I tried 2 different kinds of sake to compare how different
they are. One is “Hakkaisan” Jyunma-Ginjyo from Niigata. The other one is “Tengumai”
Jyunmai from Ishikawa. It was very interesting comparison to find out obvious
differences between 2 since these 2 sakes are from different region of Japan
and category is different as well.
八海山 純米吟醸と天狗舞 純米酒山廃仕込を飲み比べてみました。産地も種類も全く違うこの２つ、違いが顕著に出て非常に面白かったです。
An outstanding characteristic is clear at a glance! It is
the difference of the color!
LEFT: Hakkaisan / RIGHT: Tengumai
まず、色味が明らかに違うのが見てわかります。左は八海山、右が天狗舞です。
Most of
familiar sakes are almost clear like a left glass in a picture. However the
color of original sake is pale golden yellow. In sake making, “activated carbon”
is usually used for filtration. That process removes natural sake color.
馴染みのある日本酒は無色透明が多いですよね。しかしながら、本来の日本酒の色は薄山吹色をしています。お酒を絞った後に活性炭を使って濾過を行うので色味が取れて透明になるのです。
Brewer of Tengumai
minimizes an amount of activated carbon for filtration because they think that filtration
removes the original flavour of sake and believe that golden yellowish color represents
the “natural” and “original”.
この濾過の工程で色とともに旨みも失ってしまうと考える天狗舞は、酒本来の色と旨みを残すためにごく少量の活性炭しか使用しないのです。
That process
makes Tengumai richer and flavourful. Besides that, the traditional “Yamahai-style”
(traditional orthodox time-consuming
method for preparing the starter mash.) and long maturation makes sake richer
and earthier, and gives steady acidity which goes well with food. “Yamahai-style” has strong character,
so it goes well with especially similar strong and flavourful food like duck
and boar.
その為、米そのものの旨味がしっかり活きており、更には山廃造りならではのしっかりとした酸味があるので食事との相性は抜群です。この強い個性に合わせて、お料理も鴨や猪などの個性的な味を持つ食材を使ったものだと更に相性の良さを見せます。
The aroma
has a lot of impact and texture is very soft and thick. It is enjoyable in various temperatures and great
to be warmed.
圧倒的な迫力がありつつも感触はとても柔らかくとろりとしています。色んな温度帯で楽しむことができるお酒で、お燗にすると力強くなりさらに旨みが広がります。
On the other hand, Hakkaisan Jyunmai-Gnjyo is clean clean
clean as a first impression. After a ship, you can enjoy the texture, danced flavour
and a faint of aroma of grains, white peach and apple.
それに対し、八海山純米吟醸はとてもクリーンな印象です。口に含むと軽くて淡いのに濃密で粘りのある触感があります。香りは透明感のある穀物香、ほんのりと白桃やリンゴの香りがします。
It goes well with light and simple white fish and sushi.
Besides that it is the great sake to enjoy alone.こちらは淡白な魚介類やお寿司ととても相性がいいです。もちろんお酒単体で楽しむことのできるお酒です。
Opinions were divided by preference differ due to the
different characters. However it depends on the season, food, when and where
you drink and who you drink with. I think these elements make sake-drinking more interesting!
全く異なる二つを飲み比べたので、人により好みがハッキリと分かれました。どちらもそれぞれ素晴らしい個性を持った日本酒なので、食事や行事に合わせて楽しむことができるのがとても楽しいです。
