Watari Bune is an “heirloom” rice strain, meaning it has never been crossed with another variety. It is also one of the parent strains to Yamada Nishiki, the most celebrated sake rice. Watari Bune had gone out of use for fifty years until this brewery revived it in 1988 with 14 grams of seeds. By 1996, they won a gold medal at Japan’s National Sake Competition, and another in 1998. This is a deep, nutty, earthy, and complex sake with balancing notes of tropical pineapple and honeydew melon. One of the best pairings for umami-rich foods like pate or monkfish liver.

The experience:Serve chilled! This is a big sake — not in funkiness and viscosity, but in flavor and texture. Think white burgundy-big. Aromatic and bright with a fuller body and crisp finish. Bright white peaches & ripe melon notes.

Process:Sokujo (fast brew!)

Ingredients:55% polishedWatari Bune rice, association #9 yeast, water, koji

Storage:store in a cool, dark place