palate. The color is almost perfectly clear, with barely a hint of straw. The nose is complex, offering  yeast, melon, and pear. There is a lot of movement on the palate, opening with melon, then rolling through pears, white florals, hazelnut, and raspberry. Potato

Bushido Ginjo Genshu Sake

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
Sake meets summer, in a convenient 180ml can. The color is perfectly clear, and just it is just slightly more viscous than water. Pears and rice come through on the nose. On the palate, it's slightly sweet, offering melon and poached pear, followed by tart raspberry and hints of white

Kanbara “The Bride of the Fox” Sake

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
The color is clear, with just the slightest hint of straw. Green grapes and kiwi show on an intensely fruity nose. On the palate green grapes and pistachio give way to white pepper and cocoa. Clean and round, with a smooth mouth feel, this would pair well with stone crab.

Tōzai “Snow Maiden” Sake

David Honig
Wine Reviews
1 min read
The color is milky-white, with lots of particulate in suspension. Aromas of fresh-cut honeydew melon waft up from the glass. Loads of fresh melon, honeydew and cantaloupe, light up the palate, followed by white pepper and radish. White pepper lingers. The flow from sweet to sharp is fascinating. It pairs