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Joto Junmai Sake
About Joto Junmai Sake
Joto Junmai Sake is produced by Eiko Fuji Brewery – a 13th generation family-run sake producer in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata, Japan. As a brand, Joto produces a variety of liquor products including sake, umeshu, and more.
This particular bottle of Junmai “The Green One” Sake uses a Dewa-No-Sato variety of rice, with a polishing ratio of 80%. This percentage refers to how much of the rice grain is left after the milling process. After the rice is prepared and malted, it is fermented with a local Yamagata yeast, and pressed with an automatic pressing machine to remove the rice particles. The end result sake has a SMV (gravity) value of +7.5, which means I should expect it to be fairly dry.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 15%
❖ Facility: Eiko Fuji Brewery
❖ Aging: N/A
❖ Price Point: low price
My Tasting notes
I took a whiff of this sake, and the aroma was somewhat wine-like, and pretty light. After a couple of sniffs, the rice notes began to emerge, and I could really picture the rice grains in my mind’s eye.
I took my first sip, and it was very smooth. The flavor was light and well-balanced. The rice notes had a subtle sense of earthiness, and the finish was slightly fruity. Overall, this sake was less dry than I was expecting.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I was inspired to create this original drink, which is a riff off of the classic Gold Rush. Since sake has a much lower ABV than bourbon, the result is light and sweet, with a low alcohol content.
Issei in Cali
Ingredients
- 2oz sake
- 3/4oz matcha-infused honey syrup
- 3/4oz lemon juice
- Garnish: strawberry
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a glass with one large piece of ice.
- Garnish with a strawberry slice if desired.
Inside of a cocktail, this sake was quite nice, and I felt that the mixers brought out the toasted qualities of the rice flavor. The drink’s flavors seemed to come in a sequence during each sip, starting with the honey, and moving though the matcha, rice, and finally the fruit. Overall, I’m quite happy with my recipe, although it is definitely on the sweet side! If you’re sensitive to sweetness, you may want to reduce the honey just a bit.
Bottom Line
RATING: 4/5
Overall, I was pretty impressed with Joto Junmai Sake. Although it was missing some wow factor, I feel that it’s a good value for the relatively low price. It is smooth and tasty as a sipper, and also brings a nice depth to simple cocktails.
I feel comfortable recommending this bottle, and I think it’s especially a decent entry point for people who are new to sake. I also appreciate that the company is family-run. I look forward to trying out some of Joto Sake’s other offerings.
As always, drink responsibly.
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