Jonathan L.
Google
I am a wine and spirits educator and I just came back from a trip to Hiroshima and Shimane Prefecture. Thought I’d review this sake that I brought back from my trip.
This is the 秋雲 AKIMO 純米 ひやおろし(Akimo Junmai Hiyaoroshi), made by 富士酒造 (Izumo Fuji) from Shimane Prefecture.
The rice is 100% Yamadanishiki from Shimane Prefecture, and the polishing is 70%.
This sake is a seasonal sake released in the autumn, done in the ひやおろし(hiyaoroshi) style.
The label is pretty cool too, 秋雲 literally means “autumn clouds”, which matches the background of the drifting clouds. The description on the back label is poetic, 秋の夕焼けに照らされた雲のように 哀愁深く しっとりとmeans “As gently wistful and softly mellow as clouds glowing in the autumn sunset.”
The sake is only pasteurized once (一回火入れ), stored in the tank through the summer (常温タンク貯蔵) without a second pasteurization before shipping, as is typical of the hiyaoroshi style. This style typically gives the sake a more mellow, matured character as compared to other “fresher-styled” sakes which have more of those sharper edges. Also, they retain more of these delicate volatile flavours, but require careful handling because they are more sensitive, rightly so, since they did not go through the second pasteurization. Being a seasonal sake, you don’t usually see this style of sake around, outside of the autumn or early winter period.
The nose is plump and full, with some muskmelon aromas. On the palate, it has surprising clarity, despite the richness of the rice and umami character. The finish has some bitterness to it, which might sound terrible in a vacuum but brings balance to the entire profile. This style of sake is not flashy or fruity, but more balanced and mature, which is very fitting for drinking in autumn. If you like a balanced, rice-forward, medium-bodied style this one is for you. At ¥1,529 for 720 ml, it doesn’t ask a lot of your wallet.
Where I live, we don’t get a lot of hiyaoroshi sake, so this one was a fun one to drink at home with my dad.
We prepared a simple Hiroshima-themed meal at home, using ingredients that were brought home. We had pan-seared 5等級 国産和牛赤身カルビ焼肉用（肩）, a grade-5 shoulder-cut kata wagyu that was bought from Youme Town Kure,ピーマン or “Piman” done tempura style, and香り舞茸 or “Kaori Maitake”, an aroma-rich maitake variety with delicate frilly clusters grown in Hiroshima with a name that translates roughly as “fragrant dancing mushroom”, also done in tempura style. Both of these were bought at a JA farmers market in Higashihiroshima where we stopped en-route to the airport.
