Kikusakari Gekkakow Ultra-Premium Daiginjo Sake

Brewed by Kiuchi Brewery
Style: Daiginjo
Ibaraki, Japan

Pours clear and still. Smells of vanilla, touches of fruit, some rice, alcohol. Tastes of vanilla, sweet rice, alcohol, some fruity hints on the finish.

Vintage 2000. Clear lightly yellowed liquid. Thick tall legs. LIghtly floral aroma, with hints of mums and honeysuckle. Not a strong aroma, but one that keeps calling you back. Very fruity in flavor, with pears, apricots, and a few exotic fruits as well. Strength is not that well hidden in this one as the alcohol come in mid to late finish and starts a small fire that builds in the linger. A touch of dry coconut in the linger. The alcohol is not tasted, but rather felt which is a plus. You can tell this is the good stuff, but I wish the flavors did come out a touch more.

Bottled, Vintage 2000, very special thanks to Blake! Poured a clear almost watery color, but had a tint of yellow to it... very nice legs to it. Aroma picked up some alcohol-fueled melons, some berries, and more fusel alcohol, especially as it warmed up. Flavor had a very intriguing berry and melon character that washed over the front of the palate.. some floral and some well-refined rice over the middle with a warm melon and polished rice back-end. Warm on the palate throughout with solid fruity notes and melon throughout. Tasty stuff that flowed very well across the palate.. warm, inviting, and eminently enjoyable! Thanks Blake!

Not 100% this goes here but I will find out tonight and move it if I have to. Pours , still, and clear with a light yellow color. Legs on the glass with each swirl. Aroma of pears with mild rice and alcohol notes. A spicy licorice and flowers with warming of the sake. The flavor has a vanilla start with a light fruity (lychee) middle. Semi-dry finish leaves a long taste. Warming but light and no real alcohol taste.

This dark green 2003 vintage bottled sake from a bottle shop poured a very small sized head of frothy clear colored bubbles that were quickly diminishing and left behind a transparent and an oily lacing. The aroma was vinous alcohol secondary rice and licorice. The semi-thick mouth feel was weakly tingly at the start mediumly tingly at the finish with a biting vinous alcohol aftertaste. . An OK sake just nothing special.

Tried at the new NYC restaurant, Megu, in Tribeca (Manhattan). Their "kimono bar" has walls lined with rolls of kimono cloth and the sake menu was assembled with the help of John Gauntner - the #1 English-speaking sake expert. Boasting about 20 daiginjos, the list was impressive, and I settled on the Gekkakow, which was immensely fragrant of candy and sweetness. Again, it reminds me of cotton candy from the circus, and is quite sweet for sake. The abv is NOWHERE to be found, as you'd expect from such a premium offering. Light body with hints of fruit. Delicious.

Vintage 2000. The sake pours to a light yellow hued glassy clear body with really sexy legs and a nice reflective property exists with the light play. The aroma is coconut, melon, rice, Asian pears, and some sort of herbs. The flavor is coconut, rice, melon, vanilla, and plum flowers. The palate is creamy, warming, and nicely textured.

Pours still, with a crystal clear, pale yellow body. A swirl of the glass reveals sticky, runny legs. Notes of cream, lemon chiffon, koji, licorice and sweet bread comprise the inviting nose. A substantial, oily, sweet body pushes along those same creamy and citrus notes in the mouth. Un-parallelled smoothness feels excellent from start to finish. Ends semi-dry. Hides the 17.5% incredibly well. Perfect with sushi. Complex enough for deep contemplation, yet simple enough for everyday drinking. Great Daiginjo.