Drank at room temperature. The appearance is crystalline. The structure is thick. The olfactory intensity is normal, and the olfactory persistence is sufficient. The taste on the nose - dominant aroma is of malted rice Koji. The taste on the nose - secondary aromas finds impressions of vanilla, melon, fruit, smoked and gin. The first impression of intensity in the mouth is of robust sake. The body is full. The taste intensity is high, and the taste persistence is sufficient. On the palate the body is just short of strong. On the palate the aftertaste is intense. The taste is pleasant. The final mouth sensations are demanding sake. The finish is velvety and tends more towards dry. The palate brings hints of cooked rice, white peach, fruit and banana.

300mL bottle at Fugakyu in Brookline, MA, 3/4/05. Served chilled. Aroma of light vanilla, honey, and light suggestions of sweet rice pudding. A bit of light fruit esters, and just a hint of alcohol. Appearance is a very pale yellow, mostly clear, with an ever-so-faint, chill-haze. Flavor is, to-date, the best sake flavor I have tried (not saying much). But it’s nice to slowly work my way up the sake quality ladder. While some lightly sharp alcohol was still perceptible (as this is not a daiginjo), this is certainly a hell of a step up from say, momokawa, IMHO. Sweet vanilla, light coconut pulp and lightly chewy rice. Great body on this, medium to medium-full with a pleasant heavy sweetness to start, ending quite a bit more dry and with some more hints of rice alcohol.