Azumarikishi Tokubetsu Honjozo Shiboritate Cho Karakuchi Nama Genshu (720 ml)

Shimazaki Sake Brewery, founded in 1849 by Hikobe Shimazaki in Nasukarasuyama City, Tochigi, built its identity on depth and conviction — the same house that has cave-aged Daiginjo every year since 1970 applies that same uncompromising philosophy to this shiboritate release. Shiboritate means bottled immediately after pressing, with no heat pasteurization (nama) and no water addition (genshu), preserving the raw, high-ABV fermentation character exactly as it leaves the tank. The brewery draws on subterranean groundwater from the foothills of Mt. Nasu, fed by the Naka River — exceptionally soft water that drives slow, cool fermentation and amplifies the natural sweetness of the rice, creating a counterpoint to the cho karakuchi (super-dry) SMV profile. The Honjozo classification permits a small addition of distilled alcohol, which in this style sharpens the dry finish and lifts aromatic intensity without diluting body. Special feature: the combination of nama, genshu, and cho karakuchi in a single Honjozo is a deliberate technical transgression — most producers choose either freshness or dryness, not both at full strength. Drink within months of release, well-chilled, to capture the effervescent, just-pressed vitality before oxidation softens the edges.