Azakura Junmai Ginjo (300 ml)

Azakura Shuzo has brewed in Yokote City since 1876 — today the sole remaining sake brewery in Yokote after absorbing rival Yokote Meijo in 1971 — and its survival is inseparable from the kanjikomi method it still practices: cold-weather brewing that begins at winter's onset and ferments at near-freezing temperatures for an extended period, a technique historians credit as the blueprint for modern ginjo fermentation across Japan. The brewery sits in the Yokote Basin, enclosed by the Ōu and Dewa mountain ranges, drawing soft snowmelt water from its own well; that low-mineral water profile encourages a delicate, clean fermentation and keeps the palate from turning heavy. This Junmai Ginjo is built on Akita Sake Komachi rice — an Akita-original variety developed by the prefectural agricultural experiment station — polished to 50% seimaibuai, well inside ginjo territory, with no added brewer's alcohol. Fermentation employs either the Akita Yukiguni UT-2 or Akita Mio yeast, both regional strains selected for reserved aroma and structural acidity rather than the high-ester tropical fruitiness that dominates mainstream ginjo. Where most ginjo producers amplify fragrance at the expense of depth, Azakura's house philosophy deliberately prioritizes umami structure and a clean, non-tiring finish — a deliberate transgression of the category norm. At 16–17% ABV in its standard filtered expression, the 300 ml format delivers the full kanjikomi character in a single-sitting pour.