Hakutsuru Awayuki (300 ml)

Founded in 1743 by Jihei Kano, Hakutsuru built its house identity on a single geological advantage: miyamizu, the mineral-rich hard spring water drawn from the Rokko Mountain aquifer, high in potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, yet critically low in iron. That mineral load drives vigorous yeast activity, producing the clean, dry, assertively structured profile Nada brewers call otoko-zake — a character fundamentally different from the softer styles of Fushimi or Hiroshima.

Awayuki is brewed at Hakutsuru's East Nada Ward complex in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, where the cold seasonal wind Rokko oroshi descends from Mt. Rokko toward the Seto Inland Sea, providing natural ambient cooling that supports slow, low-temperature moromi fermentation over approximately 20–25 days — the thermal condition most responsible for aromatic lift in the finished sake. Fermentation employs proprietary in-house yeast strains developed through Hakutsuru's own research program, alongside koji cultivated in a humidity- and temperature-controlled koji-muro.

What sets Awayuki apart within Hakutsuru's range is its designation as a nigori-style sake: coarsely filtered through mesh rather than fully pressed, retaining rice sediment that delivers a milky texture and residual sweetness that cuts against the brewery's signature dry house style — a deliberate internal transgression. At 12.5% ABV, it sits lighter than most Nada expressions. As a non-vintage, non-seasonal release, it is built for immediate drinking.